Adios, Chico

This article first appeared on All About Jazz in June 2001.

Big—band Jazz lost another of its brightest lights on June 27 when bandleader Chico O'Farrill, an early champion and tireless promoter of Afro—Cuban Jazz, died in Manhattan at age 79.

O'Farrill's popularity had crested during the past half—dozen years following the release of three highly acclaimed albums on the Fantasy label—Pure Emotion (1995), Heart of a Legend (1999) and Carambola (2000)—the first two of which were nominated for Grammy awards. His eighteen—piece big band, with son Arturo playing piano, had appeared each week for the past three years at New York's legendary Birdland nightclub.

O'Farrill, who was born to an upper middle—class family in Havana, Cuba, derived his conspicuously un—Cuban surname from his Irish father. His mother's background was German. Young Arturo was sent by his parents to a military school in Georgia where he learned to play trumpet and began his life—long love affair with big—band Jazz. After returning home he played in a number of Cuban dance bands including Orquesta Bellemar, the Lecuona Cuban Boys and Los Newyorkers. He left Cuba for New York in 1948, and on arriving there he began to see the possibilities that lay in combining American Jazz and Afro—Cuban music. It was a defining moment for the fusion of the bebop and Afro—Cuban idioms into a new musical style called Cubop.

O'Farrill soon began writing and arranging for Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, Count Basie and Stan Getz, among others. For the Benny Goodman band he wrote a tune called "Undercurrent Blues," and in return was given a nickname by Goodman. From then on he would be known as Chico O'Farrill. His work was noticed by producer Norman Granz, the founder of Jazz at the Philharmonic, who put together a recording session led by Machito and including Charlie Parker, Flip Phillips and Buddy Rich. O'Farrill's "Afro—Cuban Jazz Suite," recorded by the group in December 1950, was his most ambitious work to date, using the graduated crescendos of Latin big—band music in a classical framework of contrasting themes and sophisticated harmonies.

O'Farrill continued his association with Gillespie, an early champion of Afro—Cuban Jazz, writing the "Manteca Suite" in 1955. Legal and marital problems then led to his self—imposed exile in Mexico, where he remained until 1965. While there he recorded with Cuarteto D'Aida, percussionist / singer Bola de Nieve, and percussionist Girardo Rodriguez, and composed another of his major works, "The Aztec Suite," for trumpeter Art Farmer. Back in New York, O'Farrill recorded with Gillespie, Miguelito Valdes, Cal Tjader, Count Basie, Gato Barbieri and others but became weary of being asked only to write or arrange Afro—Cuban Jazz. After 1975, the only music he recorded for twenty years was for television commercials. He arranged a few numbers for Glenn Miller with maracas or Benny Goodman with congas. Latin Jazz is much deeper than that."

No one knew that better or appreciated it more than Chico O'Farrill. It's good that his exceptional talent was recognized and applauded while he was still able to take a bow. Adios, amigo.

A 'trademark' review? On a lighter note... While reading Jazz reviews in another publication (which shall remain nameless) I was startled to see that the name of one reviewer was preceded by the marks © and ®. In other words, this guy had copyrighted and registered his reviews! No, the name wasn't William Shakespeare, but he must surely be the Bard of Bop or something along those lines. Maybe I should start copyrighting my own reviews, as I've noticed that there are any number of less talented hacks out there who can't wait to see what I've written this month so they can steal the best lines and use them in their own otherwise drab essays. Yeah, right!

That's it for now. Until next month, keep swingin'!