Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Addison Gerald Farmer was born on August 21, 1928 in Council Bluffs, Iowa and was born an hour after his twin brother Art, reportedly at 2201 Fourth Avenue. Their parents divorced when the boys were four, and their steelworker father was killed in a work accident not long afterward. He moved with his grandfather, grandmother, mother, brother and sister to Phoenix, Arizona when he was still four.

Addison and his brother moved to Los Angeles, California in 1945 and attended the music-oriented Jefferson High School. There they gained music instruction and met other developing musicians such as Sonny Criss, Ernie Andrews, Big Jay McNeely and Ed Thigpen. The brothers earned money by working in a cold-storage warehouse and by playing professionally.

Taking bass lessons from Frederick Zimmermann, he went on to study at Juilliard and the Manhattan School of Music. By late 1945, Farmer was with Johnny Alston and His Orchestra recording for the Bihari Brothers’ Modern Music label, and shortly after on the Blue Moon label. He later recorded with Teddy Edwards’s band. Farmer played in several groups with his brother, including in ensembles led by Benny Golson, Gigi Gryce, Mose Allison, Jay McShann, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis.

Bassist Addison Farmer, who recorded extensively for Prestige Records, transitioned from sudden unexpected death syndrome on February 20, 1963, in New York City at the age of 34.

More Posts: bass,history,instrumental,jazz,music