KATHY FARMER
PIANIST, ORGANIST, VOCALIST
Kathy was born in New York City then raised in Westchester County NY during the 60's & 70's by entrepreneurial parents whom owned a small neighborhood soul food bar & grill in White Plains NY called Farmer's Midway Restaurant. Her dad featured live jazz every weekend, so Kathy was a "bar baby" so to speak. She didn't have to "find jazz" it was in front of her at an early age to fully absorb. Her Dad's best friend was the great blues recording artist LAVERNE BAKER, Laverne always made sure they had backstage passes during her shows at the famed Apollo Theater.
Kathy attended & graduated from The New England Conservatory
earning a BA of music alongside classmates, MIKE LEDONNE, SANTI DEBRIANO, RICKY FORD, LEON MALESON, ED SCHULLER & MARTY ERLICH to name a few. GUNTHER SCHULLER was President at the time. She studied the Lydian Chromatic Concept with GEORGE RUSSELL and Piano & big band arranging with JACKI BYARD who became her mentor. His teaching & inspiration was immensely valuable to her. Jacki then organized lessons for Kathy with MARY LOU WILLIAMS in NYC. This impacted her as Mary Lou was one of the most important female Jazz pianists of the last century. She immediately took Kathy under her wings to train her. Kathy & HILTON RUIZ would stay for hours with Mary Lou in her Convent Avenue apartment taking in formal lessons. She taught them both to play stride piano.
During college she played piano with & wrote big band arrangements for Jaki Byard's Apollo Stornpers. She also debuted her budding vocal artistry under Phil Wilson's big band with "Over The Rainbow", Phil Wilson charted this specifically just for Kathy. She honed her organ skills working weekly at Wally's on the Hammond B3 with saxophonist Ricky Ford. This was the beginning of her triple talent development.
After college she joined & was embraced by the NYC jazz community in the early 8O's. She first started touring the states mainly on Hammond B3 organ w MELVIN SPARKS, IRENE REID & ARTHUR PRYSOCK. The Hammond was a familiar sound she heard from her dad 's soul orientated Jazz collection. She was embraced by Organist JIMMY SMITH, JACK MCDUFF, JIMMY MCGRIFF & DR. LONNIE SMITH. She studied informally with Dr. Lonnie Smith & Jack McDuff. They were instrumental in developing her Hammond sound.
Several years Later she became a featured vocalist with WALTER BISHOP JR. BILL HARDMAN, JUNIOR COOK, DAVID FATHEAD NEWMAN, & CHARLES DAVIS. Walter had heard Kathy sing at BARRY HARRIS's jazz Cultural Theater then asked Kathy to join his group. She toured w Walter from the mid 80's to the early 90's from Europe to Japan. Walter organized a special event where she sang for the Baroness Pannonica. During this period when not on the road, she sang nightly at Chelsea place. DAKOTA STATON became her mentor helping to shape her vocal style. Dakota would frequent her gigs & encourage her growing artistry.
She played piano w CLARK TERRY at the Village Vanguard & organ w LOU DONALDSON at Sweet Basils & Defemios. She toured to sold out audiences w BROOK BENTON as the "new" Dinah Washington recreating Brooks hits with Dinah like "Baby You've Got What It takes". Pianist KIRK LIGHTSEY was the accompanist. During this time she opened up as featured vocalist for such stellar artist as EITA JAMES & BOBBY BLUE BLAND. From the mid - late 90's she toured US & Europe w LESTER BOWIES NY Organ Ensemble playing major festival including San Sabastian in Spain, Trombonist FRANK LACY & JAMES CARTER were in the group at the time, She appeared with pianist DANNY MIXON & pianist DAVID HAZELTINE. During the Mid 90's she toured Eastern Europe w pianist MIKAN ZLATKOVICH & was a guest at the Blue Note with JACKIE MCLEAN premiering lyrics she wrote to his music. She was also an invited guest at one of the last concerts of TITO PUENTE at S.O.B'S
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVALS AND CONCERTS
Montreux- Switzerland,
Montreux-Detroit,
The North Sea,
San Sabastian-Spain,
Lincoln Center (Alice Tully Hall)- tribute to Charlie Parker,
Costa Mesa Jazz Fest,
Cape May Jazz fest - guest vocalist with Joe Chambers & The New School Big Band w guest Mulgrew Miller, Buster Williams & Wallace Rooney.
MAJOR CLUBS
Sweet Rhythm, Village Vanguard, Birdland, The Knitting Factory, The Blue Note (NYC). Cecils jazz Bar - W. Orange/NJ , Yoshis – Oakland, The Dakota Bar & Grill - St. Paul MN. Harry's NY Bar- Geneva, le Petit Opportune - Paris , The A Train - Berlin, Sava Center- Belgrade/Yugoslavia. Ocean Jazz - Budva & Herzignovi/Montenegro, The Q Jazz Bar - Istanbul/Turkey, The Blue Note Cafe – Beirut/Lebanon, Body & Soul – Tokyo/Japan
CRUISE LINES
Kathy has appeared on many various cruise lines like Carnival, Norwegian. Holland America, and Princess in the Bayou Jazz Room. She's done the Panama Canal many times, Bermuda, Alaska & the famed Norwegian Jazz Cruise put on by Joe Seigal of Chicago's jazz showcase.
'"RECENTLY''' 2000's
Featured with JAMES CARTER'S ORGAN GROUP throughout Europe, Recorded a gospel project in 2005 with the KLEZMATICS live in Berlin-Germany at the World Music Festival called "BROTHER MOSES". Recorded on Hammond B3 & Vocals. In 2006 she appeared again with the Klezmatics at Hungary's SZIGET World music Festival in Budapest. On the CD "Brother Moses" she recorded "Go Down Moses" which received world wide acclaim. Also 2006 Kathy was the featured vocalist at Villa La Pretra in Florence-Italy "Gershwin & More" concert with pianist Isaac Ben Ayala. In NYC she appeared at the famed new Dizzy's Coca Cola w Tex Allen & Joe Ford, also in the Allen Room w the Duke Ellington Orchestra under the direction of Jack Jeffers, both in the new LINCOLN CENTER Jazz Complex.
When Kathy isn't traveling the world, she gigs local NYC venues like the Historic Mintons Playhouse, St. Nick s Pub, Copelands, Londels. The Lennox Lounge, The West End Cafe & Bill's Place (Owner Bill Saxton - N.E.C. Alumni) She's also works concerts with The Spirit Of Life Ensemble. When in town during the summer she's always a feature at DR. BiLLY TAYLOR'S Jazz Mobile Concerts.
Kathy is listed in the jazz encyclopedia "Madam Jazz" by Leslie Course reviewing female Jazz artist. "Labeled one of the great pianist, vocalist & organist on the NYC Jazz scene today"
Check out the itinerary for upcoming tours and dates.
