BSH interviews Mike Farmer (part six)

BSH: All over the country, London, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle amazing young musicians are emerging and incorporating traditional modern jazz values into their own contemporary visions. Are there any young players in your patch that we should look out for?

Mike: There are plenty of young players that I’ve come across that have impressed me. Aaron Wood is a trumpeter that I first heard in Mike Hall’s Octet and sounds to me like he has listened to the top brass players like Miles Davis, Clifford Brown and Kenny Dorham and he puts his own stamp on these legends. A sax player who looks young but plays frequently at the Railway is Liam Byrne and plays in a similar style to Harry Allen. James Adolpho is one of the younger guys I like and he has worked with many bands but he has that certain something that I go for in a bass player. Bim Williams is a guy to look out for. This guitar player I’ve only heard of recently but he has played the Railway a couple of times and if I played guitar I would like to emulate his sound and approach.

Johnny Hunter is a drummer that plays all over the UK and pops up in many groups and can play in any style . He is a regular performer at the Creative Space and he certainly incorporates contemporary values into his work. Three more young players that merit a mention are Jim Collins who plays in Freddie Garner’s quartet, Kyran Matthews and Jeff Gundren who are all amazing saxophonists. Check them out!

BSH: Thanks Mike we will.

Part one. Part two. Part three. Part four. Part five.