Art Farmer discusses songwriting.

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Art Farmer discusses musicality and song quality.

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Art Farmer discusses growing up during the transition from swing to bop.

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Q: “What do you look for in a tune? Is it the harmony, is it the chords, is it the melody?”

A: “Well it’s a mixture of everything. Basically, I would say that I would look for a tune that I can put myself in. You know, some tunes can be good songs, but I can't hear myself in them and so I don't fool with it. I've tried it and if it doesn't work well, then I find something else to do. It's hard to explain, but you get a certain feeling from the song when you play the melody. If you can play the melody decently and make it live, well then that's the song that you should be playing. Otherwise, there is no sense to bother with it.”