492 Cafe

When KRCC -FM's General Manager Mario Valdes a Parliament smoker died in 2009 of lung cancer, it was Freeman's own hand-processed photograph of Mario that appeared in local press and on television.

Freeman can't explain how this image of his Hafler FM tuner, (which he built from a kit around 1982) appeared on the WZBC home page since several years ago...

...But it was no accident that the tuner displays ZBC's center frequency. "I think the borrowed Hafler pic predates my audio work for "the Z." So what's to do about it?" he says, while remixing a 1930's Rudy Vallee recording.

NPR station KRCC's Manager Mario Valdes
photo: Freeman Z (circa 1985)

(More at bottom.)

WZBC 90.3FM

WZBC has aired dozens of Freeman's meticulously edited recordings, including station ID's from Noam Chomsky. Some of these can be found in the events index.

Cafe of Shame 2008

(as Live Performer)

I went for a walk on the intertubes and learned more about the Dandy Man. I read about Christopher Lydon and I found out that the WZBC program "Cafe of Shame" has mocked me yet again. I had posted a self portrait with two heads, something I named "Diptych Autistych," which I intended as a personal introspection into my relationship with Asperger's... more

Sounds of Dissent 2005 - 2010

(as Reporter-Producer)

Truth and Justice Radio 2005 - 2010

(as Reporter-Producer)

Benjamen Walker's Your Radio Nightlight 2001

(as improvisational Voice Actor)

Before "The Theory of Everything" Ben Walker produced another Surrealistic Radio Docu-Drama called "Your Radio Nightlight" Freeman appeared in an outrageous episode called "The Night."

Lucid Sounds / Expanding Awareness 2005 - 2010

WMBR 88.1 FM

No Censorship Radio 2003 - '04

Produced several pre-recorded news reports from Boston, Cambridge, Manhattan, and Washington D.C.

WMBR News 2004

(as News Reporter, Producer)

Produced several pre-recorded news reports for this local news program.

Music for Human Beings 2006 - 2010

(as Live Performance)

Frequent participation on fanciful new-age program.

The Most Merciful Thing 2006

Darkbot "Music for Lonely Robots" 2006

(as Contributor)

Programmed a Brautigan poem for Dark Bot. (1:15)

Radio with a View 2008

As a gadfly in the ointment of mediocrity, Freeman questioned WMBR's very questionable practice of selling air time. The host admits the station's quid pro quo (air for money) policy twice before denying same.

WBRS 100.1 FM

Alphabet Soup 1990 - '93

(as Program Host)

Freeman produced this childrens' program for three years. ...Played lots of Bill Harley ...and you should too!

Quality Time 1990 - '93

Freeman: "I produced this talk program for several years. It featured the participation of Brandeis students and local school-age boys and girls on both sides of the transmitter. We exposed Fat Jack Burns' abuse of students in the Waltham schools, and I'd often get an escort to the Waltham border courtesy of the Brandeis Police. Maybe that was because of the threats on my life by a sleazy campus Republican or maybe it was something else entirely."

What's Left 1990 - '93

(as Artiste-Producer)

This was a creative and truly anarchic multi-studio ray dee oh extravaganza.

All Genre All Night 1990 - '93

(as Artiste-Producer)

Anything goes. Live calls and interviews, any style of music, triple-turntable vinyl orgies, open reel tricks, cart machines on acid. And sometimes I just played music.

The Joint 10th Anniversary Celebration 1993

(as Live Performer)

I only played once on The Joint. This was a live performance of glass-smashing with hammers accompanying Jazz Drummer Lawrence Cook, radio guru Chimpy Tonearmeau and friends.

WMFO 91.5 FM

No U Turn Radio 2005 - 2010

(as Contributor, Substitute Program Host)

Dean Wallace hosts this program founded by my Associate in progressive media Martin Voelker. No U Turn features progressive lectures, and airs my material.

Free Of Form Radio 2005 - '06

(as Contributor and In-Studio Guest)

Hosted by Chuck U (also of WMBR) and others

Allston-Brighton Free Radio 2003

(as In-Studio Guest)

Appeared on Allston-Brighton Free Radio as a Guest of "The Allston Curmudgeon" (about MBTA Police misconduct) and also at "The Round Table "(about local environmental issues (See this website for more info.)

WERS Programs

Dispatches From The Future 2004

(as Contributor)

WERS's arrogance is it's worst handicap. The broadcasting 'school' trains 'Engineers' on top notch equipment they'll almost never be using in the real world. Their recordists, when I've seen them, haven't had a clue how to use their fancy gear. Their children's program The Playground, has a playlist of about fifty songs, and they dare not break the top-down protocol. When they had one of my favorite performers, Bill Harley, as a studio guest, they played the only song of his they ever play...over and over and over. Such "diversity! " THEY CALL IT "MUSIC FOR THE INDEPENDENT MIND" If your mind is independent, then why do you need to have this hammered at you? insipid.

Great Sounding signal, though.

Their musical groove is largely air-headed disposible commercial stuff that's fed through a kidney-crushing compressor set to eleven to make everything sound louder. Their claims of "musical diversity" are an insult to stations that actually practice programming diversity. WBRS, for example, runs programs in, at last count, seven languages. (English, Hatian Creole, Modern Hebrew, Yiddish, Spanish, French and Modern Greek.) Their playlists are too short, the childrens show (I used to produce one myself at WBRS) being the worst offender.

When broadcaster Lee Noble decided he'd had enough of wers-radio, he did a lovely swan-song program which he dedicated to the guys at the Billerica House of Corrections and to yours truly. He railed on the 'banal' programming, and the attitude at this lame station, pointing out that "banal rhymes with anal ...which is where this station belongs...up my ass!" So long Lee.

Emerson University is widely rumored to suffer a horrible administration. Struggle is reflected in conflicts with the faculty and students that sometimes make the news. One of my friends from Emerson was kicked out because she got married. She got an honorary degree, but others did not. Read about it in her book.

WERS and Emerson 'U' ...Get over yourself!

"The Lost 45s with Barry Scott" began on Emerson College radio. After graduation, the show was picked up by a commercial radio station and has received #1 ratings ever since. The program recently celebrated 20 years on the air at Oldies 103.3/WODS-FM in Boston-- including 6 years in national syndication. The Boston Herald calls it "The most successful weekend show in the history of Boston radio!"

NPR / PRI

Tavis Smiley

(as Recording Technician)

Freeman recorded Howard Zinn at his home for this national broadcast. 492 Cafe has recorded Howard Zinn and also has provided sound reinforcement for him on several occasions. Freeman produced a short Italian-subtitled video with Howard, who gifted the Engineer/Producer with a copy of his latest book.

Whadya Know? (Nationally syndicated Comedy Quiz)

(as Quiz Contestant)

Hear the segment

Counterspin

(as Sound Engineer)

Freeman Z's work in radio began at KRCC-FM in Colorado Springs, an NPR affiliate, as a supporting Technician while he studied Electronic Music at the Colorado College. (Continued below...)

Returning to his native Massachusetts in 1990, Jeff became a fixture at WBR(i)S-FM at Brandeis university, producing several weekly live programs (childrens, all-genre, and improv) and a block of live talk shows that ranged from serious to silly. It was at this time that he and Dennis Bergeron broke the infamous "Jerky Tape" on Boston FM.

Freeman: "It was viral. The kids on the streets were shouting the Jerky Tape gags! We'd crack up, cuz' they had no idea we were the 'radio guys' who opened that pandora's box. Within a few weeks WBCN had it, and it was making money. (The terrible movie came later.) I saw this Jerky thing as encouraging, because of how it spread (before it hit the air) ...it was recorded and distributed person to person, not top-down or center-out. That's like magic. That's how revolutions happen."

Hijacked to Appalachia for a few years, Freeman returned in 2000 to Massachusetts with a vengeance. Within a few years, he had become a major content provider for WMBR-FM and WZBC-FM. In the pursuit of recording excellence, Freeman established a professional sound company.

Freeman: "I was hindered by three problems, lack of organization, lack or understanding, and lack of respect for my efforts to bring events to a wider audience. I began offering free public address services purely as a means to get better recordings. It worked. Next thing I knew, I was managing bigger speeches conferences, shaking hands with Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn and Desmond Tutu, ...and depositing checks with which our emerging team would expand our tool chest. It all meant ...Better Recordings!"

Jeff's also learned a trick or three from his senior ally in sonic revolution, Bill Hanley, who says he came to this same point the other way round. That is, his pursuit of live sound (He's worked with just about everybody in music through the 50's and 60's before amplifying the big Vietnam peace rallies.) lead him to record major label master tapes at Newport, the Fillmore East and the original Woodstock.