Joe Farrell
b. Joseph Carl Firrantello, 16 December 1937, Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA, d. 10 January 1986, Los Angeles, California, USA. After studying several reed instruments, Farrell concentrated on tenor saxophone from the mid-50s. At the end of the decade he joined Maynard Ferguson in New York, also playing and recording with Slide Hampton, George Russell, Charles Mingus and Jaki Byard. In the mid-60s he became a long-serving member of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and also worked with Elvin Jones. Having been likened to major and various tenor stylists, such as Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, it is not surprising that Farrell's musical tastes drew him into many varied byways of jazz. He played on the Band's 1972 live set Rock Of Ages, was a member of Chick Corea's Return To Forever (Corea also played on several of Farrell's own albums). Later he was associated with Woody Shaw, Paul Horn, George Benson, Airto Moreira, Louis Hayes, and JoAnne Brackeen. While still concentrating on his main instrument, Farrell also played effectively on soprano saxophone and flute. He died of bone cancer in January 1986.
Listen to Joe Farrell
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Albums
- (1973) Moon Germs
Top Tracks
- Follow Your Heart
- Moon Germs
- Bass Folk Song
- Great Gorge
- Time's Lie
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