Education:

Bachelor of Music, in composition, with high honors, DePaul University, 1981
BMI Jazz Composer Workshop, 1991

College Awards: Elmhurst College Jazz Festival Outstanding Soloist, 1980; Wichita College
Jazz Festival Outstanding Soloist,1981; Elmhurst College Jazz Festival Outstanding Composer
and Soloist, 1981  

Teaching and related experience:

Over twenty five years private teaching and clinic experience

Artist/clinician Balter Mallets and formerly Musser Instrument Company
Faculty member Saskatchewan School of the Arts Canada, summer 1988
Jazz journalist, interviews include Bobby Watson and Sue Mingus

Clinics/Masterclasses/Residencies include: New York University, 1998; Berklee College of
Music, 1996; Ithaca College, 1994; Wilkes Barre College, 1994; Western Connecticut State
College, 1993;  Portugal, fifteen clinic/workshops in conjunction with twenty performances, 1985

Clinic/workshop Topics: Historically Important Players; Introduction to Improvisation;
Strengthening Time Feel and Note Choice; Learning Tunes; Advanced Improvisation — ideas,
concepts and examples; Strengthening the Ear; Playing Philosophies; Work Ideas — income
sources and the business of music

Published transcriptions include: Footpath, David Samuels (Orient Point Music); Dialogues,
David Friedman and David Samuels (Malletech); Air Sculpture, David Friedman (Truamton)

Articles include: “Chord Trekking: ideas to make your journey through chord changes more direct,
interesting, and rewarding”; “Note Choice: ideas on making solo lines and compositions stronger and
more musical”; “Music and the Martial Arts”

Presentations: “How to Prepare for a Solo Recital”; “Jazz: A Presentation for General and Young
Audiences”

Grants/Commissions/Awards/Honors:

Invited to perform at the International Association of Jazz Educators’ (IAJE) International
Convention, 1995 and 1996

Commissioned to write arrangements and compositions for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Percussion Scholarship Program, 1995 - present

Recommended evaluation, United States Information Agency's Arts America Program, 1986

Fulbright grant and a grant from the American Embassy in Portugal to tour that country, 1985

Medal of the city of Guarda, Portugal, 1985

Meet the Composer grant, Mid-America Arts Alliance, 1985

Compositions:

Over 100 small group jazz pieces; a mallet concerto; seven big band pieces; a symphonic band
piece; three orchestra pieces; four percussion ensemble pieces; two multiple percussion solo pieces;
three vibraphone/marimba solo pieces 

Over 35 arrangements, and hundreds of pages of commissioned transcriptions

Commissioned composer for over fifteen years

Major Jazz Festivals as a leader include:

Festival Internacional, Teciera, Azores 2007
Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival 1996
Berks Jazz Festival 1995
JVC Newport Jazz Festival (Saratoga, NY), 1989
Hennessy Greenwich Village Jazz Festival, 1987 and 1988  

Concerts include:

Radio/Television:

Featured in a commercial for the G Bar, a Bronx club his group performed at regularly for many years

Mike Freeman ZonaVibe In the Zone 16 weeks on Jazzweek's world music radio chart, peaked at #24,
added to the playlist of over 230 stations; Syndicated - Jazz After Hours; Cable - Music Choice;
airplay also in Canada, Italy, Portugal, Australia, and South America

Mike Freeman Wiggle Stomp Gavin Jazz Chart #46; Aired on the nationally syndicated
“Jazz After Hours” radio show; “Joey Reynolds Show” WOR-AM radio network

Mike Freeman & Spellbound Street Shuffle  —  U.S. national radio charts (Added to playlist of
over 200 radio stations):  # 1 chartbound “Record to Watch” up to #26 Gavin Report jazz chart;
chartbound Gavin Report adult alternative chart several weeks; # 1 chart extra (#31) Radio &
Records several weeks; #34 MAC Report — aired on David Sanborn’s nationally syndicated radio
show — United Airlines in-flight playlist

TV commercials (as a sideman) include jingles for Sprint, Cheerios, Entenmann’s, Uncle Ben’s, Foxwoods
Mike Freeman & Spellbound’s 1985 recording aired on Italian national radio, 1987
Live performances broadcast on Portuguese national radio and television, 1985
Featured in four performance/interview programs, Manhattan Cable TV, 1984  

Studio Work:

Sessions for The Manhattan Transfer (Swing, Atlantic Records), 1997; Don Sebesky, 1993, 1995;
Alan Zahn, 1993; Joe Hudson, 1993; Michael Zager, 1992; Hale Rood 1985-89; Lou Rosen
1984 - present; Recorded As You Like It and Peer Gynt Shakespeare Theater Washington D.C.,
1997 - 98; Northeast Local,Lincoln Center Mitzi Newhouse Theater, 1996;  NYC
Shakespeare-in-the-Park  Titus Andronicus,1989

Featured Performer for:

Ray Mantilla's Tito Puente and Cal Tjader tribute group and Good Vibrations Band;
The Harbor Conservatory Latin Band and musical director Louis Bauzo, in a Latin legends
tribute concert, Aaron Davis Hall, New York City, 1998; Kathleen Landis with Bob Parsons
and Eddie Henderson performing Gershwin's Cuban Overture Fantasy, Weill Hall,  NYC, 1998;
Zambomba at No Moore Blues, 1998, Texaco Jazz Festival

Percussion Performance Background: