Biography
Andy Farber
New York-based saxophonist, arranger, composer, and musical director whose work spans jazz, Broadway, and the concert stage.
Andy Farber grew up on Long Island, New York, where he began his musical journey studying with jazz legends Budd Johnson and Chris Woods. He went on to earn his degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where he was awarded the prestigious Manny Albam Prize for Jazz Composition.
His early career brought him into the orbit of bebop vocal legend Jon Hendricks, with whom he collaborated on the celebrated recording Boppin' at the Blue Note (1993). This association established Farber as a distinctive voice in the tradition of the great jazz arrangers.
Andy has maintained a long association with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, touring and recording as both saxophonist and arranger. His arranging credits span some of the most celebrated names in American music, including Shirley Horn, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, and Ray Charles.
Andy Farber & His Orchestra has performed at New York's premier jazz venues, including Birdland, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, and NJPAC, where the ensemble has held celebrated residencies.
Andy is a dedicated educator, serving on the faculty of The Juilliard School in the Jazz Studies department and as Director of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop. He also teaches at Purchase College, SUNY, where he mentors the next generation of jazz composers and arrangers.
Highlights
- Manny Albam Prize for Jazz Composition — Manhattan School of Music
- Touring saxophonist & arranger, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
- Faculty, The Juilliard School — Jazz Studies
- Director, BMI Jazz Composers Workshop
- Residencies at Birdland, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, NJPAC
"A sophisticated arranger, composer, and sax player with a firm grasp of jazz and blues who swings elegantly."
— Wynton Marsalis