Art Farmer – Jazz Masters Series

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Episode: B-

 

 

Art Farmer is another one of the key name Jazz talents not heard about enough, a great trumpet player who eventually devoted his playing strictly to the flugelhorn.  Taped February 20, 1982, Farmer is joined by Fred Hersch (piano), Dennis Irwin (bass) and Billy Hart (drums) for this exceptional set:

 

1)     You Know I Care

2)     Red Cross

3)     Cherokee Skeletons

4)     Recorda Me

5)     Blue Monk

6)     Firm Roots

 

 

There is also an exceptional interview piece in the middle of the set, in which Farmer speaks of his art, his choice of instruments and the joy of performing.  This is some great music and though Farmer points out the flugelhorn has its limits, he liked the sounds it produced over the more popular trumpet.  This took him into new directions and over two decades later, the flugelhorn is more popular than ever.

 

The full frame 1.33 x 1 videotaped image is a little soft and lacking in detail, likely from this being second generation off of the original NTSC analog source.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 is a solid monophonic sound that is almost stereophonic.  This was part of the Jazz At The Smithsonian series and is as worthy an installment as one could hope for.  I just wish it had been longer, especially as this DVD has no extras.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo