Art Farmer - 1975 - To Duke With Love

Art Farmer

1975

To Duke With Love

01. In A Sentimental Mood 7:01

02. It Don't Mean A Thing 5:34

03. The Star Crossed Lovers 7:10

04. The Brown Skin Gal In The Calico Gown 7:25

05. Lush Life 6:22

06. Love You Madly 6:26

Bass – Sam Jones

Drums – Billy Higgins

Flugelhorn – Art Farmer

Piano – Cedar Walton

Recorded less than a year after Duke Ellington's death, this Inner City LP (originally cut for the Japanese East Wind label) features flugelhornist Art Farmer performing five Ellington pieces along with Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life." With impeccable support by pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Billy Higgins, Farmer sounds melodic, lyrical, swinging and typically inventive on such numbers as "In a Sentimental Mood," "It Don't Mean a Thing," "The Brown Skin Gal" and "Love You Madly." This tasteful set (which is long out-of-print) features Art Farmer at his best.

A pretty sweet 70s set from Art Farmer – ostensibly a tribute to Duke Ellington, but really more of a gently soulful session in the mode of Art's best work of the decade! The group is the Cedar Walton trio with Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all matching Art's lyrical work beautifully, in a soulfully swinging way that transforms familiar Ellington numbers into new vehicles for creative expression. Farmer's at the height of his powers.