Strayhorn's Songs, Farmer's Breath
Farmer brings sensitivity, swing, and respect for the melody to Strayhorn's songbook, and the results are memorable.
Something to Live For came out of a New York session in 1987, when Art Farmer turned his attention to the songs of Billy Strayhorn, the composer who spent decades as Duke Ellington's writing partner and who gave the band some of its most tender material. The album was released on Contemporary, and the lineup is a tight, practical one: Rufus Reid on double bass, James Williams on piano, Clifford Jordan on tenor saxophone, Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums, and Farmer himself on flugelhorn.
Farmer's choice of instrument matters here. The flugelhorn gives him a rounder, darker sound than the trumpet, and it suits Strayhorn's ballads, which lean on warmth more than brilliance. The rhythm section keeps things moving without crowding the front line, and Jordan's tenor offers a sturdy counterpoint to Farmer's softer tone. The mood is less about display than about letting the melodies breathe.
Scott Yanow of AllMusic called it "a real gem," praising Farmer's blend of sensitivity, swing, and respect for the melody. That fits the record. It isn't a reinvention of Strayhorn, and it doesn't pretend to be. For a listener new to Farmer, it's a good, accessible entry point into his later work. For someone who already knows Strayhorn's standards, it offers a clean, unhurried reading of songs that deserve one.
Who's playing
Rufus Reiddouble bass
James Williamspiano
Clifford Jordantenor saxophone
Marvin “Smitty” Smithdrums
Art Farmerflugelhorn
