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Ron Friedman
Flugel
Horn and Trumpet Lyricist
Ron Friedman's band started out of
a desire to play creative jazz with a contemporary rock feel. The
goal is to have the music be challenging and ambitious while feeling good
enough to dance to.
Ron worked with Frank Sinatra until Frank stopped
performing. Robert Irving (producer, arranger,
& composer for Flattering Secret) produced, arranged, and wrote for
Miles Davis well into the 90's. It is therefore no surprise that
Ron and Robert, both living in Chicago, teamed up to form a band of contemporary
musicians playing new, fresh music that each show their respective influences.
The music is listenable on a very basic level while
at the same time being the kind of music that many find interesting and
complex on a harmonic and rhythmic level.
Ron
Friedman comes from a very musical family in which many of his relatives
played instruments or sang professionally. The grayscale image to the right
shows Ron's dad, Jack Friedman at the drums.
After graduating from Northwestern University in Chicago with a Bachelor's
Degree in Music Education, Ron went on to Northern Illinois University
as a Graduate Assistant where he received a Master's Degree in Musical
Performance. After teaching trumpet and jazz at Northern Illinois
University for two years he joined New York Mary, a jazz-rock fusion band
that made two albums for Arista Records. Ron then joined the Woody
Herman Big Band, playing along such jazz greats as saxophonists Joe Lovano
and Frank Tiberi.
Ron then worked in Chicago, playing
trumpet and flugelhorn on well over 5000 Radio and Television commercials
such as; United Airlines, Coca-Cola, Bud-Lite, Coors, Pizza Hut, Bally's
Casinos, McDonald's and on and on.......
Ron then joined Frank Sinatra
as featured jazz soloist touring for five years.
Throughout his career, Ron has played and/or recorded
with every big name in jazz and entertainment, including:
| Frank Sinatra
Kurt Elling Billy Eckstine Natalie Cole Aretha Franklin Clark Terry Bobby Caldwell Manhatten Transfer Joe Williams Mel Torme Styx Benny Goodman Woody Herman |
Temptations
Dizzy Gillespie Tony Bennett Gladys Knight Della Reese Ella Fitzgerald Ramsey Lewis Tom Jones Rosemary Clooney Michael Jackson Liza Minelli Benny Carter Sammy Davis Jr. |
Mike Smith Johnny Mathis Ohio Players New York Mary Corky Siegal Bernadette Peters Steve Lawrence Eydie Gorme Big Twist & the Mellow Fellows and many more...... |
Ron can be heard with his own group in Chicago at Andy's Jazz Club (State
St. and Hubbard St.) and often at the Green Mill Jazz Club and Green
Dolphin Street.
Ronís musical philosophy: ìWe play interesting,
serious music that also happens to feel damn good!î
Visit Ron's Frank Sinatra Page for pictures taken by Ron during live performances