Four Classic Albums (Portrait Of Art Farmer / Modern Art / Art Farmer Quintet Feat. Gigi Gryce / The Jazztet And John Lewis)

A pretty handy quartet kicks off our first selection in this Art Farmer foursome "Portrait of Art Farmer". Art himself on trumpet of course, Hank Jones at the piano, Arts twin brother Addison on bass and the one and only Roy Haynes on drums, having just left Sarah Vaughan. Also recorded in New York in 1958 "Modern Art" finds Art as a maturing artist having absorbed many influences along the way from the likes of Charlie Parker, Horace Silver, Gerry Mulligan and Lionel Hampton amongst others. He was now a member of his own "school" and here his "classmates" include Benny Golson on tenor, Bill Evans on piano (then in the Miles Davis Quintet, and who would go on to record Kind Of Blue with Miles the following year!) , brother Addison on bass and Dave Bailey on drums. Swinging and subtlety in equal measure are the benchmarks of "Art Farmer Quintet featuring Gigi Gryce" featuring Gryce as writer of five of the six selections as well as playing fluent and imaginative tenor solos alongside Duke Jordan doing likewise on piano while the rhythm section of Addison and Philly Joe Jones play wonderfully together allowing the soloists to do their thing! "The Jazztet and John Lewis" set is a result of John Lewis being asked to write an arrangement for the Jazztet after seeing a show the band had played at the Village Gate in 1961. Instead of an arrangement Lewis declared that he would like to write an entire album for them! The result ….."beautifully wrought pieces of jazz writing with everything in its place…………and the band full of fire".

All four albums have been digitally re-mastered for probably the finest ever sound quality!