Arturo O'Farrill / The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: 40 Acres And A Burro (2011)

Edward Blanco

CD/DVD Reviewer since 2005

Ed has been a jazz fan for 35 years and hosts a jazz radio program at WDNA 88.9 FM.

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Published: February 28, 2011

Arturo O'Farrill / The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: 40 Acres And A Burro

Founded in 2002 by Artistic Director Arturo O'Farrill, The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra of New York's Lincoln Center was created to perform compositions from Latin music masters including the pianist's father Chico O'Farrill Chico O'Farrill
1921 - 2001
composer/conductor , as well as Machito Machito
1908 - 1984
band/orchestra Tito Puente, Antonio Carlos Jobim Antonio Carlos Jobim
1927 - 1994
piano , and others. The group separated from Lincoln Center on 2007, becoming part of the new Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance (ALJA), a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a new audience and educational opportunities for young performers. 40 Acres And A Burro, refers to the Civil War-era practice of providing farmland to Black slaves, newly freed from the chains of the Confederacy. For O'Farrill, the album refers to the freedom the group now has, as the resident big band at the Symphony Space, on the Upper East side of Manhattan, no longer constrained by the limitations of its previous host.

The group's philosophy looks at Latin and jazz music as one and the same—and, in a sense, does not consider Latin jazz as a separate genre but, rather, music that shares the same DNA building blocks of swing, blues and improvisation. Nevertheless, Latin swing is certainly a part of 40 Acres And A Burro, with Afro-Cuban rhythms playing a major role in the music's texture. The percussive swing and gyrations begin immediately on the opening "Rumba Urbana," with heated solos from alto saxophonist Bobby Porcelli Bobby Porcelli
, trombonist Gary Valente Gary Valente
b.1953 , and long-time O'Farrill band mate, trumpeter Jim Seeley Jim Seeley
.

There's a lot more swing on "A Wise Latina," O'Farrill's tribute to Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, and more of the same with a lively salsa beat kicking in on the Chico O'Farrill Chico O'Farrill
1921 - 2001
composer/conductor arrangement of "Almendra." The great Paquito D'Rivera Paquito D'Rivera
b.1948
saxophone appears as a guest, contributing clarinet to "Um A Zero," a choro-styled Brazilian number from composer Pixinguinha. A descendant of Irish stock, O'Farrill pays tribute to his heritage by including a Celtic composition from David Bixler, featuring the saxophonist's wife, Heather Martin Bixler, on violin, and accompanied by a delicious tenor solo from Peter Brainin. In recognition of O'Farrill's Cuban heritage, he includes the tribute, "Ruminaciones Sobre Cuba," actually penned while visiting the island.

Rounding out the repertoire are Astor Piazzolla Astor Piazzolla
1921 - 1992
bandoneon 's "Tanguango," Hermeto Pascoal Hermeto Pascoal
b.1936
piano 's "Bebe," and an absolutely dazzling big band arrangement of Dizzy Gillespie Dizzy Gillespie
1917 - 1993
trumpet classic "A Night In Tunisia." Despite the dictates of the group's new philosophy on Latin and jazz music, 40 Acres And A Burro is nothing less than a sizzling and pulsating big band project. A failure at any attempt to erase the boundaries between Latin and straight jazz music, perhaps; but an unquestioned success as an articulate Latin jazz big band album.

Track Listing: Rumba Urbana; A Wise Latina; Um A Zero; El Sur; She Moves Through The Fair; Ruminaciones Sobre Cuba; Tanguango; Bebe; A Night In Tunisia; 40 Acres And A Burro.

Personnel: Arturo O'Farrill: piano; Ricardo Rodriguez: bass; Vince Cherico: drums; Roland Guerrero: congas; Joe Gonzalez: percussion; Bobby Porcelli: alto saxophone; David DeJesus: alto saxophone; Ivan Renta: tenor saxophone; Peter Brainin: tenor saxophone; Jason Marshall: baritone saxophone; Seneca Black: trumpet; Michael Philip Mossman: trumpet; Jim Seeley: trumpet; John Walsh: trumpet; Reynaldo Jorge: trombone; Tokunori Kajiwara: trombone; Earl McIntyre: trombone; Gary Valente: trombone: Paquito D'Rivera: clarinet (4, 9); Gabriel Alegria: conducting; Pablo O. Bilbraut: guiro (3, 7); Heather Martin Bixler: violin (6); Hector Del Curto: bandoneon (8); Yuri Juarez: guitar; Freddy "Huevito" Lobaton: cajon, cajita, quijada (5); Sharon Moe: French horn (2); Jeff Scott: French horn (2); Guilherme Monteiro: guitar (4); Adam O'Farrill: trumpet (7).

Record Label: Zoho Music
Style: Latin/World