Arturo O'Farrill
Arturo O'Farrill ( born June 22, 1960 in Mexico City) is an American jazz pianist who has become best known as the director of the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra.
Life and work
O'Farrill, son of Cuban composer Chico O'Farrill, grew up in New York, where he was trained at the Manhattan School of Music and the Brooklyn College Conservatory. He first played in the jazz band of New York's High School of Music and Art (next to Marcus Miller and Omar Hakim ). From 1979 to 1983 he was a member of Carla Bley band, with which he also appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival. After that he played with Wynton Marsalis, Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Turré, Noel Pointer, Lester Bowie and Jerry Gonzalez & the Fort Apache band. In 1987 he was the musical director of the band of Harry Belafonte. In addition to his own combo he took over in 1995 in addition to Afro - Cuban Jazz Big Band of his father.
2002 O'Farrill created at the suggestion of Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center, the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, which he headed. The debut album of this formation, Noche Involvidable, was nominated for a Grammy in 2006. With the second album of the ensemble, which his father devoted Song for Chico, he was awarded the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album. Published in 2011 with the O'Farrill Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra Album 40 Acres and a Burro, which was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, 2012.
As a university teacher, he worked at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and SUNY Purchase. His sons Adam (trumpet ) and Zachary (drums), who are also musicians, listening to his album Risa Negra ( 2009).
Disco Graphical Notes
- Bloodlines (1999, with Papo Vázquez, Jerry Gonzalez, Andy Gonzalez, George Mraz, Horacio " El Negro" Hernandez )
- A Night in Tunisia (2000, with George Mraz, Steve Berrios )
- Arturo O'Farrill & Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra Una Noche Inolvidable (2005)
- The Noguchi Sessions (2007, solo)
- Arturo O'Farrill & Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Song for Chico (2008)
- David Bixler & Arturo O'Farrill The Auction Project ( 2010)
- Arturo O'Farrill & Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra 40 Acres and a Burro (2011)