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Jazz Great Von Freeman Dies

CHICAGO (CBS) – Legendary jazz musician Von Freeman has passed away at the age of 88.

The tenor sax player died of heart failure over the weekend. But he has left his mark on young musicians.

"Nobody sounded like Von," saxophonist Eric Friedman, who played alongside Freeman, tells CBS 2's Marissa Bailey. "A musician who has ears could hear five notes and say, 'That's Von.'"

Friedman was playing Monday at Andy's Jazz Club, where Freeman's photo, not surprisingly, hangs on the Wall of Fame. Freeman was a familiar sight at other clubs, including the Green Mill in Uptown. In recent years, he had played a regular engagement at the New Apartment Lounge.

A young trombone player who jammed alongside freeman at Jazz Fest a few years ago says she fully understands how lucky she is.

"Not a lot of people get the opportunity to play with a jazz great, especially one of the top jazz greats of Chicago," Zakira Powell says.

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