Art Farmer - Sleeping Bee

A Sleeping Bee Review

 

by Ken Dryden

This Sonet LP finds Art Farmer with an atypical supporting group that includes fellow veteran Red Mitchell on bass, Latin percussionist Sabú Martínez, and several Europeans, among them guitarist Jan Schaffer and pianist Goran Strandberg. The opener, an easygoing take of "It Might As Well Be Spring," finds Farmer finally opening up in the closing chorus. Farmer's rich-toned flugelhorn interacts beautifully with Mitchell's imaginative bassline in the swinging take of "Come Rain or Come Shine," while the brisk bossa nova "Green Witch" is one of the more challenging charts on the date, with Farmer switching to trumpet. "A Sleeping Bee" is often played at fast tempos, but the hip-swaying, relaxed arrangement better showcases lyrical solos by the leader and Mitchell. This excellent record is long overdue to be reissued on CD.

Art Farmer

Sleeping Bee

A1 It Might As Well Be Spring 00:00 A2 Come Rain Or Come Shine 08:44 A3 Green Witch 14:46 B1 A Sleeping Bee 20:50 B2 A Bitty Ditty 29:28 B3 Smiling Billy 34:09 Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Art Farmer Bass – Red Mitchell Drums – Island Ostlund, Tony Inzalaco Guitar – Jan Schaffer Percussion – Sabu Martinez Piano – Göran Strandberg Recorded

Europa Film Studios

Stockholm

1974