The University of Chicago Library > The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center > Finding Aids > Guide to the Roger Isaacs Collection of Bud Freeman Papers 1918-1995
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| Title: | Isaacs, Roger, Collection of Bud Freeman Papers |
|---|---|
| Dates: | 1918-1995 |
| Size: | 5.25 linear feet (8 boxes) |
| Repository: |
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center |
| Abstract: | Lawrence “Bud” Freeman (b. April 13th, 1906, d. March 15th, 1991) was a jazz tenor saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois, who lived and played all over the world, including New York City, London, Paris, Chile, and Japan. Freeman was a leader of the “Chicago style” of jazz, inspired by musicians like Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Jimmie Noone, Bessie Smith, and Bix Beiderbecke as well as the New Orleans jazz scene. This collection contains correspondence, magazine and newspaper clippings, memorials, obituaries, photographs, and interview transcripts. Also included are transcripts and drafts of Freeman’s book entitled Crazeology: The Autobiography of a Chicago Jazzman. Materials date from 1918 to 1999, with the bulk of materials dating from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. |
The collection is open for research.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Isaacs, Roger, Collection of Bud Freeman Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.
Lawrence “Bud” Freeman, born on April 13th, 1906, was a jazz tenor saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois. He attended Austin High School where he became a member of the teenage jazz band called Austin High Gang, which included cornetist Jimmy McPartland, drummer Dave Tough, and clarinetist Frank Teschemacher. Freeman later played and lived all over the world, including New York City, London, Paris, Chile, and Japan. During this time, he had two marriages, first to a woman named Estilita in 1943 (divorced in 1955) and then to a woman named Faye in 1958 (separated in 1963). Freeman moved back to Chicago in 1980 and died on March 15th, 1991. Freeman was a leader of the “Chicago style” of jazz, inspired by musicians like Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Jimmie Noone, Bessie Smith, and Bix Beiderbecke as well as the New Orleans jazz scene.
The Roger Isaacs Collection of Bud Freeman Papers is organized into 7 series:
Series I: Correspondence; This series contains Freeman’s fan mail as well as Roger Isaacs’ responses on Freeman’s behalf. This series also contains Isaacs’ letters to fans regarding Freeman’s illness and subsequent death. Materials date from 1988 to 1995 and are arranged alphabetically by the senders’ last names.
Series II: Crazeology; This series contains a typescript draft and proof of Freeman’s autobiography entitled Crazeology as well as Roger Isaacs’ correspondence and notes regarding the book’s publication and publicity. This series also contains publicity and reviews regarding Crazeology. Materials date from 1988 to 1991 and are arranged chronologically.
Series III: Tape Transcripts; This series contains typescript drafts of transcripts from Freeman’s interviews with George Spink. These transcripts were then edited and revised into what seems to be a book manuscript of standard prose—perhaps for Freeman’s autobiography entitled Crazeology. Materials date from the 1980s and are arranged first by type, then chronologically.
Series IV: Writings by Others; This series contains typescript drafts of memorials given at Freeman’s funeral as well as obituaries from various sources. This series also contains a typescript draft of David T. Bastien and Todd J. Hostager’s essay entitled “Jazz as Structure, Process, and Outcome,” which includes a study of Freeman’s music. Lastly, this series contains full issues of Chicago History, Chicago, and SOUNDS, all of which feature articles on Freeman. Materials date from 1988 to 1991 and are arranged chronologically.
Series V: Photographs; This series contains three photographs. The first, which also includes a negative, is an image of Freeman around the age of 13 in a large group. The second is a postcard that features the photograph entitled “Jam Session, New York City, 1937,” taken by Charles Peterson. The second is a portrait of Freeman taken in Sarasota, FL, circa 1985. Materials date from 1918 to 1985 and are arranged chronologically.
Series VI: Marian McPartland Ephemera; This series contains ephemera from Roger Isaacs’ personal papers pertaining to Marian McPartland, jazz pianist and wife of Jimmy McPartland, who was a member of the Austin High Gang—a jazz group that included Bud Freeman. Materials date from 1991 to 1997 and are arranged chronologically.
Series VII: Oversize; This series contains mostly newspaper and magazine clippings from 1984 to 1999. This series also contains posters for Freeman’s autobiography entitled Crazeology as well as Art Kane’s photograph entitled “A Great Day in Harlem, 1958” (Freeman can be found in the eighth row, third from the left). Materials date from 1958 to 1999 and are arranged first by type, then chronologically.
Jazz Institute of Chicago. Oral Histories
Jazz Institute of Chicago. Peck, Robert. Collection
Jazz Subject Files. Collection
McPartland, Jimmy and Marian. Collection
Spink, George. Collection
Steiner, John. Collection
Series I: Correspondence |
| Box 1 Folder 1 | Correspondence, A, 1988-1991 [1/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 2 | Correspondence, A, 1988-1991 [2/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 3 | Correspondence, B, 1989-1995 [1/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 4 | Correspondence, B, 1989-1995 [2/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 5 | Correspondence, C, 1989-1991 [1/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 6 | Correspondence, C, 1989-1991 [2/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 7 | Correspondence, D, 1989-1991 |
| Box 1 Folder 8 | Correspondence, E, 1989-1990 |
| Box 2 Folder 1 | Correspondence, F, 1989-1991 |
| Box 2 Folder 2 | Correspondence, G, 1989-1991 [1/2] |
| Box 2 Folder 3 | Correspondence, G, 1989-1991 [2/2] |
| Box 2 Folder 4 | Correspondence, H, 1989-1991 [1/2] |
| Box 2 Folder 5 | Correspondence, H, 1989-1991 [2/2] |
| Box 2 Folder 6 | Correspondence, I, undated |
| Box 2 Folder 7 | Correspondence, J, 1989-1991 |
| Box 2 Folder 8 | Correspondence, K, 1989-1991 |
| Box 3 Folder 1 | Correspondence, L, 1989-1991 [1/2] |
| Box 3 Folder 2 | Correspondence, L, 1989-1991 [2/2] |
| Box 3 Folder 3 | Correspondence, M, 1989-1995 [1/2] |
| Box 3 Folder 4 | Correspondence, M, 1989-1995 [2/2] |
| Box 3 Folder 5 | Correspondence, N, 1989-1990 |
| Box 3 Folder 6 | Correspondence, O, 1990 |
| Box 3 Folder 7 | Correspondence, P, 1989-1990 |
| Box 4 Folder 1 | Correspondence, Q, 1990 |
| Box 4 Folder 2 | Correspondence, R, 1989-1991 |
| Box 4 Folder 3 | Correspondence, S, 1989-1991 [1/2] |
| Box 4 Folder 4 | Correspondence, S, 1989-1991 [2/2] |
| Box 4 Folder 5 | Correspondence, T, 1989-1991 |
| Box 4 Folder 6 | Correspondence, U-V, 1989-1990 |
| Box 4 Folder 7 | Correspondence, W, 1989-1991 [1/2] |
| Box 4 Folder 8 | Correspondence, W, 1989-1991 [2/2] |
| Box 4 Folder 9 | Correspondence, X-Z, 1990 |
| Box 4 Folder 10 | Correspondence, Regarding Bud Freeman, 1990-1991 |
Series II: Crazeology |
| Box 5 Folder 1 | Typescript draft, 1988 |
| Box 5 Folder 2 | Typescript draft of Introduction by Studs Terkel, circa 1988-1989 |
| Box 5 Folder 3 | Isaacs - Correspondence and notes, 1988-1991 |
| Box 5 Folder 4 | Proof, 1989 |
| Box 5 Folder 5 | Freeman Autograph – Photocopy [from Crazeology?], circa 1989 |
| Box 5 Folder 6 | Isaacs - Publicity notes, 1989-1990 |
| Box 5 Folder 7 | Publicity and Reviews, 1989-1990 |
Series III: Tape Transcripts |
| Box 5 Folder 8 | Transcript – Typescript draft – Tape 1, circa 1980s |
| Box 5 Folder 9 | Transcript – Typescript draft – Tape 2, circa 1980s |
| Box 5 Folder 10 | Transcript – Typescript draft – Tape 3, circa 1980s |
| Box 5 Folder 11 | Transcript – Typescript draft – Tape 4, circa 1980s |
| Box 6 Folder 1 | Transcript – Typescript draft – Tape 5, circa 1980s |
| Box 6 Folder 2 | Transcript – Typescript draft – Tape 6, circa 1980s |
| Box 6 Folder 3 | Transcript – Typescript draft – Tape 7, circa 1980s |
| Box 6 Folder 4 | Transcript – Typescript draft – Tape 8, circa 1980s |
| Box 6 Folder 5 | Manuscript – Typescript drafts, circa 1987 |
| Box 6 Folder 6 | Manuscript – Typescript drafts, circa 1987 |
| Box 6 Folder 7 | Manuscript – Typescript drafts, circa 1987 |
| Box 6 Folder 8 | Manuscript – Typescript drafts, circa 1987 |
| Box 7 Folder 1 | Manuscript – Typescript drafts, circa 1987 |
| Box 7 Folder 2 | Manuscript – Typescript drafts, circa 1987 |
Series IV: Writings by Others |
| Box 7 Folder 3 | Bastien and Hostager – "Jazz as Social Structure…" – Typescript draft, Undated |
| Box 7 Folder 4 | Magazines, 1988-1989 |
| Box 7 Folder 5 | Memorials – Typescript drafts and flyers, 1991 |
| Box 7 Folder 6 | Obituaries, 1991 |
Series V: Photographs |
| Box 7 Folder 7 | Bud Freeman with unidentified group - Photograph and negative, circa 1918-1920
|
| Box 7 Folder 8 | "Jam Session, New York City" - Postcard, 1937
|
| Box 7 Folder 9 | Bud Freeman in Sarasota, Florida - Photograph, circa 1985 |
Series VI: Marian McPartland Ephemera |
| Box 7 Folder 10 | Ephemera, 1991-1997 |
Series VII: Oversize |
| Box 8 Folder 1 | Clippings – Originals and photocopies, 1984-1994 |
| Box 8 Folder 2 | Clippings – Originals and photocopies, 1989-1996 |
| Box 8 Folder 3 | Clippings – Photocopies, 1999 |
| Box 8 Folder 4 | Crazeology – Posters, circa 1989-1990 |
| Box 8 Folder 5 | Photograph - "A Great Day in Harlem," 1958
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