| | |
|
|
 |
Tal
FarlowNearly
as famous for his reluctance to play as for his outstanding abilities, guitarist
Tal Farlow did not take up the instrument until he was already 21, but within
a year was playing professionally and in 1948 was with Marjorie Hyams' band. While
with the Red Norvo Trio (which originally included Charles Mingus) from 1949-1953,
Farlow became famous in the jazz world. His huge hands and ability to play rapid
yet light lines made him one of the top guitarists of the era. After six months
with Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five in 1953, Farlow put together his own group, which
for a time included pianist Eddie Costa. Late in 1958, Farlow settled on the East
Coast, became a sign painter, and just played locally. He only made one record
as a leader during 1960-1975, but emerged a bit more often during 1976-1984, recording
for Concord fairly regularly before largely disappearing again. Profiled in the
definitive documentary Talmage Farlow, the guitarist can be heard on his own records
for Blue Note (1954), Verve, Prestige (1969), and Concord. He died of cancer July
25, 1998, at age 77.
Visit
the unofficial Tal Farlow website here |
|
| | BECOME
A MASTER JAZZ GUITARIST!
Learn to play jazz guitar at the highest
level with Chris Standring's complete home study course! Play jazz guitar
right here at Play Jazz Guitar.com Click
here for info! |
| |
 |
The
Swinging Guitar Of Tal Farlow [Original recording remastered]
There were
several fine jazz guitarists--Billy Bauer, Jimmy Raney, and Johnny Smith among
them--who emerged in the late '40s and early '50s only to leave the spotlight
within a few years. Tal Farlow, who died in 1998, stood out even among this gifted
group, a brilliant musician who chose to spend much of his life working as a sign
painter in North Carolina, playing locally and occasionally returning to the recording
studios. On this 1956 session, Farlow led a trio with pianist Eddie Costa and
bassist Vinnie Burke. The style of the group--without horns or drums--might be
described as "chamber bop," relatively quiet music that swings mightily
with complex and mutually supportive interaction, rhythmic verve and fluid invention.
Farlow spins out stunning, seemingly effortless, lines of melody, both on bop
tunes like Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite" and standards such as "Like
Someone in Love." His overlapping exchanges with Costa--who possessed a Bud
Powell-like fluency--are inspired. - Stuart Broomer Order
here from Amazon.com |
"Play
What You Hear" author Chris Standring has a brand new album out on Ultimate
Vibe Recordings entitled "Blue Bolero". "With
his sixth CD, Blue Bolero, Standring returns with a left-turning musical project
so daring in its scope but still so true to his sound that it is destined to be
one of the year's most-discussed projects, while certainly sure to be remembered
in years to come as a highlight of the guitarist's works. He's taking a chance
with Blue Bolero, but it's one his fans will certainly embrace as they follow
Standring's ever-evolving career. - Brian Soergel, Jazz Times Listen
to & purchase Blue Bolero
| | | |