Gary McFarland
Encyclopedia
Gary McFarland was an influential composer, arranger, vibraphonist and vocalist, prominent on Verve
and Impulse! Records
during the 1960s, when he made "one of the more significant contributors to orchestral jazz". He attained a small following after working with Bill Evans
, Gerry Mulligan
, Johnny Hodges
, John Lewis
, Stan Getz
, Bob Brookmeyer
, and Anita O'Day
.
As well as his own albums and arrangements for other musicians he composed the soundtrack to the film "13" (also known as "Eye Of The Devil"). By the end of the 1960s he was moving away from jazz towards an often wistful or melancholy style of instrumental pop, as well as producing the recordings of other artists on his Skye Records label (run in partnership with Gábor Szabó
and Cal Tjader
until its bankruptcy in 1970).
McFarland was considering a move into writing and arranging for film and stage when, on November 3, 1971, he was poisoned by a drink spiked with methadone
in at what is currently known as the 55 Bar
.
Impulse! Records
Verve Records
Other labels
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
and Impulse! Records
Impulse! Records
Impulse! Records was an American jazz record label, originally established in 1960 by producer Creed Taylor as a subsidiary of ABC-Paramount Records, based in New York City...
during the 1960s, when he made "one of the more significant contributors to orchestral jazz". He attained a small following after working with Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
, Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan
Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophonists in jazz history – playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz – he was also...
, Johnny Hodges
Johnny Hodges
John Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges was an American alto saxophonist, best known for his solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years, except the period between 1932–1946 when Otto Hardwick generally played first chair...
, John Lewis
John Lewis (pianist)
John Aaron Lewis was an American jazz pianist and composer best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet.- Early life:...
, Stan Getz
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
, Bob Brookmeyer
Bob Brookmeyer
Robert Brookmeyer is an American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer.-Biography:Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public attention as a member of Gerry Mulligan's quartet from 1954 to 1957. He later worked with Jimmy Giuffre...
, and Anita O'Day
Anita O'Day
Anita O'Day was an American jazz singer.Born Anita Belle Colton, O'Day was admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer"...
.
As well as his own albums and arrangements for other musicians he composed the soundtrack to the film "13" (also known as "Eye Of The Devil"). By the end of the 1960s he was moving away from jazz towards an often wistful or melancholy style of instrumental pop, as well as producing the recordings of other artists on his Skye Records label (run in partnership with Gábor Szabó
Gábor Szabó
Gábor Szabó was a Hungarian jazz guitarist, famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music.-Biography:...
and Cal Tjader
Cal Tjader
Callen Radcliffe Tjader, Jr. a.k.a. Cal Tjader was a Latin jazz musician, though he also explored various other jazz idioms. Unlike other American jazz musicians who experimented with the music from Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America, he never abandoned it, performing it until his...
until its bankruptcy in 1970).
McFarland was considering a move into writing and arranging for film and stage when, on November 3, 1971, he was poisoned by a drink spiked with methadone
Methadone
Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and a maintenance anti-addictive for use in patients with opioid dependency. It was developed in Germany in 1937...
in at what is currently known as the 55 Bar
55 Bar
55 Bar is a jazz club in New York City located at 55 Christopher Street.-History:The 55 Bar has been around since 1919. It was originally a speakeasy during Prohibition....
.
As leader
Skye RecordsSkye Records
Skye Records was a music label formed in early 1968 by vibist Cal Tjader, guitarist Gábor Szabó, composer/musician Gary McFarland, and music executive Norman Schwartz....
- 1968: Does The Sun Really Shine On The Moon?
- 1968: America The Beautiful: An Account Of Its Disappearance
- 1969: Slaves - with Grady TateGrady TateGrady Tate, , is a hard bop and soul-jazz drummer and singer.He has played with Lional Hampton, Jimmy Smith, Grant Green, Lena Horne, Astrud Gilberto, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Blossom Dearie, Chris Connor, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Cal Tjader, Peggy Lee, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Count...
- 1969: Today
Impulse! Records
Impulse! Records
Impulse! Records was an American jazz record label, originally established in 1960 by producer Creed Taylor as a subsidiary of ABC-Paramount Records, based in New York City...
- 1963: Point of DeparturePoint of Departure (Gary McFarland album)Point of Departure is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Gary McFarland featuring performances recorded in 1963 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
- 1965: Tijuana JazzTijuana JazzTijuana Jazz is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Gary McFarland and trumpeter Clark Terry featuring performances recorded in 1965 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
- with Clark TerryClark TerryClark Terry is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, NEA Jazz Masters inductee, and recipient of the 2010 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award... - 1966: ProfilesProfiles (album)Profiles is a live album by American jazz vibraphonist Gary McFarland featuring performances recorded at the Lincoln Centre Philharmonic Hall in 1966 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
Recorded Live A-9112 - 1966: SimpáticoSimpático (Gábor Szabó album)Simpático is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Gary McFarland and Hungarian guitarist Gábor Szabó featuring performances recorded in 1966 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
- with Gábor SzabóGábor SzabóGábor Szabó was a Hungarian jazz guitarist, famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music.-Biography:... - 1967: The October SuiteThe October SuiteThe October Suite is an album by American jazz pianist Steve Kuhn and composer/arranger/conductor Gary McFarland featuring performances recorded in 1966 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
- with Steve KuhnSteve KuhnSteve Kuhn is an American jazz pianist, composer and trio leader.-Biography:He began studying piano at the age of five and studied under Boston piano teacher Margaret Chaloff, mother of jazz baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff, who taught him the "Russian style" of piano playing. At an early age he...
Verve Records
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
- 1961: The Jazz Version of "How to Succeed in Business without Really TryingHow to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book of the same name....
" - 1963: The Gary McFarland Orchestra: Special Guest Soloist: Bill EvansThe Gary McFarland Orchestra-Track listing:# "A Moment Alone" - 6:10 # "Reflections in the Park" - 3:44 # "Peach Tree" - 5:05 # "Night Images" - 5:54 # "Misplaced Cowpoke" - 10:15 # "Tree Patterns" - 4:58*Recorded at Webster Hall in New York City on January 24, 1963-Personnel:...
- 1964: Soft Samba
- 1965: The In Sound
- 1966: Soft Samba Strings
- 1968: Scorpio And Other Signs
Other labels
- 1966: Eye of the Devil (soundtrack)Eye of the DevilEye of the Devil is a 1966 British film with occult and supernatural themes directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Deborah Kerr and David Niven. The film was set in rural France and filmed in England.-Plot:...
- 1971: Butterscotch Rum - with Peter Smith (Buddah RecordsBuddah RecordsBuddah Records was founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's founding...
) - 1972: Requiem for Gary McFarland (Cobblestone RecordsCobblestone RecordsCobblestone Records was an American jazz record label.Cobblestone had two successive incarnations. The early one was in 1968-69 as a singles label, subsidiary of Buddah Records...
)
As producer
- 1961: All the Sad Young Men - Anita O'DayAnita O'DayAnita O'Day was an American jazz singer.Born Anita Belle Colton, O'Day was admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer"...
- 1969: Genesis - Wendy and BonnieWendy and BonnieWendy and Bonnie Flower were an American singing sister duo, who recorded the album, Genesis, in 1969 for Skye Records.The album was produced by Gary McFarland...
As arranger
- 1963: The Groovy Sound of MusicThe Groovy Sound of MusicThe Groovy Sound of Music is an album by vibraphonist Gary Burton recorded in 1964 and released on the RCA label which features jazz interpretations of tunes from the Broadway musical The Sound of Music written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Ken Dryden...
- Gary BurtonGary BurtonGary Burton is an American jazz vibraphonist.A true original on the vibraphone, Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the usual two-mallets. This approach caused Burton to be heralded as an innovator and his sound and technique are widely imitated...
(RCA) - 1966: Waiting GameWaiting Game (album)Waiting Game is an album by American jazz saxophonist Zoot Sims and Orchestra arranged by Garry McFarland featuring performances recorded in England in 1966 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 3 stars....
- Zoot SimsZoot SimsJohn Haley "Zoot" Sims was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor and soprano.-Biography:He was born in Inglewood, California, the son of vaudeville performers Kate Haley and John Sims. Growing up in a performing family, Sims learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age...
(Impulse!)
External links
- "This is Gary McFarland!" Documentary
- Gary McFarland — bibliography, discography and reviews spanning McFarland's career
- "Twelve Essential Gary McFarland Performance" by Bill Kichner (Jazz.com)