John (Moz) Farnsworth
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| John Farnsworth | |
|---|---|
| Origin |  South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA |
| Genre(s) | Jazz, Straight Ahead |
| Occupation(s) | Musician Bandleader Composer Arranger Educator |
| Instrument(s) | Saxophone, Trombone |
| Website | www.myspace.com/johnfarnsworth |
John Farnsworth was raised in a large musical family in western Massachusetts. After completing his formal education at Rutgers University, he moved to New York City and immediately immersed himself in the jazz and Latin scenes of the time. Amidst collaborations with such artists as Slide Hampton’s World of Trombones, Archie Shepp’s Attica Blues Band, Frank Foster’s Loud Minority, and The Louis “Perico” Ortiz Salsa Orchestra, John’s touring career took to life. He toured with the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra and returned to New York to play with artists including Junior Cook, Cecil Payne, and Dr. Eddie Henderson.
Jazz insiders say that Farnsworth combines the clean tone of Stan Getz, the lyrical imagination of Junior Cook, and the swinging straight-ahead lines of Hank Mobley and Dexter Gordon to present his authentic sound. John has recently finished his second album entitled Live From Smoke: Monday Nights With John Farnsworth. This compilation of three live shows features some of New York’s top players. The album showcases the intense musical relationship between John and his brother Joe Farnsworth as well as many other heavy hitters, including Dr. Eddie Henderson, Frank Lacy, Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, Mike LeDonne, Dwayne Burno, Carlton Holmes and John Webber. Farnsworth has been hosting Monday night jam sessions at club SMOKE for the past eight years. Other notable players that he has played with include George Coleman, Junior Cook, Gerald Cannon, Duane Eubanks, Charles "Majid" Greenlee, and Curtis Fuller.
In other recent efforts, John plays trombone for Aretha Franklin several dates a year. His notoriety landed him a spot in the 2005 VH1: Save The Music concert, where he backed Alicia Keys, John Legend, and Rob Thomas.
Beyond his extensive performance resume, John is also a gifted educator. In past years, he was an instructor for the "Jazz in July" program at the University of Massachusetts, where he attained his Masters degree and was a teaching assistant. He has also spoken in multiple seminars at the Hartt School of Music, and has performed and taught at Duke University and Millersville University in Pennsylvania.
[edit] Selective discography
| Year | Title | Genre | Band | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Live From Smoke: Monday Nights With John Farnsworth | Jazz | John Farnsworth Quintet | |
| 2003 | It’s Prime Time | Jazz | Joe Farnsworth | |
| 2002 | Blue Christmas and Peace Party | Soca | Super Blue | |
| 2001 | ’S Go | Jazz | John Farnsworth Sextet | |
| 2001 | Victory | Calypso | Sugar Aloes | |
| 1987 | In Tradition | Salsa | Louis “Perico” Oritz Salsa Orchestra | |
| 1986 | Roberto Lugo | Salsa | Roberto Lugo |
