Jason Freeman
His music: Sun Studio tour guide by day, enterprising musician by night, Jason Freeman, 36, is determined to bring Memphis’ longstanding musical traditions into the 21st century. He cut his teeth in the jug band-inspired roots project Bluff City Backsliders and currently plays guitar in Amy LaVere’s backing band, the Tramps. Over the last decade, Freeman has kept his own career on a slow, but steady boil, logging countless gigs as a soloist and landing high-profile jobs as a musical contributor to feature films “Hustle & Flow” and “Black Snake Moan.”
In $5 Cover: Freeman primarily plays a straight-faced sideman in Amy LaVere’s band, although he gets a chance to shine when he performs the bluesy original “Teasing Me” at a backyard barbecue.
In $5 Cover Amplified: Using a mythological West African spirit called Ellegua as his guide, Freeman espouses the power of the subconscious and the multiple functions of ritual in his own creative force.
On Memphis music: “Working at Sun Studio has expanded my view of the role Memphis has played throughout history. I think that’s helped me raise the bar as to what I’m doing, knowing I’m representing a brand that’s known all over the world. In my own humble way, I’m a representative of that tradition.”
Latest news: Although actor Samuel L. Jackson deserves some credit for his fancy fretwork, Freeman’s searing guitar riffs dominate the unforgettable title track for “Black Snake Moan.”
--Andria Lisle
