John Farnsworth (musician)

John Farnsworth
Origin United States South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA
Genres Jazz, straight-ahead
Occupation(s) Musician
Bandleader
Composer
Arranger
Educator
Instruments Saxophone, Trombone
Website link

John Farnsworth is a jazz musician who plays tenor saxophone and trombone.

He was raised in a large musical family in western Massachusetts. After completing his formal education at Rutgers University, he moved to New York City and became involved in the jazz and Latin music scenes.[1]

Amidst collaborations with such artists as Slide Hampton’s World of Trombones, Archie Shepp’s Attica Blues Band, Frank Foster’s Loud Minority, and The Louis “Perico” Ortiz Salsa Orchestra, John’s touring career took to life. He toured with the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra[1] and returned to New York to play with artists including Junior Cook, Cecil Payne, and Dr. Eddie Henderson.

His second album entitled "Live From Smoke: Monday Nights With John Farnsworth" is a compilation of three live shows features his brother Joe Farnsworth as well as Dr. Eddie Henderson, Frank Lacy, Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, Mike LeDonne, Dwayne Burno, Carlton Holmes and John Webber.

Farnsworth has been hosting Monday night jam sessions at club SMOKE for the past eight years. Other notable players that he has played with include George Coleman, Junior Cook, Gerald Cannon, Duane Eubanks, Charles "Majid" Greenlee, and Curtis Fuller.

He has also played trombone for Aretha Franklin several dates a year. His notoriety landed him a spot in the 2005 VH1: Save The Music concert, where he backed Alicia Keys, John Legend, and Rob Thomas.

Farnsworth is also an educator. In past years, he was an instructor for the "Jazz in July" program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he attained his Master's degree and was a teaching assistant. He has also spoken in multiple seminars at the Hartt School of Music, and has performed and taught at Duke University and Millersville University in Pennsylvania.

Selective discography

Year Title Genre Band
1986 Roberto Lugo Salsa Roberto Lugo
1987 In Tradition Salsa Louis “Perico” Oritz Salsa Orchestra
2001 Victory Calypso Sugar Aloes
2001 ’S Go Jazz John Farnsworth Sextet
2002 Blue Christmas and Peace Party Soca Super Blue
2003 It’s Prime Time Jazz Joe Farnsworth
2007 Live From Smoke: Monday Nights with John Farnsworth Jazz John Farnsworth Quintet

References

  1. 1 2 "John Farnsworth". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2009-12-17.

External links

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