AMG Review of Listen to Art Farmer and the Orchestra

Ken Dryden
All Music Guide

This delightful CD features Art Farmer with a large orchestra not long after he switched from trumpet to flugelhorn. Oliver Nelson's arrangements provide great backdrops for the leader, as do the mix of dependable studio musicians and outstanding jazzmen assembled for the three sessions, including Tommy Flanagan, Phil Woods, Clark Terry, and Jim Hall, to name a few. The choice of material is inspiring: a snappy "Raincheck," and Farmer's moody "Rue Prevail," and a relatively new work by John Coltrane, "Naima," which turns into a richly textured tour de force in the hands of Farmer & Co. This album was re-released as a part of the Verve Elite limited edition series in late 1997; less than a year later it was already out of print. Don't wait too long to seek this highly recommended CD.