Art Farmer: Jubilation

By 1958, Farmer and Golson had been musical soul mates for half a decade. Farmer and Evans, who met in George Russells 1955 workshop, had often recorded together. At an average age of 29½, the three were among the most accomplished jazzmen of their generation, each with a lovely sound, gift for melody and abiding respect for their audience. All of which belied the album title Modern Art, then suggestive of Cubism, Dadaism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. Certainly there was nothing adventurous about Farmer & Co.'s take on Junior Mance's funky "Jubilation," unless you consider lively, listenable and likable jazz adventurous.