Mau Mau vinyl

When Art Farmer and his sextet recorded "Mau Mau" and "Tijuana" in 1953 and 54, it was in cahoots with co-writer and arranger Quincy Jones, then in the early years of his career. Both tracks remain amongst Farmer's most potent tracks, showcasing a style of Latin-influenced trumpet playing that would later be popularized by Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass albums. "Mau Mau" is particularly potent, with Farmer's distinctive trumpet solos rising insatiably above a killer dancefloor groove. "Tiajuana" is a little less revelatory but no less essential, featuring as it does brighter trumpet motifs and jaunty piano lines over a dance-band jazz rhythm. This is the first time either track has been released on a 7" single, making this an essential purchase for jazz aficionados.