Victoria "Tori" Freestone is a British saxophonist, flautist, violinist and composer. She has performed British jazz since 2009 as a band leader and sidewoman, known for her robust tenor sound and melodic invention. Her "Trio" albums, released in 2014 and 2016, were awarded at least 4 stars. The Guardian critic John Fordham described her first album In The Chop House as "an imposingly original sound".Fordham, John "Tori Freestone: In the Chop House review – a dynamic, original set from British jazz/folk saxist", The Guardian, 24 April 2014 In 2017 Freestone was shortlisted for a Fellowship in Jazz Composition supported by PRS for Music Foundation, UK Arts Foundation.The Arts Foundation "Tori Freestone Jazz Composition supported by PRS for Music Foundation - Shortlisted 2017" The Arts Foundation, retrieved 16 April 2017 That year Freestone was also nominated in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2017 in the Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year category.London Jazz News "NEWS: 2017 Parliamentary Jazz Awards Shortlists Announced" London Jazz News, 12 September 2017
Career Freestone started performing in folk clubs at the age of seven. She joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra when she was 17 and then went on to study jazz flute at Leeds College of Music, then progressed to the saxophone when she was 26.Ford, Catherine "#Womensday:LondonJazz Interview:Tori Freestone". London Jazz News 8 March 2014 Freestone likes to compose for unusual instrumentation that challenges traditional composition and improvisational techniques, most notably in her trio she explores the avenues of composing for a group that is led without a harmony instrument. Freestone features in many UK bands such as the Andre Canniere Sextet and Ivo Neame Quintet, but her main focus is on three projects: The Tori Freestone Trio, the Tori Freestone/ Alcyona Mick Duo and the sextet 'Solstice'. She has appeared at a number of UK Jazz Festivals including Manchester Jazz Festival in 2015 with a project with trumpeter Neil Yates and her duo with pianist Alcyona Mick.Slavid, Peter "Festival review: Alcyona Mick/Tori Freestone" London Jazz News 9 August 2015 More recently she appeared at The Barbican, London as part of a larger ensemble all-star band with Hermeto Pascoal. She also performs on tour with the Julian Siegel Big Band.Griffith, Frank "Review: Julian Siegel Big Band at Ronnie Scott's", London Jazz News, 19 March 2017.
Recordings Freestone's debut album with her Trio was In the Chop House, released in 2014 on Whirlwind Recordings. This album featured Freestone on tenor saxophone, Dave Manington on double bass and Tim Giles on drums. The Guardian gave the album 4 stars and said: "In being supported by only bass and drums (Dave Manington and Tim Giles), Freestone goes for one of a saxophonist's toughest options, but she is more than up to it."Fordham, John "Tori Freestone: In the Chop House review – a dynamic, original set from British jazz/folk saxist", The Guardian, 24 April 2014All About Jazz placed this album in their top 10 albums of 2014 and gave it four and a half stars.Barnes, Phil "Phil Barnes' Favourite Albums Of 2014" All About Jazz 24 December 2014.
Her second album, with the same trio, El Barranco, again released on Whirlwind Recordings, garnered similarly excellent 4-star reviews.Farbey, Roger "Tori Freestone Trio: El Barranco"All About Jazz 11 July 2016 John Fordham wrote "...fascinating once again for the ways in which an exceptional improviser can spin new yarns from the most deliberately restricted of resources – just an unbugged sax, bass and drums. Freestone has an arresting Coltrane-inflected sound..."Fordham, John "Tori Freestone Trio: El Barranco review – fierce, exceptional improv power", The Guardian, 14 July 2016 In 2018 her duo album with pianist Alcyona Mick entitled Criss Cross received many 4 star reviews including one in All About Jazz "This is elegant, engaging and original music, played with magnificent panache."Farbey, Roger "Alcyona Mick and Tori Freestone: Criss Cross" All About Jazz 22 March 2018
In 2019, her third Trio album El Mar de Nubes received 4 stars from John Fordham "...this impressive trio shows formidable range, balancing free-jazz delicacy and bite".Fordham, John "Tori Freestone Trio: El Mar de Nubes review – tenor sax player's inventive, pliant trio", The Guardian, 7 June 2019
Discography As leader 2019: El Mar de Nubes (Whirlwind Recordings) with Tori Freestone Trio 2016: El Barranco (Whirlwind Recordings) with Tori Freestone Trio 2014: In The Chop House (Whirlwind Recordings) with Tori Freestone Trio As co-leader 2018: Criss Cross (Whirlwind Recordings) with Alcyona Mick As sideman 2016: Alimentation (Two Rivers Records) with Solstice 2016: The Darkening Blue (Whirlwind Recordings) with Andre Canniere 2015: Strata (Edition Records) with Ivo Neame Quintet 2013: Ichthyology (Groove Laboratory Productions) with Jamil Sheriff Big Band 2013: Entertaining Tyrants (Jellymould Jazz) with Compassionate Dictatorship 2013: Clocca (Loop Collective) with Fringe Magnetic 2012: Yatra (Edition Records) with Ivo Neame Octet 2011: Things Will Be (Impossible Ark Records) with Riaan Visloo Examples of Twelves 2011: Twistic (Loop Collective) with Fringe Magnestic 2010: Cash Cows (FMR) with Compassionate Dictatorship 2009: Empty Spaces (Loop Collective) with Fridge Magnetic 2008: Club Rouge (Deep Touch Records) with Levan J 2007: Coup d'Etat (FMR) with Compassionate Dictatorship 2005: Sunday Morning (Deep Touch Records) with Levan J 2004: Cool Day (Deep Touch Records) with Levan J
References
External links Official website