Art Farmer

Born on Aug. 21, 1928, in Iowa, Farmer was raised in Phoenix, Arizona along with his twin brother Addison. They moved to Los Angeles in 1945 and during the late '40s, Farmer worked with the West Coast based bands of Jay McShann, Johnny Otis, Roy Porter and Benny Carter. He also worked with Wardell Gray and in 1952-'53 he went to Europe on the same Lionel Hampton tour as Clifford Brown, Gigi Gryce and Quincy Jones. Upon his return he decided to settle in New York City and shortly thereafter, he worked with Gryce (1954-'56), Horace Silver (1956-'58) and Gerry Mulligan (1958-'59).
Then, in 1959, he became a co-leader of the Jazztet with Benny Golson, a group that remained together from 1959-'62 and was revived in the early '80s. The Jazztet possibly enjoyed less success than it deserved. The unique combination of Farmer's improvisational talent and leadership combined with Benny Golson's gift for composition and arrangement produced a number of world-class recordings. Apart from Golson, the Jazztet included a young McCoy Tyner and trombonist Curtis Fuller.
Following the first Jazztet, Farmer worked in a quartet format with Jim Hall, which lasted until 1964. In musical terms Farmer's trademarks have always been; carefully built melodic statements, beautifully proportioned solos and a rich and mellow sound. Since the early 60-s Farmer has played the flugelhorn as his primary instrument which has only enhanced the mellowness of his tone. He travelled to Europe in the mid '60s for solo tours and worked with Jimmy Heath at home, before taking a job with the Austrian Radio Orchestra in 1968.
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Reassessing
Building a Jazz Library
Interview
Album Review
- Brass Shout / The Aztec Suite by Chris M. Slawecki
Multiple Reviews
- Art Farmer: Brass Shout/The Aztec Suite & The Time and The Place
- Something Old That's New: More Mosaic Singles
Album Review
- Yesterday's Thoughts by John Kelman
- ARTistry by C. Michael Bailey
- Live at Stanford Jazz Workshop by Joel Roberts
- Live At Stanford Jazz Workshop by Jim Santella
March 26, 2020
Videos: Art Farmer in the '60s
February 07, 2019
Art Farmer on Prestige: 1953-'55
February 14, 2017
December 03, 2011
July 13, 2011
October 31, 2010
Weekend Extra: Lagniappe from Art Farmer
December 08, 2009
October 27, 2009
October 09, 2008
Recent Listening: Art Farmer and Gigi Gryce
April 17, 2008
Blue Note Connoisseurs for May 13: Art Farmer, Bobby Hutcherson, Dizzy...
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