Meet Freddie Franken
Degrees and Experience
- M.M., Jazz Performance (University of Illinois)
- B.A., Liberal Arts (Governors State University)
- 4-year Diploma in Professional Music (Berklee College of Music)
- Private study with Colombian classical guitarist Aris Quiroga Nieto
- Private study with noted jazz guitarist Pat Martino
Biography and Professional Achievements
Freddie Franken, a native of Aruba, grew up immersed in diverse musical traditions, from Caribbean and Latin rhythms to Brazilian sounds. At seventeen, he started his professional guitar career, performing R&B, rock, funk, fusion, and jazz with resort house bands and orchestras. He later expanded his musicianship through the study and performance of classical guitar. These experiences have shaped him into a versatile, multi-stylist musician, artist, and bandleader.
In 1982, Franken accepted Christ as his Savior and dedicated his life to honoring God. He began teaching in 2006 at Olivet Nazarene University, where he was brought on as faculty to introduce and develop the contemporary music program. This work led to the creation of a jazz concentration and other related tracks. Courses he introduced or developed include Jazz and Pop/Rock Combos, Worship Arts Lab Band, Jazz and Contemporary Theory, Applied Guitar,
History of Pop Music, and Music in Church Service. He also taught guitar for several years at Kankakee Community College. Beyond the classroom, Franken has served many Chicagoland churches as a guitarist, bandleader, arranger, producer, worship leader, and consultant.
Franken’s performance career is equally distinguished. He was a guest artist at the 2024 International Jazz Celebration, a featured performer in the 2014 Guitar-Legacy Concert Series, and appeared again at the International Jazz Celebration in Aruba in 2025. He has been featured in the Almere Jazz Concerts in the Netherlands as well as various U.S. jazz festivals. His notable recording credits include collaborations with Polish R&B and jazz vocalist Agnieszka Iwanska, Palestinian oud virtuoso Issa Boulos, French vocalist/violinist/actress Marielle de Rocca-Serra, and the Chicago-based French-Gypsy band Paris-La-Nuit.
As a freelance musician, he became an active part of the Chicago music scene, performing with numerous big bands and Latin ensembles, and sharing the stage with Grammy-nominated jazz trumpeter Bob Kase. In addition to leading his own jazz group, Franken enjoys composing, cars, and guitars. He is fluent in Spanish, Dutch, English, Papiamento (his native creole), and conversant in South African Afrikaans.