09 Jun
Heart of a Legend by Chico O'Farrill
- Written by Lee Prosser
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Heart of a Legend is 60:53 minutes of pure enjoyment from a major master of Afro-Cuban jazz, Chico O'Farrill. Everything that Chico O'Farrill does so well is once again shared with the listener! O'Farrill was among the first Cuban composer-musicians to arrive in New York in the 1930s, and by the 1940s he had become respected and well-known as a composer-pianist with a fresh, innovative approach to jazz! This 14 selection CD reveals the uniqueness that is Chico, and made him a legend among Afro-Cuban jazz devotees! Some of the selections on this big band jazz adventure include "Manteca," "The Journey," "Fin de Siglo," "Te Quiero," "Momentum," "Guaguasi," "Sing Your Blues Away." Chico's son and music director for Chico's Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band, Arturo O'Farrill, also appears playing piano, along with Bobby Porcelli on alto saxophone. Special guests on this CD include: Gato Barbieri, Israel Lopez Cachao, Paquito D'Rivera on alto saxophone and clarinet, David Oquendo on guitar, Vivian Ara on vocals on tracks 1,8,10,11,13, and Illmar Gavilan on violin, among many others. A very electrifying selection is "Locos de la Habana" which features Israel Lopez Cachao on bass, Maurice Smith on clarinet and flute, and David Piro Rodriquez on trumpet solo, a complex and exciting work! If you want a CD that is never boring and always exciting musically, the Afro-Cuban jazz on "Heart of a Legend" is unstoppable! A classic!
Additional Info
- Artist / Group Name: Chico O'Farrill
- CD Title: Heart of a Legend
- Year Released: 1999
- Record Label: Milestone
- Label Website: -
- Rating: Five Stars
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Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
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