Chicago is known as a Jazz city that carries on the tough tenor sax tradition. The Blues feeling was always an important element for the great tenor sax players like Gene Ammons, Von Freeman, Eddie Johnson, Red Holloway and now that they are all gone it's Ari Brown that is the leading torch bearer. The album title Freebop for Mal is a tribute to the late Chicago trumpeter and Delmark recording artist Malachi Thompson who called his Jazz Freebop because it combined elements of Free Jazz and Bebop. On this, his fourth Delmark album, Ari is accompanied by brother Kirk Brown, Yosef Ben Israel, Avreeayl Ra and Dr. Cuz.
