Arthur Stewart Farmer, dit “Art” Farmer (1928-1999) est un trompettiste de jazz américain. Il a aussi joué du bugle et de la « flumpet », un instrument hybride entre la trompette et le bugle fabriqué pour lui par Le « flumpet » créé par David Monette pour Farmer..
Biographie Art Farmer grandit à Phoenix en Arizona et apprend d'abord le violon et le piano. À 15 ans, il commence à jouer de la trompette dans un orchestre de bal. Il part ensuite avec son frère Addison à Los Angeles, découvre alors le jazz et joue avec Benny Carter, Gerald Wilson et Dexter Gordon.
En 1953, il déménage à New York et joue dans l'orchestre de Lionel Hampton mais aussi avec Clifford Brown, Lester Young, Quincy Jones et Gigi Gryce puis, plus tard, avec Coleman Hawkins, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, Hank Mobley, Sonny Clark, Clifford Jordan et, enfin, dans le Quartet de Gerry Mulligan. Il explore alors des voies expérimentales avec Teddy Charles, Teo Macero et George Russell.
Dans les années 1960, il acquiert une renommée légendaire avec « The Jazztet », combo formé avec le saxophoniste Benny Golson et le tromboniste Curtis Fuller.
En 1982, il reforme The Jazztet avec ses anciens complices, gravant pour l'occasion quatre disques sous le nom du groupe.
Art Farmer fait des tournées pendant plusieurs années dans toute l'Europe et s'installe finalement en Autriche en 1994. Il y joue avec l'orchestre de la radio autrichienne (Österreichisches Rundfunkorchester). Parallèlement au jazz, il intervient aussi comme trompettiste de musique classique, par exemple comme soliste dans le (des 6 concertos, le seul à la « petite » trompette solo) des Concertos brandebourgeois de Jean-Sébastien Bach, ou le concerto pour trompette de Joseph Haydn.
Parmi ses partenaires, on peut citer Gerry Mulligan,Slide Hampton, Ron Carter, Jerome Richardson, Wynton Marsalis, , Jim Hall et Lewis Nash.
Il a beaucoup enregistré sous son nom vers la fin de sa carrière.
Famille Son frère jumeau, , mort en 1963, était un bassiste renommé.
Discographie En tant que leader AnnéeTitreLabelNotes1953–54The Art Farmer SeptetPrestigeInclus les débuts de Farmer enregistrées comme leader1954Early ArtPrestigeAvec deux groupes: first featuring Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) and Horace Silver (piano) ; second featuring Wynton Kelly (piano)1954–55When Farmer Met GrycePrestigeAvec Gigi Gryce (alto sax) and two bands: first with Horace Silver (piano), Percy Heath (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums) ; second with Freddie Redd (piano) Addison Farmer (bass) Art Taylor (drums)1955Art Farmer Quintet featuring Gigi GrycePrestigeAvec Gigi Gryce (alto sax) Duke Jordan (piano), Addison Farmer (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums)19562 TrumpetsPrestigeAvec Donald Byrd (trumpet), Jackie McLean (alto sax), Barry Harris (piano), Doug Watkins (bass), Art Taylor (drums)1956Farmer's MarketPrestigeAvec Hank Mobley (tenor sax), Kenny Drew (piano), Addison Farmer (bass), Elvin Jones (drums)1957Three TrumpetsPrestigeAvec Donald Byrd and Idrees Sulieman (trumpet), Hod O'Brien (piano), Addison Farmer (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums)1957Last Night When We Were YoungABC-ParamountAvec the Quincy Jones orchestra ; Jones also wrote the arrangements1958Portrait of Art FarmerContemporaryAvec Hank Jones (piano), Addison Farmer (bass), Roy Haynes (drums)1958Modern ArtUnited ArtistsAvec Benny Golson (tenor sax), Bill Evans (piano), Addison Farmer (bass), Dave Bailey (drums)1959Brass ShoutUnited ArtistsAvec un big band ; arrangements by Benny Golson1959The Aztec SuiteUnited ArtistsAvec un big band ; composition & arrangements by Chico O'Farrill1960ArtArgoAvec Tommy Flanagan (piano), Tommy Williams (bass), Albert Heath (drums)1961PerceptionArgoAvec Harold Mabern (piano), Tommy Williams (bass), Roy McCurdy (drums)1962Listen to Art Farmer and the OrchestraMercuryAvec big band ; arrangements by Oliver Nelson1963InteractionAtlanticAvec Jim Hall (guitar), Steve Swallow (bass), Walter Perkins (drums)1963Live at the Half-NoteAtlanticPersonnel as on Interaction ; in concert1964To Sweden with LoveAtlanticAvec Jim Hall (guitar), Steve Swallow (bass), Pete LaRoca (drums)1964The Many Faces of Art FarmerScepterAvec Charles McPherson (alto sax), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Steve Swallow (bass), Bobby Thomas (drums)1965Sing Me Softly of the BluesAtlanticAvec Steve Kuhn (piano), Steve Swallow (bass), Pete LaRoca (drums)1966New York Jazz Sextet: Group TherapyScepterCredited to the New York Jazz Sextet1966The Time and the Place: The Lost ConcertMosaicAvec Jimmy Heath (tenor sax), Albert Dailey (piano), Walter Booker (bass), Mickey Roker (drums) ; in concert1966Baroque SketchesColumbiaAvec the Baroque Orchestra arranged by Benny Golson1967The Time and the PlaceColumbiaAvec Jimmy Heath (tenor sax), Cedar Walton (piano), Walter Booker (bass), Mickey Roker (drums) ; studio album with overdubbed applause1967The Art Farmer Quintet Plays the Great Jazz HitsColumbiaPersonnel as on The Time and the Place (1967)1968Art WorkerMoonAvec Ernie Royal (trumpet), Jimmy Cleveland (trombone), Oscar Estelle (alto, tenor, baritone saxes), Harold Mabern (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), Roy McCurdy (drums)1968What Happens?CampiAvec Phil Woods (alto sax), Martial Solal (piano), Henri Texier (bass), Daniel Humair (drums) 1970In EuropeEnjaAvec Fritz Pauer (piano), Peter Marshall (bass), Erich Bachtragl (drums) ; in concert1970From Vienna with ArtMPSAvec Jimmy Heath (tenor sax), Fritz Pauer (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), Erich Bachtragl (drums)1971HomecomingMainstreamAvec Jimmy Heath (tenor sax), Cedar Walton (piano), Sam Jones (bass), Billy Higgins (drums), James Mtume (congas), Warren Smith (percussion) 1972Gentle EyesMainstreamAvec big band ; arrangements par Hans Salomon1974Talk to MePyeAvec the ORF [Austrian Broadcasting Corporation] Big Band1974A Sleeping BeeSonetAvec Goran Strandberg (piano), Jan Schaffer (guitar), Red Mitchell (bass), Tony Inzalaco and Island Ostlund (drums ; separately), Sabu Martinez (percussion) 1975Yesterday's ThoughtsEast WindAvec Sam Jones (bass), Cedar Walton (piano), Billy Higgins (drums)1975To Duke with LoveEast WindAvec Cedar Walton (piano), Sam Jones (bass guitar), Billy Higgins (drums)1976The Summer KnowsEast WindPersonnel as on To Duke with Love1976Art Farmer Quintet at BoomersEast WindAvec Clifford Jordan (tenor sax), Cedar Walton (piano), Sam Jones (bass) Billy Higgins (drums) ; in concert1976On the RoadContemporaryAvec Art Pepper (alto sax), Hampton Hawes (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Steve Ellington and Shelly Manne (drums ; separately)1977Crawl SpaceCTIAvec Jeremy Steig (flute), David Grusin (keyboards), Eric Gale (guitar), Will Lee (bass, gong), George Mraz (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)1977Something You GotCTIAvec the David Matthews orchestra, featuring Yusef Lateef (tenor sax)1977Art Farmer Live in TokyoCTIAvec Jackie McLean (alto sax), Cedar Walton (piano), Sam Jones (bass), Billy Higgins (drums) ; in concert1978Big BluesCTIAvec Jim Hall (guitar), Mike Mainieri (vibraphone), Mike Moore (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)1979YamaCTIFeaturing Joe Henderson (tenor sax)1981A Work of ArtConcordAvec Fred Hersch (piano), Bob Bodley (bass), Billy Hart(drums)1981ManhattanSoul NoteAvec Sahib Shihab (soprano and baritone saxes), Kenny Drew (piano), Mads Vinding (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums)1981Foolish MemoriesBellaphonAvec Harry Sokal (tenor sax), Fritz Pauer (piano), Heiri Känzig (bass), Joris Dudli (drums)1982MirageSoul NoteAvec Clifford Jordan (tenor sax), Fred Hersch (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), Akira Tana (drums)1982Warm ValleyConcordAvec Fred Hersch (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), Akira Tana (drums)1983AmbrosiaDenon RecordsWith strings1983Maiden Voyage DenonWith strings, Masahiko Satoh (piano)1984You Make Me SmileSoul NoteAvec Clifford Jordan (tenor sax), Fred Hersch (piano) Rufus Reid (bass), Akira Tana (drums)1987Something to Live For: The Music of Billy StrayhornContemporaryAvec Clifford Jordan (tenor sax), James Williams (piano), Rufus Reid (bass), Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drums) 1987AzureSoul NoteAvec Fritz Pauer (piano)1988Blame It on My YouthContemporaryAvec Clifford Jordan (tenor and soprano sax), James Williams (piano), Rufus Reid (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)1989Ph.D.ContemporaryAvec Clifford Jordan (tenor sax), James Williams (piano), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Rufus Reid (bass), Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drums)1989Central Avenue ReunionContemporaryAvec Frank Morgan (alto sax), Lou Levy (piano), Eric Von Essen (bass), Albert Heath (drums) 1991Soul EyesEnjaAvec Geoff Keezer (piano), Kenny Davis (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) ; in concert1994The Company I KeepArabesque Avec Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn), Ron Blake (soprano and tenor saxes), Geoff Keezer (piano), Kenny Davis (bass), Carl Allen (drums)1995The Meaning of ArtArabesqueAvec Slide Hampton (trombone), Ron Blake (soprano and tenor saxes), Geoff Keezer (piano), Kenny Davis (bass), Carl Allen (drums)1996Silk RoadArabesqueAvec Don Braden and Ron Blake (soprano and tenor saxes), Geoff Keezer (piano), Kenny Davis (bass), Carl Allen (drums)1996Live at Stanford Jazz WorkshopMonarchAvec Harold Land (tenor sax), Bill Bell (piano), Rufus Reid (bass), Albet Heath (drums) ; in concert1998Art Farmer Plays StandardsPAOAvec Jarek Smietana (guitar), Jacek Niedziela and Antoni Debski (bass ; separately), Adam Czerwinski (drums)
Avec le Jazztet Avec Benny Golson (saxophone ténor)
AnnéeTitreLabelNotes1960Meet the Jazztet ArgoAvec Curtis Fuller (trombone), McCoy Tyner (piano), Addison Farmer (bass), Lex Humphries (drums)1960Big City SoundsArgoAvec Tom McIntosh (trombone), Cedar Walton (piano), Tommy Williams (bass), Albert Heath (drums)1960–61The Jazztet and John LewisArgoPersonnel as on Big City Sounds ; John Lewis (composer, arranger)1961The Jazztet at BirdhouseArgoPersonnel as on Big City Sounds ; in concert1962Here and NowMercuryAvec Grachan Moncur III (trombone), Harold Mabern (piano), Herbie Lewis (bass), Roy McCurdy (drums)1962Another Git TogetherMercuryPersonnel as on Here and Now1982Voices AllEastworldAvec Curtis Fuller, Cedar Walton, Buster Williams (bass), Albert Heath1982In Performance at the Playboy Jazz Festival Elektra/MusicianAvec Mike Wolff (piano), John B. Williams (bass), Roy McCurdy, Nancy Wilson (vocals) ; in concert ; shared with various bands1983Moment to MomentSoul NoteAvec Curtis Fuller, Mickey Tucker (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), Albert Heath1983NostalgiaBaystateAvec Curtis Fuller, Mickey Tucker, Rufus Reid (bass), Billy Hart (drums) 1986Back to the CityContemporaryAvec Curtis Fuller, Mickey Tucker, Ray Drummond, Marvin 'Smitty' Smith (drums)1986Real Time ContemporaryPersonnel as on Back to the City
Albums en tant que sideman AnnéeLeaderTitreLabel1949Black CaliforniaSavoy1953The Clifford Brown Big Band In ParisPrestige1953MemorialPrestige1953European Concert 1953IAJRC1953The Complete Paris Collection, Vol. 3Jazz Legacy1955All Star Sessions Prestige1956The Happy BluesPrestige1956Jammin' with GenePrestige1956This Is How I Feel About JazzABC1956Johnny MathisColumbia1956The Teddy Charles TentetAtlantic1956Word from BirdAtlantic1956Bennie Green with Art FarmerPrestige1956The Jazz WorkshopRCA Victor1956Gil's GuestsPrestige1956The Jazz WorkshopRCA Victor1957The Jazz Greats of Our Time, Vol. 1Coral1957FunkyPrestige1957EarthyPrestige1957Cleveland StyleEmArcy1957Eddie Costa QuintetInterlude1957Dial "S" for SonnyBlue Note1957Curtis Fuller Volume 3Blue Note1957Benny Golson's New York SceneContemporary1957Cliff CraftBlue Note1957Holiday for JazzDecca1957EarthyPrestige1957Three TrumpetsPrestige1957Coolin''' |New Jazz |- |1957 | |Modern Jazz Concert|Columbia |- |1957 | |The Stylings of Silver|Blue Note |- |1957 | |Hal McKusick Quintet|Coral |- |1957 | |Hank Mobley Quintet|Blue Note |- |1958 | |The Music Man|Atlantic |- |1958 | |Mal/3: Sounds|Prestige |- |1958 | |The Soul of Ben Webster|Verve |- |1958 | |The Jazz Combo dans le film I Want to Live!|United Artists |- |1958 | |Outskirts Of Town|Prestige |- |1958 | |Annie Ross Sings a Song with Mulligan!