Customer Reviews

Farmer's Market

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Farmer's Market" is a great, somewhat overlooked, bop classic. Superb work on trumpet by Farmer, teamed with the great tenor sax player Hank Mobley, along with some terrific compositions make this a terrific listen.

Because he was a contemporary of Cotrane, Mobley is too overlooked by jazz fans, but is making a belated comeback. Teamed at various times with Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, or Donald Byrd, Mobley made albums that were nearly as good as the classic Davis/Coltrane teams.

Fans of those albums should check this and Mobley's other appearances both as a sideman and as a bandleader out.

A market of jazz....

Art Farmer. A post bop trumpeter with an amazing sound, I'd take him over most trumpet players. He's up there on my favorites list with Dizzy, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, and Donald Byrd.

This album is one of those mid 1950's Prestige sessions. Supervision by Bob Weinstock, engineering by Rudy Van Gelder, and notes by Ira Gitler. Prestige was the Blue Note of the 1950's; turning out great blowing sessions left and right, and adding some of jazz's best young stars to the label, Art Farmer's Farmer's Market is a treat from start to finish.

This album, recorded in the mid 50's features some nice players. Then, the underrated pianist, (he's now becoming more famous) Kenny Drew takes the piano spot, Art's brother is on bass, the incredible and soulful Hank Mobley is on tenor. He also had the same problem with recognition that Kenny had, but now thanks to reissues, he's being discovered again. On drums is a young Elvin Jones. He clearly didn't develope his style until he joined Coltrane. On this date, he could be mistaken for Max Roach, or Philly Joe Jones, playing straight swinging licks. It would be later on he would develope his loose, polyrhythmic style that would be showcased in Coltrane's quartet.

This album is great. There isn't a bad track on the album. Another classic Prestige discovery. I can collect these gems forever!

"Farmer's Market" is a great early look at the trumpeter who co-founded the classic Jazztet with Benny Golson. Art Farmer is joined on this excellent November 1956 set by his brother Addison on bass, Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Kenny Drew on piano and Elvin Jones on drums. The album boasts five original compositions (two by Drew, and one each by Art, Mobley and Art's friend and frequent collaborator Gigi Gryce), and the standard "By Myself." While this is a memorable session, my reason for withholding a fifth star is the disc is not quite as strong as either "When Farmer Met Gryce" or "Modern Art" (see my reviews), which are both uncontested five-star outings. With that being said, it is still well worth your while to shop at the "Farmer's Market."