Art Farmer was a jazz trumpeter, born in 1928, who came to the fore in the post-war bebop era, and recorded and performed continuously and prolifically in the USA and Europe through the latter half of the 20th century until shortly before his death in 1999.

His reputation was enhanced by his recording of Farmer’s Market in 1952, shortly after which he embarked on the sessions featured here for the Prestige label during the middle years of the decade, which were along his first as a band leader. Those sessions were mixed and matched across several 10” and 12” LPs over the next few years, and this 42-track collection comprises the complete contents of the Prestige albums Work Of Art, Art Farmer Quintet, Art Farmer Plays, The Art Farmer Septet, Early Art, When Farmer Met Gryce and Evening In Casablanca. His bands on these sessions featured a number of noted musicians of the day, including Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Percy Heath, Kenny Clarke, Wynton Kelly, Gigi Gryce, Philly Joe Jones among others. The Los Angeles Times obituary noted that his playing had “a sweetly lyrical tone and a melodic approach to phrasing, neither of which minimized his capacity to produce rhythmically swinging phrases.”

While The Guardian noted how “Farmer avoided the bright, penetrating sound of orthodox trumpet playing and was influenced by the more reserved articulation of Miles Davis and Kenny Dorham… Farmer was in his way a true original.” Comprising mainly original material, but with a sprinkling of standards, this fascinating collection captures Farmer at a key moment of his career as he blossomed into one of the most respected trumpeters of the era.

TRACKS

CD 1
1. WORK OF ART Art Farmer Septet (1954) 
2. THE LITTLE BANDMASTER Art Farmer Septet (1954) 
3. MAU MAU Art Farmer Septet (1954) 
4. UP IN QUINCY'S ROOM Art Farmer Septet (1954) 
From the albums “Work Of Art” (Prestige PRLP162),  and “The Art Farmer Septet” (Prestige PR7031)
5. WISTERIA Art Farmer Quintet (1954) 
6. SOFT SHOE Art Farmer Quintet (1954) 
7. CONFAB IN TEMPO Art Farmer Quintet (1954) 
8. I'LL TAKE ROMANCE Art Farmer Quintet (1954) 
From the albums “Art Farmer With Sonny Rollins” (Prestige PRLP177) and “Early Art (Prestige PR7665)
9. A NIGHT AT TONY'S Art Farmer Quintet (1954) 
10. BLUE CONCEPT Art Farmer Quintet (1954) 
11. DELTITNU Art Farmer Quintet (1954) 
12. STUPENDOUS LEE Art Farmer Quintet (1954) 
From the albums “The Art Farmer Quintet” (Prestige PRLP181) and “When Farmer Met Gryce” (Prestige PR7085)
13. EVENING IN PARIS Art Farmer Septet (1954) 
14. WILDWOOD Art Farmer Septet (1954) 
15. ELEPHANT WALK Art Farmer Septet (1954) 
16. TIAJUANA Art Farmer Septet (1954) 
From the album “The Art Farmer Septet” (Prestige PR7031)
17. GONE WITH THE WIND Art Farmer Quartet (1955)
From the albums “Art Farmer Plays” (Prestige PRLP177) and “Early Art (Prestige PR7665)

CD 2
1. I'VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE Art Farmer Quartet (1955) 
2. I'LL WALK ALONE Art Farmer Quartet (1955) 
3. ALONE TOGETHER Art Farmer Quartet (1955) 
4. PRE AMP Art Farmer Quartet (1955) 
5. AUTUMN NOCTURNE Art Farmer Quartet (1955) 
From the albums “Art Farmer Plays” (Prestige PRLP177) and “Early Art (Prestige PR7665)
6. BLUE LIGHTS Art Farmer Quintet (1955) 
7. CAPRI Art Farmer Quintet (1955) 
8. INFANT'S SONG Art Farmer Quintet (1955) 
9. SOCIAL CALL Art Farmer Quintet (1955) 
From the albums “The Art Farmer Quintet” (Prestige PRLP209) and “When Farmer Met Gryce” (Prestige PR7085)
10. FORECAST Art Farmer Quintet (1956) 
11. SANS SOUCI Art Farmer Quintet (1956) 
12. EVENING IN CASABLANCA Art Farmer Quintet (1956) 
13. SATELLITE Art Farmer Quintet (1956) 
14. NICA'S TEMPO Art Farmer Quintet (1956) 
15. SHABOZZ Art Farmer Quintet (1956)
From the album “Evening In Casablanca” (Prestige PR7017)