Andy Farber

Andy Farber is an award winning jazz composer, arranger and saxophonist. After years of performing with the likes of Jon Hendricks and Wynton Marsalis, Andy is now making a name for himself composing for television and film.Born in Huntington, Long Island, Andy Farber started playing clarinet at the age of 8, but by age 9 had settled on the saxophone. Influenced by his father's professional drumming and a great music collection, Mr. Farber grew up listening to Art Blakey, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. At 10, he attended jazz workshops studying with Budd Johnson, Chris Woods, and Dave Burns. At 13 he studied classical oboe and jazz saxophone at the Usdan Center for the Arts on Long Island.When he was 17 years old, Farber auditioned for Branford Marsalis and was accepted into The Tri-state McDonalds' Jazz Ensemble. Joining the ensemble he went on to perform with Mr. Marsalis, Randy Brecker, and Steve Turre, to name a few. Mr. Farber continued his education at The Manhattan School of Music in NYC where he studied jazz composition with David Berger and Mike Abene. During this time, he played in David Berger's Big Band and simultaneously formed and led his own quintet called The Hard Bop Repertory Company. He grew this into a 15-piece ensemble, Andy Farber & his Orchestra, which performed original compositions regularly at the West End Gate in NYC for the next year and a half.In late 1993 Andy met jazz vocalese artist Jon Hendricks. Collaborating on Jon's CD "Boppin' at the Blue Note," Mr. Farber wrote arrangements which featured Jon and guests Al Grey, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson, Red Holloway, and Clark Terry. For the next three years Andy was part of The Jon Hendricks Explosion, acting as Musical Director, saxophonist, and arranger. In addition to gigs too numerous to name, The Explosion performed several weeks at The Blue Note in NYC, and toured Europe and the US playing jazz festivals & nightclubs.Following Mr. Farber's tenure with Jon. Hendricks, he joined Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra on tenor saxophone. Since 1997, he has been freelancing as a saxophonist, arranger, and conductor for people like Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn, Bobby Short, Ann Hampton Calloway, Frankie Laine, Alan Harris, Cynthia Scott, Billy Stritch, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Joe Lovano, Joe Piscopo, Joe Cocker, Robert Downey Jr., Derek Trucks, Kevin Spacey, Wynona Judd, Fantasia, Ernestine Anderson, Vanessa Williams, and Roseanna Vitro. Farber's arrangements have been performed by The Boston Pops Orchestra, the Philly Pops Orchestra, the Boca Pops Orchestra and several symphony orchestras throughout Europe. Farber has been a guest conductor of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, and in 2004 made his symphonic conducting debut with the Bronx Arts Ensemble. His work as an arranger, conductor and instrumentalist can be heard on numerous recordings. In 1998, Mr. Farber released his debut CD entitled "Double A" with partner Andrew Williams, on After 9 Records.Mr. Farber is in constant demand as a multi-facetted reedman and a sampling of the groups or artists he has performed with are: The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Count Basie Orchestra, The Artie Shaw Band, The Harry James Band, Illinois Jacquet Big Band, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, Bob Dorough, Banu Gibson, Andy Stein's Blue Four, Marcus Roberts, Bobby Short, The Onyx Club Sextet, etc.Mr. Farber leads his own band, Andy Farber & his Swing Mavens, a 9-piece ensemble that performs Mr. Farber's arrangements and original compositions. The band can be heard on Farber's latest release, "Bluesectomy" (NJR Records) and at jazz clubs and performing arts centers in and around the New York and the East Coast. Farber also leads a full 17-piece big band.When not playing jazz, Mr. Farber composes and produces music for television and film at Duotone Audio Group in NYC. http://www.duotoneaudio.com/