Showing posts with label Andy Farber. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andy Farber. Show all posts

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Andy Farber & His Swing Mavens - Bluesectomy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:44
Size: 134.5 MB
Styles: Big Band, Swing
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Bluesectomy
[3:58] 2. What You Gonna Do
[4:11] 3. Sometimes I'm Happy
[4:39] 4. Just A-Settin' And A-Noshin'
[4:13] 5. Struttin' With Some Farbecue
[5:07] 6. Till I Laid My Eyes On You
[3:23] 7. You Hit The Spot
[5:16] 8. One For Ernie
[4:04] 9. Primrose Path
[4:55] 10. On The Street Where You Live
[3:36] 11. Save Another Dance For Me
[4:02] 12. Walkin' After Midnight
[5:26] 13. The Blues Train
[2:23] 14. The Mean Reeds

Born in Huntington, Long Island, Andy Farber started playing clarinet at the age of 8, but by age 9 had settled on the saxophone. Influenced by his father's professional drumming and a great music collection, Mr. Farber grew up listening to Art Blakey, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. At 10, he attended jazz workshops studying with Budd Johnson, Chris Woods, and Dave Burns. At 13 he studied classical oboe and jazz saxophone at the Usdan Center for the Arts on Long Island. When he was 17 years old, Farber auditioned for Branford Marsalis and was accepted into The Tri-state McDonalds' Jazz Ensemble. Joining the ensemble he went on to perform with Mr. Marsalis, Randy Brecker, and Steve Turre, to name a few. Mr. Farber continued his education at The Manhattan School of Music in NYC where he studied jazz composition with David Berger and Mike Abene. During this time, he played in David Berger's Big Band and simultaneously formed and led his own quintet called The Hard Bop Repertory Company. He grew this into a 15-piece ensemble, Andy Farber & his Orchestra, which performed original compositions regularly at the West End Gate in NYC for the next year and a half.

In late 1993 Andy met jazz vocalese artist Jon Hendricks. Collaborating on Jon's CD "Boppin\' at the Blue Note," Mr. Farber wrote arrangements which featured Jon and guests Al Grey, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson, Red Holloway, and Clark Terry. For the next three years Andy was part of The Jon Hendricks Explosion, acting as Musical Director, saxophonist, and arranger. In addition to gigs too numerous to name, The Explosion performed several weeks at The Blue Note in NYC, and toured Europe and the US playing jazz festivals & nightclubs.

Following Mr. Farber's tenure with Jon. Hendricks, he joined Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra on tenor saxophone. Since 1997, he has been freelancing as a saxophonist, arranger, and conductor for people like Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn, Bobby Short, Ann Hampton Calloway, Frankie Laine, Alan Harris, Cynthia Scott, Billy Stritch, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Vanessa Williams, and Roseanna Vitro to name a few. Farber's arrangements have been performed by The Boston Pops Orchestra, the Philly Pops Orchestra, the Boca Pops Orchestra and several symphony orchestras throughout Europe. Farber has been a guest conductor of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and in 2004 made his symphonic conducting debut with the Bronx Arts Ensemble. His work as an arranger, conductor and instrumentalist can be heard on numerous recordings. In 1998, Mr. Farber released his debut CD entitled "Double A" with partner Andrew Williams, on After 9 Records. Mr. Farber is in constant demand as a multi-facetted reedman and a sampling of the groups or artists he has performed with are: The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Count Basie Orchestra, The Artie Shaw Band, The Harry James Band, Illinois Jacquet Big Band, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, Bob Dorough, Marcus Roberts, Bobby Short, The Onyx Club Sextet, etc. Currently Mr. Farber leads his own band fronted by jazz vocalist Jerry Costanzo, Andy Farber & his Swing Mavens, a 9-piece ensemble that performs Mr. Farber\'s arrangements and original compositions. As well as Jazz, Swing & American Popular Standards. The band can be heard on Farber's latest release, "Bluesectomy" (NJR Records) and at jazz clubs and performing arts centers in and around the New York and the East Coast. When not playing jazz, Mr. Farber composes and produces music for television and film at Duotone Audio Group in NYC.

Bluesectomy

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Andy Farber & His Orchestra - This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:03
Size: 135.2 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. Bombers
[4:45] 2. Space Suit
[3:49] 3. Body & Soul
[3:39] 4. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
[5:11] 5. It Is What It Is
[4:00] 6. Broadway
[3:45] 7. Roll 'em Pete
[4:49] 8. Midnight, The Stars & You
[4:21] 9. 52nd Street Theme
[4:26] 10. Short Yarn
[3:48] 11. The Man I Love
[3:35] 12. High Anxiety
[4:18] 13. Jack The Bellboy
[4:18] 14. Seems Like Old Times

The sight and sound of one of the classic big bands in full flight must have been something to behold. For those fans of big band jazz who never got to experience such a thing, as well as for those who did and remember it fondly, Andy Farber And His Orchestra bring the sound back with a bang on This Could Be The Start Of Something Big.

Saxophonist Farber arranged and conducted all of the tunes, as well as writing four numbers. As a former member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Musical Director, arranger or conductor for Jon Hendricks, Joe Lovano, Shirley Horn and B.B. King, to name just a few, Farber's credentials for this project are strong. He takes what drummer Alvester Garnett, who wrote the liner notes, terms an "Ellingtonian aesthetic" of writing for specific players, while emphasizing the ensemble rather than soloists. The approach works superbly here—the soloists are impressive, but it's the sound of the full 18-piece band that really leaves a lasting, positive, impression.

This Could Be The Start Of Something Big doesn't steer the big band into any new territory, but it certainly emphasizes its vitality and relevance. Farber's Orchestra swings like a big band should, whether playing standards or interpreting Farber's originals. It's a terrific ensemble, with a strong and engaging sound. ~Bruce Lindsay

Andy Farber: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute; Chuck Wilson: alto saxophone; Jay Brandford: alto saxophone; Dan Block: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Marc Phaneuf: tenor saxophone; Kurt Bacher: baritone saxophone; Brian Paresi; Bob Grillo: guitar; Kenny Ascher: piano; Jennifer Vincent: bass; Alvester Garnett: drums; Mark Sherman: vibraphone (8); Jon Hendricks: vocals (4, 7); John Hendricks & Co Singers (4, 7): Aria Hendricks, Kevin Fitzgerald Burke; Jerry Dodgion: alto saxophone (6).

This Could Be The Start Of Something Big