Not all trumpet players of he modern era were high note gun slingers. Here are a pair that specialized in warmth, style and class.
Blessed with possibly the most mellifluous tone of all the trumpet and flugelhorn players, Art Farmer was one of the leading proponents of the West Coast sound. These albums from the mid 1950s have him at one of his zeniths. Quincy Jones guests as a fellow trumpeter and arranger on the 19555 album with Jimmy Cleveland/tb, Monk Montgomery/key, Charlie Rouse/ts, Horace Silver/p, Art Taylor/dr and Percy Heath/b for a hoot of Jones’ “Elephant” and “Mau Mau”. He teamed up with alto saxist Gigi Gryce in ’55 for a couple great albums, and with Duke Jordan/p, Addison Farmer/b and Philly Joe Jones/dr swing well on “Forecast” and simmer on “Evening In Casablanca”. The other Farmer/Gryce session included Horace Silver-Freddie Redd/p, Heath-Harmer/b, Kenny Clarke-Art Taylor/dr for a sleek “Blue Concept” and clever “Capri”. The next year he creates a front of two trumpets with hard bopper Donald Byrd, and along with Barry Harris/p, Jackie McLean/as, Doug Watkins/b and Taylor/dr deliver a moody “’Round Midnight” and ebullient “When Your Lover Is Gone”. Most impressive is his album from the same year with brother Addison/b, Hank Mobley/ts and ringer Elvin Jones/dr for a thrilling session that introduces the title piece “Farmers Market” to the world as well as a Mobley original “Wailin’ With Hank”. Last was an album arranged by Ernie Wilkins, including a rhythm section of Wendell Marshall/b, Bobby Donaldson/dr and a big brassed section of Farmer with Charlie Shavers, Emmet Berry, Ernie Royal and Harold Baker for a fingerpopping “Five Cats Swinging” and a collection of arias on a “Ballad Medley”. Lowing horns.
Before he became a leading member of Count Basie’s orchestra and a co-founder of one of the most important big bands of the 1970s, Thad Jones was an impressive leader of small groups, being heralded by Charles Mingus as the future sound of jazz. He had a series of albums on Blue Note that contributed to his “Magnificent” nickname, with a 1955 album includes Tommy Flanagan/p, George Duvivier/b, Donald Byrd/tp and Lou Donaldson/as for clever originals like “Slipped Again” and “Thadrack”. Another “Magnificent” album with Max Roach/dr, Billy Mitchell/ts, Percy Heath /b has him duetting wonderfully with Kenny Burrell on guitar for “Something To Remember You By” while the team bops on “If I Love Again”. He simmers in 1956 again with Burrell, Mitchell and Burrell for melodic pieces “Blue Room” and “Zec”. Next year Jones changes labels and bands for a album with the Flanagan, a muscular Frank Foster/ts, Eddie Jones/b, Elvin Jones/dr, Frank Wess/ts, and arranger Quincy Jones for a moody “Whisper Not” and peppy “Jumping For Jane”. An after hours session is a jam session with pianist Mal Waldron along with Foster, Burrell, Paul Chambers/b and Art Taylor/dr for some stretching out on the pianist’s compositions “Steamin’” and “Blue Jelly”. Classy brass.