Jonathan Freilich, Scott Jackson, Keng, Olga, Eddie X-mas, Dave Rosser, Marc Stone, Walter Harris, Jason Butler and Sean C
Influences
Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Sly Stone, Chuck D., Jim Croce,Outkast, Willie Nelson, John Coltrane, Chuck Brown, Kermit Ruffins, Shannon Powell, Herlin Riley, Stevie Wonder, DeBarge, Curtis Mayfeild, The Roots, Common, Erykah Badu, Counting Crowes, Led Zepplin, Tribe Called Quest, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, George Clinton, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Steeley Dan , Taj Mahal, Elvis Cosstello, Quincy Jones, Ween, Earth,Wind& Fire, The Bee Gee's, Player, The Meters, Louis Armstrong, Johnny V., Critters Buggin, Jon Cleary, Eminem, Ice Cube, Ice T, Mos Def, De La Soul, The Spinners, Lou Rawls, Theryl DeClouet, George French, Bob French, John Boutte and Sista Teedy.The singing drummers: Don Henley, Buddy Miles, Phil Collins, Levon Helm, Steven Tyler, Dave Grohl, Peter Criss, Maurice White, Tommy Lee, Questlove, Sheila E and the Dude who sang Brickhouse
About The Album
FREEMAN PICKS COTTON, MATHUS BALES HAY
What do Wynton Marsalis, Lionel Ritchie, Bobby Gentry, and the Cars all have in common? They all influence the New Orleans underground world of Derrick Freeman (a.k.a. Mr. Smoker) on his new self released CD “It Is What It Is”.
Derrick eschews the more expected approach of a premier Crescent City drummer by employing a Memphis horn section, Mississippi production, weeping pedal steel, and a genre crossing array of material, to create a CD that sounds like it was recovered from a Trans-Dirty South time capsule with blunt included. (Instructions to aliens: smoke this; play this loud!) Yeah, “It Is What It Is” could save the Universe. Imagine space aliens making out in the backseat of an ’80 Caprice, high on Budweiser and reefer and you’ll get an idea of what Mr. Smoker is all about.
Derrick hooked up with producers Jimbo and Olga Mathus at Delta Recording Service in Como, Mississippi to record “It Is What It Is.” “It’s a truly beautiful record,” says Jimbo. I’m a huge admirer of Derrick’s work, as well Jonathan Freilich (guitarist). Working with them, Keng (vocalist), and Adam Matasar (keyboard) in Mississippi was too cool. Derrick’s producer, arranger and songwriting skills blew me away”.
“I was called to do this recording” says Mr. Smoker. “These songs represent a whole interpretation of early musical and life influences, some even before I was born, but only realized later in life. Songs that reflect my family background in Houston, Memphis, and Mississippi. Songs in the sub-conscious”.
This becomes apparent when you hear Mr. Smoker’s interpretation of “Ode to Billie Joe,” the classic song/fable of Deep South tragedy and suppression. Derrick, a young African American, has his own patriarchal roots lying somewhere in the Mississippi Delta, near the Tallahatchie Bridge. Time and racism buried these roots deeply but Derrick knows they are there and honors them in this recording. His version of the Cars “Let the Good Times Roll” (a song any kid in 1983 would have heard), is completely off the chain. Shannon McNally appears on Jim Croce’s “Operator” in a beautiful duet.
Derrick Freeman puts some missing pieces back in the musical puzzle on “It Is What It Is” and shows how simple pop music, both black and white, can be truly meaningful and moving. This CD will take you back and prepare you for the future. Wake Up Everybody!
Derrick Freeman is originally from Houston, TX and is on the precipice of a new movement of New Orleans music. He started learning classical piano and percussion at age 8. His music is grounded in southern gospel and jazz. After graduating high school and under the advice of Wynton Marsalis, Derrick accepted a scholarship to study jazz at the University of New Orleans in 1992. At UNO, Derrick refined his skills under the tutelage of Mr. Ellis Marsalis and Mr. Harold Batiste. During that time, Freeman discovered the historical Treme neighborhood where he learned the in’s and out’s of the New Orleans brass band culture. He was inspired by Treme legends Benny Jones Sr., Uncle Lionel Batiste, Tuba Fats, Kermit Ruffins, Corey Henry, and James Andrews. He studied New Orleans jazz drumming under Shannon Powell. Derrick soon became his “understudy”, taking whatever gigs Powell would give him. In 1994 at the age of 20, Freeman began playing and touring worldwide with Kermit Ruffins and The BBQ Swingers.
After three years, Freeman began touring as a drummer for Coolbone, a New Orleans hip-hop brass band. Coolbone toured with groups such as Camp Lo, Spearhead, Wyclef Jean, Ben Harper, and David Byrne. It was on these tours that Freeman’s musical concept changed. He realized music was as much about entertainment as it was about self-fulfillment. After leaving Coolbone in 1998, Freeman returned to New Orleans with a new attitude. He completed his degree in Jazz Studies at UNO. Soon after Freeman hooked up with Steve Tegel (The Vacation) and began writing songs. Along with DJ Droo, Freeman and Tegel, started the short-lived but popular group called Mass Hysteria. Later, Freeman and Tegel joined forces with Davis Rogan in the ever popular New Orleans group All That.
In 2000, Freeman and Doug Miller left All That to start the band Crönk. Crönk quickly became one of the most popular groups in New Orleans. From 2000 to 2002, Crönk toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada and played several festivals in Colorado and California. In addition, they played at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2001 and 2002 and headlined at the French Quarter Festival in 2002.
After the break-up of Crönk, Freeman briefly toured with Carlos Washington and Giant People. He then went back to basics, playing freelance gigs, studying music, and composing original material. Freeman played with several New Orleans based groups such as Idletime and Dimorphadon. In 2002 he also rekindled his relationship with DJ Droo and started Wasted Nation, a freaked out Drum n’ Bass group. In 2004 Freeman rejoined Kermit Ruffins and The BBQ Swingers and still performs with them today. In addition, he currently plays with Sir Funk-a-Lot, Corey Henry, Jimbo Mathus, Jonathan Freilich, Shamarr Allen and Tondrae. Freeman is currently releasing his first solo record, “It Is What It Is” with his group “Smoker’s World”.
come check out out this weekend!
FRIDAY, Sept 18th @ The Maple Leaf Bar
uptown New Orleans, LA
Gravy will be opening up the show!
be there and be good (enough)
You wouldn't believe this... I'll be playing Erykah Badu in a stage-play in November. Yup you read right....Me!!! I'm so thankful for Pamela Noland for writting a stage-play for such a great woman,such as Badu, and even more thankful for her letting me be apart of the show.
WRITTEN/ PRODUCED BY: PAMELA DAVIS-NOLAND STARRING: ZENA MOSES, STYLIST B, JEANETTA THOMAS & JULIETTE DUCRE'
Please continue to support your local and unsigned artist and talent... We neeeeed YOU!! Thanks Stay Blessed and Creative, Zena
ThAnKs FoR ThE aDD SmOkER !! HoPe aLL Is WeLL WiTh YoU. I'm JuSt KeEpIn' BuSy..WoRkInG HaRd aT ThEsE BLuEs... BaCk To ThE StUdIo In JuNe To ReCoRd TuNeS FoR My NeW CD..!! GeTtInG ReAdY To HiT ThE RoAd ThIs SuMmER. HoPe To SeE YoU At A ShOW DoWN ThE RoAD. TiLL ThEn..
If YoU ArE GoInG To TrY.. Go aLL ThE WaY.. Do It...ALL ThE WaY.. DoN'T LeT AnYoNe StEaL YoUr ShIne.. 2009 BeLoNgS To YoU.. MaKe It Do WhAt It Do!!
