Biography
Art Farmer (August 21, 1928 – October 4, 1999) was a highly influential American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player, renowned for his lyrical style and warm tone. Born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Farmer began playing piano in elementary school before switching to trumpet at age 13. He moved to Los Angeles in 1945 with his twin brother Addison, a bassist, where both attended a music-oriented high school and quickly became active in the local jazz scene. Farmer's early professional years saw him collaborating with prominent West Coast musicians, and his 1952 recording of 'Farmer's Market' brought him significant attention.
In the 1950s, Farmer moved to New York, performing and recording with leading figures such as Horace Silver, Sonny Rollins, and Gigi Gryce, establishing himself as a key player in the bebop and hard bop movements. He was a founding member of the Jazztet with Benny Golson in 1959, a group celebrated for its sophisticated arrangements and influential recordings. Farmer's quest for a distinctive sound led him to switch from trumpet to flugelhorn in the early 1960s, helping to popularize the instrument as a jazz soloist's tool. In 1968, he relocated to Vienna, Austria, where he continued to perform, record, and mentor younger musicians while maintaining strong ties to the American jazz scene.
Farmer's legacy is marked by over 50 albums as a leader, a dozen with the Jazztet, and countless collaborations. His improvisational approach emphasized melodic clarity, emotional depth, and elegant phrasing over technical display. Farmer's pioneering use of the flugelhorn and later the flumpet, a custom hybrid instrument, cemented his reputation as one of jazz's most original and expressive voices.
Fun Facts
- Art Farmer was one of the first major jazz musicians to adopt and popularize the flugelhorn as a primary solo instrument.
- He played the 'flumpet,' a custom hybrid of trumpet and flugelhorn designed specifically for him by instrument maker David Monette in the 1990s.
- Farmer had an identical twin brother, Addison, who was also a professional jazz bassist and frequent collaborator.
- He settled in Vienna, Austria, in 1968, becoming a prominent figure in the European jazz scene while maintaining an international career.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Jimmy Nottingham - Early trumpet teacher and mentor in Los Angeles, helped Farmer develop his technique and musical foundation. [1940s]
- Clifford Brown - Peer and inspiration in the Lionel Hampton band; Brown's technical mastery and lyricism influenced Farmer's approach. (Lionel Hampton Orchestra recordings) [1953]
Key Collaborators
- Addison Farmer - Twin brother and frequent bandmate, bassist in many of Art's early groups and the Jazztet. (The Jazztet, early recordings) [1940s–1963]
- Benny Golson - Co-leader of the Jazztet, major compositional and performance partner. (The Jazztet albums (e.g., 'Meet the Jazztet', 'Back to the City')) [1959–1962, 1982–1999]
- Gigi Gryce - Co-led a quintet, collaborated on numerous recordings and arrangements. (Art Farmer & Gigi Gryce Quintet albums) [1954–1956]
- Horace Silver - Bandmate in the Horace Silver Quintet, contributed to the hard bop sound. (Horace Silver Quintet recordings) [1950s]
- Gerry Mulligan - Member of Mulligan's quartet, explored cool jazz and West Coast styles. (Gerry Mulligan Quartet recordings) [1958–1959]
- Jim Hall - Formed a quartet together, blending lyrical trumpet with Hall's guitar. (Art Farmer/Jim Hall Quartet albums) [1960s]
Artists Influenced
- Ron Blake - Younger saxophonist who played in Farmer's later ensembles, influenced by Farmer's melodic approach. (Live performances, recordings with Farmer) [1990s]
- Fred Hersch - Pianist who worked with Farmer and cited his mentorship and musical sensitivity. (Performances and recordings with Farmer) [1990s]
- Tom Harrell - Trumpeter influenced by Farmer's lyricism and flugelhorn sound. (Harrell's flugelhorn recordings) [1980s–present]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Art | 1960-09-20 | Album |
| Modern Art | 1958 | Album |
| 2 Trumpets | 1956-01-01 | Album |
| Crawl Space | 1977 | Album |
| Brass Shout | 1959-01-01 | Album |
| Gentle Eyes | 1991-05-01 | Album |
| In The 1960s | 2025-09-19 | Album |
| Meet the Jazztet | 2013-05-01 | Album |
| Milestones of a Jazz Legend - Ben Webster, Vol. 1 (1953, 1958) | 2019-03-15 | Album |
| The Windmills Of Your Mind | 2022-08-17 | Album |
| The Touch | 2018-09-12 | Album |
| The Complete Jazztet Sessions, Vol. 1 | 2021-04-16 | Album |
| The Jazztet: Big City Sounds | 2020-03-27 | Album |
| Portrait Of Art Farmer (Bonus Track Version) | 1988-01-01 | Album |
| Big Blues | 1979 | Album |
Top Tracks
- When Your Lover Has Gone - Instrumental (2 Trumpets)
- Goodbye, Old Girl (Art)
- Fair Weather - Remastered (Modern Art)
- I'm A Fool To Want (Art)
- The Touch Of Your Lips - Remastered (Modern Art)
- Darn That Dream - Remastered (Modern Art)
- Petite Belle (Crawl Space)
- Social Call
- Younger Than Springtime (Art)
- Chanson (Crawl Space)
External Links
Tags: #2008-universal-fire-victim, #bebop, #hard-bop
References
Heard on WWOZ
Art Farmer has been played 3 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2025 | 18:51 | Downwindfrom Art Farmer and The Jazz Giants | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Maryse Dejean | |
| Oct 19, 2025 | 16:58 | CON ALMAfrom BIG CITY SOUNDS | Sitting Inw/ Elizabeth Meneray | |
| Oct 9, 2025 | 17:16 | Goodbye, Old Girlfrom Out Of The Past | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Keith Hill |