STEVE FREEMAN - BIO

Steve Freeman began playing guitar at age 10 in his hometown of Johnson City Tennessee. Starting with his sister’s acoustic guitar, Steve began taking lessons and developed an ear for picking out songs on his own. After learning music by Otis Redding, CCR, the Beatles, Hendrix, James Gang and ZZ Top, Steve got his first electric guitar and began to play in local bands. In High School a friend introduced Steve to the music of Chick Corea. After hearing Chicks music Steve became interested in other Jazz and Fusion artists including George Benson, Pat Martino, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery , Pat Metheny and Larry Carlton to name a few. Steve’s passion for music led him to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston MA where he was introduced to jazz harmony, arranging and improvisation for the first time . In his second year at Berklee, Steve started playing with a group of musicians from the south and formed the band the Ozone Rangers, a 5 piece rock ensemble playing a mixture of rock, pop, blues and progressive music in the southeast.

After the group disbanded Steve left the south and headed to the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood CA,, now Musicians Institute, (MI). After graduation he joined the MI staff for a period of six years. At the Institute Steve had the opportunity to play and teach with such artists as Joe Diorio, Scott Henderson, Robben Ford, Tommy Tedesco , Pat Martino and Don Mock.

Mock introduced Steve’s playing to Roger Hutchinson (REH Publicatios) who signed Steve to his first instructional book “JAZZ ROCK” which is still considered a classic book for jazz and fusion guitar lines. The book has recently been re-released on Hal Leonard Publications. Steve authored a second book on REH publications with Norman Brown and Doug Perkins as part of the Pro Lick series. The book has been re-released under the title Jazz Rock Solos and is available on Hal Leonard publications.

While in California Steve started doing session work for Japanese Radio and Television where he was introduced to many players in the LA studio scene and began recording his own music.

After leaving California Steve moved to Atlanta GA and founded the Atlanta Institute of Music (AIM) a nationally accredited school for guitar, bass, and drums. As President, he created the Institutes original curriculum, taught several classes and managed the school faculty and staff. During his 12 years at AIM Steve played and recorded with some great Atlanta musicians including Jeff Sipe, Oteil Burbrige, Kofi Burbrige, Bryan Lopes, Randy Hoexter and Dr Dan Matrazzo. Lopes and Hoexter joined Steve on the recording for his 3rd book titled Fusion Trax on Warner Brothers. Publications.

After selling the Institute in 1998, Steve began teaching full time and soon hooked up with guitarist and friend Mark Copeland who asked Steve to play in his Atlanta based group the Guild of Sound featuring Arista Recording artist Geoff Mcbride. The Guild performed regularly in the Atlanta area and recorded a live benefit concert CD along with several other Atlanta based musicians.

In 2008 Steve joined Camp Jam, a rock music summer camp. www.campjam.com <http://www.campjam.com> . As their national director. Camp Jam was Co founded by Jeff Carlisi the original guitarist for the band 38 special Camp Jam and has grown from a Atlanta based operation to a nationwide program currently in 18 cities. Steve and a curriculum team developed the Camp Jam Rock Solid Series books published by Carl Fischer Publications and are available for guitar, bass, drums and keyboards.

Steve continues to do sessions in Atlanta and recorded his debut CD “Surfside” where he reunites with Bryan Lopes and Dr. Dan Matrazzo appearing as special guests. Steve lives in the Atlanta area with his wife Stephanie who is a very accomplished piano instructor and author of several pieces for young developing pianists. www.stephaniefreeman.com <http://www.stephaniefreeman.com>