Today we’d like to introduce you to Freeman Levine.
Hi Freeman, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My musical journey started as a young kid growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, but it wasn’t until I was exposed to jazz at age 12 that I fully discovered my passion for live performance. Through a local non-profit organization, Alaska Jazz Workshop, I had the opportunity to perform around town and learn the ropes of live performance and playing in a band. This gave me a solid foundation that I’ve carried with me through changes in style, instrument, and musical philosophy. Back then I primarily played flute, adding alto saxophone at age 15 and then keyboards, guitar, and vocals in my 20s. I moved to California for college at age 18 and stayed after completing my education, working as a data analyst and playing shows on the side for the better part of my 20s.
As is true for many of us, the COVID pandemic forced me to re-evaluate everything in my life. With the time and space to pursue what I really wanted I was able to shift my focus back into music and started writing songs with lyrics, where previously my writing was mostly instrumental. From there I formed my blues and funk act, Freeman Levine Band, where I play sax, guitar, and sing lead vocals. After releasing self-produced singles in 2022 and 2023, I’ve been focusing on playing live and building momentum before going back into the studio. The grind never stops; I’m also forming a new funk band for 2026 and occasionally play a live looping solo act so I can keep gigging even if my bandmates aren’t available.
Along the way I’ve spent a lot of time working with Musicians’ Club of San Diego, a local community of musicians ranging from complete beginners to gigging professionals. For most of 2023 and 2024 I ran monthly open mics and quarterly community concerts for Musicians’ Club, which put me in contact with tons of amazing musicians and local organizations. The music scene in San Diego is an incredibly small world and you’ll see the same folks all over town supporting each other and going to shows. It’s intimate, cozy, and full of the raw genuine connection that $500 stadium shows just can’t touch.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has definitely been bumpy. One of the main struggles has been financial; while I’ve had the good fortune of a tech career that mostly pays for my music, it also means I’m dependent on that industry to continue living in San Diego and keep doing what I’m doing. I’ve been caught up in layoffs a few times in the past several years and each time it’s a scary reminder of how quickly all of my community building could be wiped away if I had to leave.
Another frequent struggle is scheduling. Currently I’m in 3 bands, which means that I’m usually heading out to rehearsal after work 4-5 nights per week and getting home at 10pm, if not later on show nights. So many musicians are in multiple acts that they’re often already booked when good opportunities come around, which means getting a sub (and requiring more rehearsal time).
From the creative side, getting into the studio and releasing music is a challenge. A while back I told myself I would self-produce my first album, which led to the release of “Workin'” in 2022 and “Existence” in 2023. However, as my live act started gaining momentum, the amount of time it takes to self-produce and also run a band has become a limiting factor and I haven’t released the rest of the album, even though all the songs are written and we’ve been performing it live. At this point, I’m ready to move on from the idea of self-producing and go into the studio with my current live band to finish the songs. As always, scheduling and high costs make recording a challenge but I’m excited to create with my current group and I’m hoping it’s in the cards for 2026.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My music stems from personal experiences of love, loss, and the struggle to find oneself; my goal is to inspire joy, growth and healing in others by sharing music themed around these relatable challenges. I’m heavily inspired by blues, which to me is about the blend of joy and pain experienced in life, channeled through the individual artist’s journey and personal expression. This duality and catharsis is key to my music and lyrics, I’ll write upbeat songs about melancholy experiences and moody songs about not giving up.
When coming up with new material, I’ve always felt that the songs speak to me and tell me how they should go (instead of me dictating the creative direction). It’s like they pop out of the ether almost fully formed and I just need to plant the seed, listen, and wait as they grow. I’ve found that patience is the key; when I let my songs breathe and give them enough time to communicate their needs they evolve into something more profound beautiful than I could create on my own. Playing with a band has been essential for this process. With each live performance the songs grow and teach me about themselves, like a friendship or relationship that deepens with time.
In a live performance setting, I’m known for my high energy sax solos and soulful vocals. I’m no Shakira, but these hips don’t lie down on the job! While on stage I’m always dancing and bringing the energy, which is why I incorporate funk rhythms and styles into my music. Ultimately I hope to bring people together with my music and allow them to express themselves in a free way.
I’m extremely grateful and proud to be part of the local music community in San Diego. Over the past few years I’ve met so many wonderful artists, musicians, and other creatives who constantly support and advocate for each other. The love truly runs deep here!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The elephant in the room is definitely AI music. I’m hopeful that the large streaming platforms will overcommit and that will lead to a resurgence of interest in live performance, but I’m concerned for the impact that will have on musicians and their ability to make a living from their work. Even now, the music industry is incredibly predatory and most artists don’t make any money until they’re already very successful. It’s hard to imagine that AI would improve this situation, so I do think we can expect things to get worse at least in the short term.
As far as the larger industry, it’s certainly troubling that individual companies can control huge blocks of the live music scene (I’ve heard estimates that more than 50% of venues have exclusive ticketing deals with Ticketmaster / Live Nation). It’s hard for me to say which direction this trend is moving in, but I do think some concert goers are switching to local grassroots performances especially as the economy is making it difficult for people to spend hundreds on a concert.
Ultimately the streaming payouts have to increase for smaller artists. Online distribution has enabled artists to curate their fanbase in a very small niche but the streaming platforms are capturing most of this value. Instead, artists get by with affiliate deals, sponsorships, or merch, with their music on a streaming platform serving as a public-facing advertisement for their brand. This is also why, as an artist, it’s difficult to imagine pulling music off of Spotify or other large platforms because it would be much harder for potential fans to access the music.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freemanlevinemusic/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/30tEsYuHxogrIzAVpo9YSF
Image Credits
Andre Takei, 1-6
Alex Grechman, 7-8
