Inspired by the filmmaking, musical and literary art of the early Depression era years, Adam O’Farrill put together a cohesive set of songs around that theme. For These Streets (Out Of Your Head Records) takes the artistic vibe from nearly a hundred years ago and shapes it into forward-looking jazz carried out by O’Farrill and other forward-looking jazz musicians.
A trumpet player and a life-long Brooklyn resident with a Cuban heritage, Adam O’Farrill found common cause with author Henry Miller and his Tropic of Cancer novel, which branched out into referencing the period works of composers Kurt Weill, Ravel, Stravinsky and Carlos Chavez.
It’s notable that the musical influences are of neoclassical persuasion, as O’Farrill put together a semi-orchestral octet to carry out his vision: a four-pierce horn section with himself, David Leon (alto saxophone & flute), Kevin Sun (tenor saxophone & clarinet) and Kalun Leung (trombone & euphonium). Joining them are figures on the vanguard for their instruments, guitarist Mary Halvorson and vibrist Patricia Brennan. The rhythm section comprises of Tyrone Allen II on double bass and Tomas Fujiwara on drums.
That’s a heck of a lot of talent at O’Farrill’s disposal but he knows just how to use it in presenting music that hearkens back while looking ahead.
Indeed, a song like “Speeding Blots of Ink” (video on top) brandishes some of the cinematic qualities you might hear in a film score of the time, especially the intro. “Ink” is through-composed but also allows for individual expression, like Halvorson’s typically nonconformist lead. O’Farrill’s knotted arrangement includes the various horns interacting contrapuntally with each other and — at times — with Brennan’s vibes. It’s on a scale approaching a jazz symphony.
The other advance single, “Nocturno, 1932” goes for a shaded tone, Allen’s bass sawing on the low end and Leon playing a flute more in the classical style. But as the song unfolds, so does more interesting horn arrangements, supported by Fujiwara’s finely attuned kit work. Allen’s flute serving the lead role remains the constant, however.
“Swimmers” is the kind of careful, polyphonic orchestration and arrangement that sets the wheat from the chaff among jazz bandleaders and composers. Constantly pushing forward and pushed along by Fujiwara’s driving pulse, the song brandishes notable individual performances (including O’Farrill himself) and multi-faceted group interplay.
The opening wind charts for “Migration” are nearly orchestral in scope, which all the finespun arranging that goes along with that. The path the sextet goes along leads to a pensive, well-crafted feature for Brennan.
O’Farrill interaction with Halvorson’s strummed backing is the focal point of “Streets,” and they seem to ‘get’ each other fully. “And So On” sports some elements of Andrew Hill’s composing style, with moments of tension, release and tranquility.
“Late June” rises and wanes like the tides, layers of instrumentation carefully added and taken away. Sun’s tenor sax gets the center stage this time and he opts for a soulful delivery. “Rose” flutters around between a few chords most of the way, making a gradual ascent in a non-linear way to the point of discharge and then out of nowhere, a surprising, hard rock coda.
Adam O’Farrill looked to the art visionaries of some ninety years ago in making a set of songs that’s visionary for today. For These Streets can now be acquired on Bandcamp.
*** Adam O’Farrill CD’s and vinyl on Amazon ***
- Soft Machine – ‘Thirteen’ (2026) - March 4, 2026
- Devin Gray – ‘Hz Of Gold‘ (2026) - March 2, 2026
- Triple Blind – ‘Cold Walk’ (2026) - February 27, 2026
