Kurt Farquhar

Kurt Farquhar is a Los Angeles–based television and film composer. Farquhar is a seven-time BMI award winner, including four for The King of Queens.[1] one for The Game and two for Being Mary Jane. He is known for composing the scores for The King of Queens, Girlfriends, Sister, Sister, Moesha, Being Mary Jane, The Game, Black Lightning, The Neighborhood, and Real Husbands of Hollywood. Farquhar's career is notable for having scored more prime-time television series than any other African-American composer to date.

A native of Chicago, he is the youngest of five children. He is the younger brother of television producer and writer Ralph Farquhar, and the two have worked together on several shows.[2]

Farquhar musical education took him from the streets of Chicago to the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston, The National Conservatory of Music in Versailles, France, and Eastern Illinois University, where he studied with noted percussion teacher Johnny Lane.[2] By the age of 12, Farquhar had already written his first symphonic work. During his early 20s, Farquhar performed with various jazz artists most notably Grammy Award-winning trumpet player Freddie Hubbard.[3]

In his late twenties, Farquhar was the lead singer of the band Big Slamm. They released their first single, "Livin' Large," on Modern Records. This song went on to become the end title for the pilot episode of Livin' Large, produced by Stephen J. Cannell. Farquhar went on to create theme songs and scores for a multitude of television shows and feature films.[2]

Farquhar is also the founder and CEO of True Music, a prominent music licensing catalog operating out of Pasadena, California, which has licensed music throughout broadcast and cable television as well as feature films.[4]

Works

Television

Title Year Notes
First Kill 2022 Netflix
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder 2022 Disney+
Sacrifice 2021 BET+
Black Lightning 2018-2021 The CW
Games People Play 2019–Present BET
The Neighborhood 2018–Present CBS
Saints & Sinners 2016–2022 Bounce TV
Wendy Williams: The Movie 2021 Lifetime TV Biopic
Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding 2020 Lifetime TV Movie
Kidnapped: The Kamiyah Mobley Story 2020 Lifetime TV Movie
American Soul 2019-2020 BET
Being Mary Jane 2013–2019 BET
Being Mary Jane (TV Movie) 2019 BET TV Movie
Ambitions 2019 Oprah Winfrey Network
In Contempt 2018 BET
The Quad (TV Series) 2016–2018 BET
Russell Simmons: All Def Comedy 2017 HBO
Media 2017 TV One TV Movie
Stitchers 2015-2017 Freeform
The Quad (TV Movie) 2016 BET TV Movie
Furst Born 2016 CBS Scored Pilot
Winning Ugly 2016 Fox Scored Pilot
Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story 2016 BET TV Movie
Second Sight 2016 TV One TV Movie
Zoe Ever After 2016 BET
Here We Go Again 2016 TV One
The Next 15 2016 TV One
Real Husbands of Hollywood 2013–2016 BET
Keyshia Cole: All In 2015 BET
Light Girls 2015 Oprah Winfrey Network TV Movie
The Game 2006–2023 The CW/BET/Paramount+
Single Ladies 2011–2015 BET Her/Centric/VH1 Seasons Three and Four
The Fright Night Files 2014 TV One
Triggers: Weapons That Changed the World 2011–2013 American Heroes Channel
Keyshia & Daniel: Family First 2012 BET
Free Agents 2011 NBC
A.N.T. Farm 2011 Disney Channel Scored The Pilot Only
Dark Girls 2011 Oprah Winfrey Network TV Movie
Reed Between the Lines 2011 BET
K-Ci & JoJo... Come Clean 2010 TV One Docu-series
Russell Simmons Presents: Brave New Voices 2009 HBO
Lincoln Heights 2007–2009 Freeform
Bill Bellamy's Who's Got Jokes? 2006–2009 TV One
Gym Teacher: The Movie 2008 Nickelodeon TV Movie
Just Jordan 2007–2008 Nickelodeon
Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is 2006–2008 BET
Girlfriends 2000–2008 UPN/The CW
All of Us 2003–2007 UPN/The CW
The King of Queens 1998–2007 CBS (Starting 3rd Season)
The Adventures of Baxter and McGuire 2006 Comedy Central
Blendin 2006 Scored Pilot
Love, Inc. 2005–2006 UPN
One on One 2001–2006 UPN Season 2 & 3 Only
Keke & Jamal 2005 Disney Channel TV Movie
Second Time Around 2004–2005 UPN
Dance 360 2004–2005 Syndication
The Proud Family 2001–2005 ABC/Disney Channel
Soul Food: The Series 2000–2004 Showtime
Soluna 2004 Scored Pilot
Cuts 2004 Scored Pilot
The Parkers 1999–2004 UPN
Saving Jason 2003 Scored Pilot
Play'd: A Hip Hop Story 2002 VH1 TV Movie
Commitments 2001 BET TV Movie
Cousin Skeeter 1998–2001 Nickelodeon
The Famous Jett Jackson 1998–2001 Disney Channel
Moesha 1996–2001 UPN
Dancing in September 2000 HBO TV Movie
The Corner 2000 HBO Miniseries
Smart Guy 1997–1999 The WB
In the House 1995–1999 NBC/UPN
Sister, Sister 1994–1999 ABC/The WB
Cousin Skeeter 1998 Nickelodeon
The Kirk Franklin Show 1998 Pilot
Claude's Crib 1997 USA Network
C Bear and Jamal 1996–1997 Fox
Ned and Stacey 1995–1997 Fox
Matt Waters 1996 CBS
Under One Roof 1995 CBS
My Brother and Me 1994–1995 Nickelodeon
South Central 1994 Fox
The Sinbad Show 1994 Fox
Def Comedy Jam: Primetime 1994 HBO
Thea 1993–1994 ABC
Roc 1991–1994 Fox
Rachel Gunn, R.N. 1992 Fox
The Royal Family 1991–1992 CBS
Drexell's Class 1991–1992 Fox
New Attitude 1990 NBC
Jackee 1989 NBC (Television pilot)

Film

Title Year Director
2 Minutes of Fame 2020 Leslie Small
The Counter: 1960 (Short) 2017 Tracy "Twinkie" Bird
Created Equal 2017 Bill Duke
The Perfect Match 2016 Bille Woodruff
What Love Will Make You Do 2015 Lisa Haynes
Dark Girls 2012 Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry
96 Minutes 2011 Aimee Lagos
Lifted 2011 Lexi Alexander
Pastor Brown 2009 Rockmond Dunbar
Not Easily Broken 2009 Bill Duke
The Adventures of Baxter Baxter & McGuire: The Boss (short) 2008 Mike Blum
Cover 2007 Bill Duke
Miles from Home 2006 Ty Hodges
Gas 2004 Henry Chan
Room 302 2001 Short Film

Recordings

  1. Real Life (composer) – The Pointer Sisters
  2. Stupid Love (arranger) – Brenda Russell
  3. Crazy For Your Love (composer) – Sam Riney
  4. Now That I'm With You (composer) – Papa John Creach
  5. Everytime We Kiss (composer) – Sam Riney

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References

  1. ^ BMI News: Kurt Farquhar
  2. ^ a b c "From the Streets to the Studio: BMI Composer Kurt Farquhar Shares His Incredible Story". BMI.com. February 19, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  3. ^ Catig, Gary (May 1, 2018). "Talking With Kurt Farquhar: The Man Behind The Music Of The Hit, Black Lightning". COMICON. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  4. ^ "Kurt Farquhar Composer". kurtfarquhar.com.