City Folk

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Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

City Folk, the sophomore album from James Farm—saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland—features 10 original tunes reflecting the members' many influences. "While their acoustic instrumentation, virtuosity, and improvisational brio scream jazz, their music displays influences from all over the map, including classical, rock, ambient, and electronica," says the Boston Globe. "The quartet grooves fiercely." The Financial Times describes City Folk as "ten beautifully crafted miniatures that rock with rhythm."

Description

“While their acoustic instrumentation, virtuosity, and improvisational brio scream jazz, their music displays influences from all over the map, including classical, rock, ambient, and electronica. James Farm has big ears. And the quartet grooves fiercely.” —Boston Globe

Nonesuch Records releases James Farm’s sophomore album, City Folk, on October 27, 2014. The album features a new collection of ten original tunes written by all four members of the collaborative band: saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland. Redman says, “The first record was more of a proposition, almost a question. ‘What is James Farm?’ The second record is, in a certain sense, a partial answer.” On City Folk, also self-produced, the group continues to use traditional acoustic jazz quartet instrumentation for its song-based approach to jazz and incorporates the members’ myriad influences.

“The music on City Folk is a window onto one part of our musical personalities and a step forward in terms of defining the sound of the band,” says Penman. “In general, we like to let the songs lead the way, and each of these tunes is like a mini world unto itself with its own ecosystem and hidden places to discover.” Redman explains the band’s commitment “not just to vehicles for improvisation but to songs that tell stories.” Parks notes, “By writing for this band, our individual writing styles begin to influence one another’s. A few songs by different composers have thematic things that tie them together almost accidentally.”

The quartet members have performed in this exact configuration since its debut at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2009. Before that, Redman, Harland, and Penman performed together as part of the SFJAZZ Collective, and pianist Aaron Parks used the James Farm rhythm section on his debut recording for Blue Note records, Invisible Cinema (2008).

James Farm released its self-titled debut album on Nonesuch to critical acclaim in 2011. “While some groups seem to star one particular player, James Farm has taken a collective approach that works wonderfully,” wrote the Huffington Post. “Each musician is both virtuoso and composer in his own right and they have subdued their own egos for the betterment of the musical message to great success.” The New York Times said the album was “a model of dazzling proficiency,” and NPR Music called it “taut and confident.” All About Jazz lauded the group as “an all-star quartet featuring four of the best players and improvisers in modern jazz. On top of their astonishing technique and raw style, there is a chemistry underlying it all that equals astonishing music.”

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by James Farm
Recorded by Andy Taub and Bryce Goggin
Recorded January 4–7, 2014, at Brooklyn Recording, Brooklyn, NY
Recording Assistants: Adam Tilzer and Don Piper
Additional Engineering for Keyboard Overdubs by Alon Tayar
Editing by Joshua Redman and Adam Tilzer
Mixed by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Studios, New York, NY
Mastered by Scott Hull at Masterdisk, New York, NY
Production Assistant: Courtney Hawkes

Art Direction: Jeri Heiden at Smog Design
Cover Photograph by Jerome Kessler
Band Photographs by James Farm

Joshua Redman uses Alexander Reeds
Eric Harland uses Sakae drums, VicFirth sticks, Remo drum heads, and Zildjian cymbals

Nonesuch Selection Number

545186

ns_album_releasedate
Album Status
Artist Name
James Farm
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Joshua Redman, soprano saxophone
Aaron Parks, piano
Matt Penman, bass
Eric Harland, drums

Joshua Redman plays soprano saxophone on tracks 2, 10 and tenor saxophone on all other tracks. Aaron Parks plays Yamaha DX-7 on track 1, 8; OP-1 on 2, 7; Juno 106 on 2, 4, 9, 10; Wurlitzer on 2; vocals on 2; Rhodes on 3, 8; Oberheim Matrix 1000 on 4; Mellotron on 6; and Casiotone 202 on 9. Eric Harland plays dulcimer on 3, additional marching bass drum and snares on 6 and shakers on 9.

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
UPC
075597953503
Label
FLAC
Price
11.00
UPC
075597953497
Label
MP3
Price
10.00
UPC
075597953541
Label
96/24 HD FLAC
Price
15.00
UPC
075597953534
  • 545186

News & Reviews

  • Happy International Jazz Day! Looking for a soundtrack to celebrate? Check out the Nonesuch: Jazz playlist on Spotify and Apple Music here, featuring new and classic songs from Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Tigran Hamasyan, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Allen Toussaint, James Farm, Rokia Traoré, Joni Mitchell, and others. And to hear new tracks as they’re added with music from new and upcoming releases, subscribe to the playlist today.

  • Congratulations to Brad Mehldau, James Farm, and Tigran Hamasyan, who are all winners of ECHO Jazz 2016 Awards. James Farm was named International Ensemble of the Year for City Folk; Tigran Hamasyan was named International Instrumentalist of the Year, Piano, for Mockroot; and Brad Mehldau will be given a Sonderpreis ("special prize") for his box set 10 Years Solo Live. The ECHO Jazz 2016 Awards ceremony will take place in Hamburg on May 26 and will be televised by NDR.

  • About This Album

    “While their acoustic instrumentation, virtuosity, and improvisational brio scream jazz, their music displays influences from all over the map, including classical, rock, ambient, and electronica. James Farm has big ears. And the quartet grooves fiercely.” —Boston Globe

    Nonesuch Records releases James Farm’s sophomore album, City Folk, on October 27, 2014. The album features a new collection of ten original tunes written by all four members of the collaborative band: saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland. Redman says, “The first record was more of a proposition, almost a question. ‘What is James Farm?’ The second record is, in a certain sense, a partial answer.” On City Folk, also self-produced, the group continues to use traditional acoustic jazz quartet instrumentation for its song-based approach to jazz and incorporates the members’ myriad influences.

    “The music on City Folk is a window onto one part of our musical personalities and a step forward in terms of defining the sound of the band,” says Penman. “In general, we like to let the songs lead the way, and each of these tunes is like a mini world unto itself with its own ecosystem and hidden places to discover.” Redman explains the band’s commitment “not just to vehicles for improvisation but to songs that tell stories.” Parks notes, “By writing for this band, our individual writing styles begin to influence one another’s. A few songs by different composers have thematic things that tie them together almost accidentally.”

    The quartet members have performed in this exact configuration since its debut at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2009. Before that, Redman, Harland, and Penman performed together as part of the SFJAZZ Collective, and pianist Aaron Parks used the James Farm rhythm section on his debut recording for Blue Note records, Invisible Cinema (2008).

    James Farm released its self-titled debut album on Nonesuch to critical acclaim in 2011. “While some groups seem to star one particular player, James Farm has taken a collective approach that works wonderfully,” wrote the Huffington Post. “Each musician is both virtuoso and composer in his own right and they have subdued their own egos for the betterment of the musical message to great success.” The New York Times said the album was “a model of dazzling proficiency,” and NPR Music called it “taut and confident.” All About Jazz lauded the group as “an all-star quartet featuring four of the best players and improvisers in modern jazz. On top of their astonishing technique and raw style, there is a chemistry underlying it all that equals astonishing music.”

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Joshua Redman, soprano saxophone
    Aaron Parks, piano
    Matt Penman, bass
    Eric Harland, drums

    Joshua Redman plays soprano saxophone on tracks 2, 10 and tenor saxophone on all other tracks. Aaron Parks plays Yamaha DX-7 on track 1, 8; OP-1 on 2, 7; Juno 106 on 2, 4, 9, 10; Wurlitzer on 2; vocals on 2; Rhodes on 3, 8; Oberheim Matrix 1000 on 4; Mellotron on 6; and Casiotone 202 on 9. Eric Harland plays dulcimer on 3, additional marching bass drum and snares on 6 and shakers on 9.

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by James Farm
    Recorded by Andy Taub and Bryce Goggin
    Recorded January 4–7, 2014, at Brooklyn Recording, Brooklyn, NY
    Recording Assistants: Adam Tilzer and Don Piper
    Additional Engineering for Keyboard Overdubs by Alon Tayar
    Editing by Joshua Redman and Adam Tilzer
    Mixed by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Studios, New York, NY
    Mastered by Scott Hull at Masterdisk, New York, NY
    Production Assistant: Courtney Hawkes

    Art Direction: Jeri Heiden at Smog Design
    Cover Photograph by Jerome Kessler
    Band Photographs by James Farm

    Joshua Redman uses Alexander Reeds
    Eric Harland uses Sakae drums, VicFirth sticks, Remo drum heads, and Zildjian cymbals

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