Important note: For weddings - I do receptions but not ceremonies, due to various uncertainties of prep time and setup/sound check time.
I will set the absolutely perfect "tone" for your special event through careful tune selection, thorough preparation, and heart-to-heart delivery.
For background jazz music, I mix standards, fusion, smooth jazz, and pop as needed to attain the mood without sacrificing recognizability.
I seek to deliver luxurious tone and contours that will extend from my heart to yours. That makes it all a joy for me, and I think it will do so for you!
Sincerely,
Jon
Jon Farmer was amazing at my wife's promotion celebration. He played a variety of melodies during dinner. Outstanding Job!!!!
Jon Farmer was absolutely amazing. He played a variety of music which put the icing on cake type of speech.
Photos from this event
Jon was amazing. So glad I found him. Very professional. Got to the venue early to set up. His repertory was perfect for the occasion and my guests really enjoyed it. We will continue to hire Jon for future events. Highly recommended!
Jon was the perfect addition to our wedding cocktail hour! Everyone has told us that he was fantastic during the cocktail hour, and the perfect touch! We received so many compliments on the reception, including his music and stylistic touch to his playing. His sound is so classy and fun, it was exactly what we were hoping for and even got people out dancing during the cocktail hour! :)
I thoroughly enjoyed working with Jon to plan out the playlist, and was glad I got to hear a bit during the reception! He was so responsive, professional, excited, and full of wonderful, fun ideas, I really appreciated it and I think it made our wedding even more special. Thank you so much to Jon for being a classy, fun, and unique addition to our wedding day and making sure he was fully aware of everything needed ahead of time so that the day-of was easy and stress free!
Jon arrived early, and was very professional and gracious to everyone. His sound filled our space and make the event a hit with all our guests.
Heard Jon Farmer at a facility in Raleigh, NC and thought he might be perfect for the wedding of my daughter! I enjoyed listening to him perform at that venue and really wanted the wedding guest to enjoy his performance during my daughter's wedding. He was superb and we received a lot of positive comments about the smooth jazz and other jazz selections he played during the wedding as guest arrived and during the cocktail hour!! Jon was easy to contact and so reasonable in price for his gig! I would recommend him again and again! He was so very talented and a remarkable performer! Our guest really enjoyed his jazz performance. I will surely hire Jon for more gigs again and again!!!!
I first heard Jon at a nursing facility while visiting with a resident who was dining. When I heard the smooth notes floating from the saxophone, I jumped up and rushed down the hall to find the source of this calming upbeat music. My girlfriend whom I had accompanied on this visit loved Jon's music so much that she hired him for her daughter's wedding a few weeks later. Needless to say, just like me, everyone truly enjoyed the Jon Experience!
Jon has played on our restaurant patio several times and always receives excellent reviews and compliments from our guests. He works to customize the set song list to the type of event or crowd. He is a crowd-pleaser for sure and true professional!
Jon, was amazing! He was very professional and provided top notch service!
Jon Farmer played at the beginning of my wedding ceremony. I couldn't have asked for anything more perfect or beautiful. It was as if love was in every note he played rather than some musicians who are just reciting notes from a piece of paper. I had several people come to me at the reception commenting on how beautiful the music was and asking me who the saxophonist was.
On top of being truly gifted, he is a pleasure to be around.
I highly recommend him to everyone!
Response from Jon Farmer Solo Jazz Saxophone:
Thank you Laura - I'm so glad you are so pleased!!
For those of you that don't know Phil Woods, he's not only the guy that played sax on Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are". However, he is one of the greatest sax players of the last 30-40 yrs.
I played with Jon Farmer for a few years, as well as hearing him with other musicians. His tone is quite smooth, and subtle, and he sounds like he actually sleeps with his horn as though it's that much of an intimate extension of himself.
Go listen to him at least once. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Response from Jon Farmer Solo Jazz Saxophone:
Thanks so much for the kind words George! I can assure you I am under strict orders to keep the horns in the music room!
I recently heard Jon Farmer at the Speak Easy in Downtown Raleigh on New Year's Eve, and I had a wonderful experience. Jon covered an assortment of songs, one of them being "The Pink Panther." I enjoyed hearing this played because it fit the atmosphere and feel of the restaurant, and he played it with flare and precision.
I have heard many solo saxophone players, and I think Jon is one of the best in Raleigh.
Price Range: Contact for rates
Gig Length: 60 - 300 minutes
Languages: English
For restaurnat, club, and party venues, Jon;s repertoire includes tunes from Grover Washington, Jr., Boney James, Dave Koz, Richard Elliot, John Klemmer, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Miles Davis, and also adds many Grammy-Award-Winning tunes from the 70's to present. Jon will always optimize the mix for your specific venue.
For wedding ceremonies Jon takes a unique approach. Rather than simply offer the most-requested tunes (producing more gigs in the short-term), Jon brings a very select set of joyous tunes that the guests and the couple will never forget - and performs them with soaring magnificence. Everybody wins as Jon gets a steady stream of glowing references.
Jon Farmer started playing lead saxophone for private parties at the age of seventeen (jazz-rock-pop), and has since accumulated over 40 years of experience in Concert Band, Jazz Band, Dixieland, and Jazz Quartet in municipal, University of Michigan Jazz Band, and private settings. Jazz has always been his favorite genre and his forte, and he is obsessed with finding the next level of beauty in a melody or improvised line.
If the gig is outdoors then I require shade if the temperature is over 75 degrees F to protect PA equipment.
| July 24, 2021 • 6:30pm - 8:00pm | Dinner Party |
| September 01, 2018 • 7:00pm - 9:00pm | Birthday Party |
| July 01, 2017 • 6:00pm - 8:00pm | Wedding Cocktail Hour |
| December 31, 2016–January 01, 2017 • 8:30pm - 1:00am | Holiday Party (New Year) |
| December 13, 2016 • 5:00pm - 8:30pm | Corporate Event |
| July 23, 2016 • 3:00pm - 4:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
I assemble custom set lists for each type of event and venue
I have been substantialy influenced by John Klemmer, Grover Washington, Michael Brecker, Dave Koz, Phil Woods, and Stevie Wonder.
I can provide a suitable PA system large enough for most venues, but if you have a suitable PA system then I can discount your fees for reducing my setup time and effort.
Raleigh, NC 
Violinist
72 Verified Bookings Ziyon C. E. said “The saxophonist very professional and polite. He arrived early to set up and was ready to play as the guest arrived. He exceeded our expectations by far.…”
Cary, NC
Saxophone Player
15 Verified Bookings Wynn O. said “Bill did an amazing job! He was prompt, professional and added a touch of class to our event. If you book him, you won’t be disappointed.”
Charlotte, NC
Saxophone Player
76 Verified Bookings Anne E. said “He was awesome!”
Charlotte, NC
Violinist
Alyssa P. said “We hired Jada to play violin at our engagement party and the piano trio is performing at our wedding next Spring. Jada was awesome and really brought…”
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