The Heart of a Legend

by Chico O'Farrill

Overview

The campaign to punch Chico O'Farrill into the general consciousness continues with what amounts to an anthology of his work, all freshly and brilliantly played by the Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band directed by his pianist son Arturo. The material on hand goes back to a 1956 cha-cha written on a plane ride to Havana, but the unifying thread is a suite from the film Guaguasi scattered in pieces throughout the album. It is an often astonishingly diverse portrait of O'Farrill, reflecting not only his percolating Afro-Cuban rhythmic base but also some of his other musical directions. There is a Basie-style big-band blues, "Sing Your Blues Away," with Freddie Cole doing a credible job as velvety blues shouter; a lightweight, fluffy thing called "Te Quiero" with flute/female choruses and a lascivious Gato Barbieri on tenor; and a recent Latin jazz suite of relatively modest proportions, "Trumpet Fantasy (For Wynton)." The best stuff comes early on: the marvelous "Theme From Guaguasi," a heartfelt Afro-Cuban workout in 6/8 time called "Momentum," which is really a renamed piece inspired by the 1962 Cuban missile crisis ("Cuban Conflagration") that was rescued from oblivion for this album. Several other famous Latin jazz names turn up in fine form: Paquito D'Rivera, Cachao, Candido, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Carlos "Patato" Valdes, and, in a closing duet, Arturo O'Farrill and Arturo Sandoval. There are a lot of board fades on these tracks, a highly unusual practice in the '90s on a jazz album. Though not as essential as Pure Emotion, this CD confirms the continued vitality of this 77-year-old master. ~ Richard S. Ginell

Product Details

Release Date:	04/12/2024
Label:	Milestone
UPC:	0025218929929
Rank:	194917

Tracks

1. Guaguasi
2. Momentumi
3. La Verde Campina
4. Sing Your Blues Away (For Neca)
5. Guaguasi Abstracto
6. Trumpet Fantasy
7. Chico's Cha Cha Cha
8. Te Quiero Dijiste
9. Manteca
10. Locos de la Habana
11. Sin Tu Amor
12. Pure Emotion
13. Fin de Siglo
14. The Journey

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chico O'Farrill   Primary Artist,Conductor
Paquito D'Rivera   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Clarinet,Sax (Alto)
Mario Rivers   Primary Artist,Sax (Soprano)
Arturo Sandoval   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Trumpet
Gato Barbieri   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Cachao   Primary Artist,Bass
Freddy Cole   Guest Artist,Vocals
Peter Olstad   Trumpet
Papo Vazquez   Trombone
Andy Gonzalez   Bass
Marshall McDonald   Sax (Alto)
Kenny Rampton   Trumpet
Roger Ingram   Trumpet
Jim Seeley   Trumpet
Eddie Bobe   Guiro,Bongos,Congas,Vocals,Timbales,Bellringer,Percussion,Choir/Chorus
Jimmy Cozier   Sax (Alto)
Doris Eugenio   Choir/Chorus
Bobby Porcelli   Sax (Alto)
Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez   Drums
David Oquendo   Guitar,Choir/Chorus
Mario Rivera   Clarinet,Sax (Soprano)
Joe Santiago   Bass
Deborah Resto   Choir/Chorus
Juan Pablo Torres   Trombone
Ilmar Gavilan   Violin
Piro Rodriguez   Trumpet
Willie Martinez   Drums
Joe Gonzalez   Bongos,Congas,Bellringer
Jack Jeffers   Trombone
Brenda Feliciano   Choir/Chorus
Arturo O'Farrill   Piano,Director
Candido Camero   Congas
Mauricio Smith   Flute,Clarinet
Chocolate Armenteros   Trumpet
Pablo Calogero   Sax (Baritone)
Mike Migliore   Sax (Tenor)
Carlos "Patato" Valdes   Congas,Maracas
Gary Valentine   Trombone
Gary Valente   Trombone
Sam Burtis   Trombone
Peter Brainin   Sax (Tenor)
Vivian Ara   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Matt Hilgenberg   Trumpet

Technical Credits

Sandoval   Performer
Mario Rivers   Performer
Paquito D'Rivera   Performer
Troy Halderson   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Traditional   Composer
Andy Gonzalez   Musical Consultant
Chico O'Farrill   Arranger,Composer
Dizzy Gillespie   Composer
Eddie Bobe   Percussion Consultant
Chano Pozo   Composer
Gato Barbieri   Performer
Jorge Luis Borrego   Composer
David Oquendo   Coros
Nat Chediak   Liner Notes
Enrique Fernandez   Liner Notes
Todd A. Gerard   Mastering
Todd Barkan   Producer
Cachao   Performer
Gil Fuller   Composer
John Fausty   Mixing Engineer
Cesar Vera   Photo Booklet,Photography Director
Jon Abbot   Photo Booklet
Yves Zimmerman   Photo Booklet
Jacques Lowe   Cover Photo
Jorge Ulla   Producer
Ricardo Betancourt   Photo Booklet
Oscar Hijuelos   Liner Notes