TRENT FREEMAN
Trent Freeman is an innovative violin player, whose unique blend of deep groove, in depth harmony, captivating melodies and personal writing style set him apart from many others. His versatility makes him a sought after session musician and side man, and he has played for projects ranging in style from funk, hip-hop, R&B and jazz, to rock, country, bluegrass and folk.
His 2012 Canadian Folk Music Award winning record Rock Paper Scissors is an all original, folk/jazz instrumental album for piano, bass, drums and violin. The writing and performances are vibrant and creative as Trent’s fiddle takes the band and the listener to unexpected and exciting places.
Trent grew up on Vancouver Island, where he took classical violin lessons from the age of 5. At 10, he began fiddling, and was soon playing dances, shows and winning contests around the province. His teaching skills developed through his volunteer work teaching and directing the group Fiddlejam, a dance band and performance group made up of around 40 musicians that met weekly. In 2007, Trent was awarded the Comox Valley Mentor of the Year Award for his work with this group.
Moving off the island, Trent went on to study Orchestral Instrument Performance at the University of British Columbia for a year before transferring to Berklee College of Music in Boston. While at Berklee, Trent represented the school on many occasions. He toured to New York, New Jersey and Washington D.C. with the Berklee World Strings, played with the Berklee Bluegrass All-stars, and toured to Scotland with Berklee’s Transatlantic Collaboration. In his second year he was the recipient of the 2010 Berklee String Department award for outstanding musical achievement.
Over the past few years, Trent has toured and recorded with many bands and artists such as The Wailin Jennys, John Reischman, Wyclef Jean, and countless others. Another collaboration of his, a folk string quartet called The Fretless, recently won a Western Canadian Music Award for best instrumental album of 2012, and 2 Canadian Folk Music Awards for both Instrumental Group of the Year, and Ensemble of the Year.
Trent’s new recording, Rock Paper Scissors is union of dedication and soul. The album is artistic, inspired, edgy and beautiful as it blurs the lines between jazz and folk.