Art Farmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Art Farmer
Background information
Birth name	Arthur Stewart Farmer
Born	(1928-08-21)August 21, 1928 Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S.
Died	October 4, 1999(1999-10-04) (aged 71) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, bebop
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Trumpet, flugelhorn, flumpet
Years active	1940s–1999

Arthur Stewart Farmer (born August 21, 1928 – died October 4, 1999) was an American jazz musician. He was famous for playing the trumpet and the flugelhorn. He also played an instrument called the flumpet, which was a special mix of a trumpet and a flugelhorn made just for him.

Art and his twin brother, Addison Farmer, who played the double bass, started playing music professionally when they were still in high school. Art became more well-known after his song "Farmer's Market" was released in 1952. He then moved from Los Angeles to New York. There, he played and recorded with famous musicians like Horace Silver and Sonny Rollins. He became known as a great bebop player.

As Art Farmer's fame grew, he started exploring different kinds of jazz. He worked with composers like George Russell. He also joined Gerry Mulligan's band and helped start a group called the Jazztet with Benny Golson. In the early 1960s, Farmer switched from the trumpet to the flugelhorn. This instrument had a warmer sound. He helped make the flugelhorn a popular instrument for soloists in jazz. In 1968, he moved to Europe and kept touring around the world until he died. Art Farmer recorded over 50 albums as a leader and many more with other musicians. People remember his playing for being unique, lyrical, warm, and sensitive.

Early life and musical start

Art Farmer was born on August 21, 1928, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. His twin brother was born an hour later. Their parents separated when the boys were four. Art moved with his family to Phoenix, Arizona when he was still young.

He started playing the piano in elementary school. Then he tried the bass tuba and violin. Finally, at age thirteen, he chose the cornet and then the trumpet. His family loved music, and many played instruments as a hobby. Art's grandfather was a minister, and his mother played piano for the church choir. This influenced Art's first instrument choice.

Schools in Phoenix were separated by race back then. Art taught himself to read music and practiced the trumpet on his own.

In 1945, Art and his brother moved to Los Angeles. They went to Jefferson High School, which was known for its music program. There, they learned music and met other young musicians. The brothers earned money by working and playing music. Art started playing trumpet professionally at 16. He played in bands led by Horace Henderson and others. Many older musicians were away because of World War II, which created opportunities for younger players like Art. Farmer said there were many chances to play music in Los Angeles: "During the day you would go to somebody's house and play. At night there were after-hours clubs [...and] anybody who wanted to play was free to come up and play".

As a teenager in Los Angeles, Art was interested in both bebop and the big bands of the swing era. He later said, "I knew I had to be in jazz." He loved the sound of a trumpet section in a big band and hearing a jam session. In the 1940s, his favorite trumpet players were Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Fats Navarro. But he especially loved the sound of Freddie Webster. Art decided to focus on making a beautiful sound with his trumpet.

Later career and achievements

Starting out in Los Angeles and New York

Art Farmer left school to tour with a group led by Johnny Otis. This job was tough on his lips, and he could not play after four months. He then went to New York to improve his trumpet technique. He worked as a janitor and played music when he could in 1947 and 1948. He tried out for Dizzy Gillespie's big band but did not get in. Farmer returned to the West Coast in 1948.

It was hard for Black musicians to find club and studio work in Los Angeles in the late 1940s and 1950s. Farmer played with Benny Carter and Wardell Gray. He also faced dangers of touring. Once, his car overturned at high speed while traveling, leaving him injured.

Farmer's first recording was in 1948 with singer Big Joe Turner. He recorded more songs later, including "Farmer's Market" in 1952. This song, which he wrote, helped him become more famous.

Moving to New York and becoming famous

Farmer worked as a janitor and a file clerk for a while. Then, in 1952, he joined Lionel Hampton's orchestra. He toured Europe with them in 1953. This helped him grow as a musician. He also joined Teddy Charles' band, which helped him explore new ways of playing.

Farmer moved to New York and made his first recording as a band leader in 1953. He became a very popular trumpeter in the 1950s. He worked with Gigi Gryce, Horace Silver, and Gerry Mulligan. In 1955, he played with Thelonious Monk on a TV show. He also played at the Newport Jazz Festival with Charles Mingus.

Playing with Horace Silver's group was limited because of issues between record labels. Joining Mulligan's band was a big change because it did not have a piano. Farmer said it was "like walking down the street naked." With Mulligan, Farmer appeared in two films and toured Europe, which helped him become known around the world. In New York, he also worked with Lester Young, who told him to "tighten up and tell a 'story' in each solo."

From the mid-1950s, Farmer was in demand for recordings by top music arrangers. He was known for being able to play any style. He even worked with composer Edgard Varèse in 1957 on experimental music. Critics praised Farmer for his unique trumpet style. He was one of 57 jazz musicians in the famous 1958 photograph "A Great Day in Harlem."

In 1959, Farmer started the Jazztet with saxophonist Benny Golson. The Jazztet played until 1962 and recorded several albums. It also helped start the careers of musicians like McCoy Tyner. In the early 1960s, Farmer formed a trio with guitarist Jim Hall. This group toured Europe and played calm, melodic music.

Farmer toured Europe again in 1965–66. Then he returned to the US and led a small group. He kept developing his style, learning from musicians like John Coltrane. However, opportunities for jazz musicians became fewer as rock music grew popular. So, Farmer joined a theater orchestra for a Broadway show for six months.

Moving to Europe permanently

Art Farmer continued to visit Europe. In 1968, he moved there for good and settled in Vienna, Austria. He played with The Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band and joined the Austrian Radio Orchestra. This job gave him time to play with other famous musicians living in Europe. As the orchestra's music changed, Farmer left to focus on his own musical goals.

He traveled a lot around the world. In 1982, the Jazztet reunited with Golson, which led Farmer to play more often in the United States. In the 1980s, Farmer also formed a group with saxophonist Clifford Jordan that toured internationally.

From the early 1990s, Farmer split his time between Vienna and New York. He played regularly at jazz clubs in New York. In 1994, he received the Austrian Gold Medal of Merit. A concert was held in New York to celebrate his achievements. Farmer also recorded many albums as a leader, including some classical music. Even in his late 60s, his playing was excellent. In 1999, he was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master. A few months later, on October 4, Art Farmer died at his home in Manhattan at age 71.

Personal life

Art Farmer was married three times. His first marriage ended, but they had a son, Arthur Jr., who passed away in 1994. His second marriage also ended. He then married Mechtilde Lawgger, a banker from Vienna. They had a son named Georg in the early 1970s. They built a house in Vienna, and Farmer was happy living there. He said he did not experience racism in Europe, unlike in his home country.

Farmer described himself as a quiet person who liked to be alone. He had a soundproof room in his Austrian house where he could practice for hours each day. People often said his personality was like his music: calm, relaxed, and gentle.

Art was deeply affected when his twin brother died suddenly in 1963. He said that even more than 20 years later, he still dreamed of his brother. His third wife passed away from cancer in 1992. He said he never truly recovered from her death because they had been together for over 20 years. After his own death, he was survived by his companion and manager, Lynne Mueller, and his son.

Playing style and instruments

People often describe Art Farmer's playing style as lyrical, meaning it sounded like a song, and having a warm tone. The Los Angeles Times said his playing had "a sweetly lyrical tone and a melodic approach." The Guardian noted that Farmer avoided the loud, sharp sound of a typical trumpet. He was influenced by the more gentle playing of Miles Davis. Even though he seemed calmer than some other players, Farmer was truly original. His way of playing was unique, often letting the beat move ahead of him, similar to how singer Billie Holiday sang.

From the early 1960s, Farmer mostly played the flugelhorn instead of the trumpet. The flugelhorn has a softer, more mellow sound. In 1989, he helped create a new instrument called the flumpet. It was a mix of a trumpet and a flugelhorn, made for him by instrument maker David Monette. This instrument allowed him to express himself even more in different musical settings. In 1997, Monette gave him a special flumpet decorated with symbols of important people and places in Farmer's life.

Art Farmer always wanted to explore new ways to play music throughout his life. Even at 67, his style was still changing. He would play his usual smooth lines but then add sudden, wide jumps in melody and different rhythms. A few months before he died, even though faster songs were harder for him, his playing on slower songs reached a new level of emotion.

Discography and filmography

Images for kids

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  Art Farmer playing his flugelhorn.

See also

In Spanish: Art Farmer para niños