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Danielle Freeman

Danielle Freeman’s music is neo-baroque, expansive in improvisation and jazz form.

About Me

“With the poise of an opera diva and an ability to scat like Ella Fitzgerald, (Los Angeles based) singer Danielle Freeman possesses a voice that commands attention with beauty and control on her debut, Dorian.” - Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz, December 28, 2010

Danielle Freeman’s music is neo-baroque, expansive in improvisation and jazz form. It is a unification of opera projection, improvisation and experimental freedom. She has been described as a forward thinking vocalist of jazz influence.

She composes for an acoustic bass and voice duo. The duo is an intimate musical setting of compositions, allowing freedom for the voice and the bass to interchange harmony, bass figured line and melody. Improvisational risk, melodic exploration and performing as acoustically as possible breathe excitement and intensity into each live performance. Her debut EP, Dorian, primarily an acoustic bass and voice duo album was released in 2010 featuring Matt Wigton on bass and Gilad Hekselman on guitar. Her solo vocal album, Una, will be released winter of 2015.

In addition to performing and writing her own music, Freeman has performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in their 2012 production of Showboat and their 2008 production of Porgy and Bess. In following a passion for contemporary opera, she has sung the role of “Jenny” in Robert Ward's opera, Claudia Legare, at Dicapo Opera Theatre (2005). She performed the role of “The Frog” in Michael Webster’s, Hell-the Opera, produced by Beth Morrison Projects. As well, she has toured with Paragon Ragtime Orchestra for their 2005 production of Scott Joplin's ragtime opera, Treemonisha. She has performed with the Opera Company of Philadelphia in their productions of La Boheme and Margaret Garner, starring Denyce Graves and Angela Brown. She performed the role of the “Woman” in the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s Porgy and Bess (2007). In 2007, she has performed a workshop as “Mrs. Trout” with American Lyric Theater for their newly composed and commissioned opera the Golden Ticket, based on Roahl Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the spring of 2009, she reprised her performance of The Golden Ticket, which was presented at Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2013, she moved to Los Angeles, where she records and writes vocals for other artists such as Nosak Music and actively sings background vocals.

Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Danielle Freeman holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice from Northern Arizona University. She is a 2012 New York Women Composers Organization Seed Grant recipient. She is a recipient of several collegiate awards such as the Edgar Alan Stone Award for Vocal Performance and the Audrey Auditorium Award for voice. As well, she is a proud recipient of Arizona’s Martin L. King Fine Arts Scholarship.