Jimmy Free's Friends
Like the jazz bands I grew up on, we take songs from our past and rework them, by putting instrumental breaks in them, and altering the beat or the feel. We do our version of it. We don't do jazz standards, we do blues songs, reggae songs and anything else that seems to fit

We do very recognizable songs, we do them our way, still recognizable but with our stamp on them.

Only a few generations ago you had to be within earshot of a living musician to experience music. We cultivate that kind of unique live music. We like to remind you that live music was really special before there was recorded music.

… For the same reason that we keep the truth from animals we slaughter for meat; that is, the meat tastes better if they don’t know they are about to die …. Fear gets in the flavor.
… It is the same for recording, I don't let the guys know we are making a record, in fact, I don't even know, I just record everything and weed through it later. When I record a live gig I say "Maybe we will get something", I down play it, saying that the setup looks like it won't work.
… Fear gets in the music; Harms the flavor …

In twenty years of recording bands I have developed a unique method for recording my music:
In the summer friends congregate at my place. They come from all over, local, out of state, and from other countries. Microphones are put up all over the studio; vocals, drums, amps, etc. We record everything; several weeks’ worth of recording everything and anything. The atmosphere resembles more of a get together then a recording session, no one is in a “we are making a record” frame of mind. And it’s that carefree attitude I’m looking for,….it gets into the music.
It’s music created for the fun and love of doing it, by mature players, who developed music skills by having more fun then adults are usually allowed to have.
