Farmer's Blueprint for Tasteful Invention
The seeds of what the Jazztet would become, heard in crystalline detail across five tight, assured takes.
Modern Art sounds like a working band that trusts itself—unhurried, with plenty of air between voices. Art Farmer's trumpet has a warm, almost vocal quality, never pushed, conversing naturally with Benny Golson's tenor sax rather than competing. Bill Evans at the piano is spare and melodic, laying down chords that breathe, while Addison Farmer on bass and Dave Bailey on drums lock in with the kind of precision that lets the front line roam. These are clean, professional takes—not raw, not overdone—recorded straight to tape with nothing cluttering the mix.
This is essentially Farmer's introduction to listeners as a bandleader, made while he was still finding his voice. What matters here is how much the quintet already sounds like a unit. Golson would become Farmer's partner in the Jazztet two years later, and you can hear why on these five tunes: the two horn players have an instinctive sense of harmony and phrasing, and the rhythm section knows exactly when to push and when to lay back. Evans, in particular, brings a sophistication to each solo—listen to his work on the ballads—that was becoming his trademark.
DownBeat gave this five stars in 1958, which wasn't routine. The Penguin Guide to Jazz called it one of Farmer's strongest records from this period, and it's easy to hear why: nothing here feels forced or overreaching. It's a straightforward statement of what modern jazz could sound like when built on craft and listening rather than flash. For Farmer fans, it's an essential document. For newcomers, it's an ideal entry point—approachable, unselfconscious, and musically complete.
Who's playing
Addison Farmerdouble bass
Bill Evanspiano
Benny Golsontenor saxophone
Art Farmertrumpet
Dave Baileydrums
Where next?
More by Art Farmer
All 32 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
