On Friday, October 2 at 7:30 p.m., the opening performance for the 2015 Freedom Hall Series will feature legendary musician, Booker T. Jones.
It can be argued that it was Booker T. Jones who set the cast for modern soul music and is largely responsible for its rise and enduring popularity. Booker T. Jones is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Musicians Hall of Fame inductee, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and arguably the most famous Hammond B3 player in history. As leader of the legendary Booker T and the MG’s, this pillar of soul music collaborated with Otis Redding, Albert King, Eddie Floyd and Sam and Dave during his tenure at the renowned Stax Records label. On classic Stax hits like “Green Onions,” “Hang ‘Em High,” “Time Is Tight,” and “Melting Pot”, he pushed the music’s boundaries, refined it to its essence and then injected it into the nation’s bloodstream.
Since then, Booker has lent his trademark keyboard chops to artists as diverse as Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and produced classic albums such as Willie Nelson’s triple platinum hit “Stardust” and Bill Withers’ “Just As I Am” featuring the hit song “Ain’t No Sunshine”. Booker’s 2009 solo release, “Potato Hole” won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2010.
Creatively, Booker T’s career has witnessed a striking resurgence in recent years. He took home Best Pop Instrumental Album GRAMMY Awards for both 2010’s Potato Hole, his head-turning collaboration with The Drive-By Truckers and 2012’s The Road From Memphis, his critically acclaimed album with The Roots. He is not resting on those laurels; in 2013 he released Sound the Alarm. The album finds the Hammond B3 organ master looking ahead yet again, laying down his distinctive bedrock grooves amid a succession of sparkling collaborations with some of contemporary R&B’s most gifted young voices.
"After all these years, he remains so soulful, and so good.” – NPR
“A showcase for Jones’ ever-sinuous ways around his Hammond B3, which sings, purrs, moans and shouts with often near-human expressivity, under his skilled touch.” – LOS ANGELES TIMES
“The funk here is deep and solid. The punishingly unpredictable twists and turns all manage to punch your gut with a groove.” –PASTE MAGAZINE
Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at Freedom Hall, by phone at 708-747-0580, or online at www.freedomhall.org. Freedom Hall is located at 410 Lakewood Boulevard in Park Forest, IL.
Check out this 2011 interview of Booker T. Jones and listen to a few of his hit songs he'll perform LIVE in Park Forest this Friday!