Chico O'Farrill

This article is about the jazz trumpeter and composer. For the jazz pianist, see Arturo O'Farrill.
Chico O'Farrill
Birth nameArturo O'Farrill
Also known as"Chico"
Born(1921-10-28)October 28, 1921
Havana, Cuba
DiedJune 27, 2001(2001-06-27) (aged 79)
New York, United States
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • composer
  • arranger
  • conductor
Years active1949–2001
Labels

Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill (October 28, 1921[1] – June 27, 2001)[2] was a Cuban composer, arranger, and conductor, best known for his work in the Latin idiom, specifically Afro-Cuban jazz or "Cubop", although he also composed traditional jazz pieces and even symphonic works.

Born to an aristocratic Cuban family, he played the trumpet early in his career. He composed works for Machito (Afro-Cuban suite with Charlie Parker, 1950) and Benny Goodman's Bebop Orchestra ("Undercurrent Blues"), and arranged for Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Kenton, among others.

In the 1990s, O'Farrill led a big band that took up residence at New York's Birdland nightclub. Chico's son, pianist Arturo O'Farrill, eventually took over the band.

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1854. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ "CNN.com - Latin jazz musician Arturo 'Chico' O'Farrill dead - June 29, 2001". Edition.cnn.com. Retrieved October 2, 2021.