Chico O'Farrill • Nine Flags

 

Review
by Scott Yanow
One of arranger Chico O'Farrill's few jazz recordings of the 1954-94 period, this LP pays tribute to nine different countries, which were represented at the time by Nine Flags fragrances. The ten pieces (which include "The Lady from Nine Flags") have originals influenced by the music of Brazil, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Sweden. The overall music is quite different from O'Farrill's usual Afro-Cuban jazz outings. He features three different groups ranging from a septet to a 15-piece orchestra, assigning solo space to such fine players as trombonist J.J. Johnson, flugelhornists Art Farmer and Clark Terry and guitarist Larry Coryell (one of his earliest recordings). None of the individual songs caught on, and the interpretations are usually quite concise, but this LP (which has not yet been reissued) is generally quite fun.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/nine-flags-mw0001881421


Biography
by Richard S. Ginell
Chico O'Farrill was right in the thick of the Afro-Cuban and Latin waves that hit jazz in the late '40s and '50s. His sophisticated writing for Latin big bands of the early '50s was often bold, brassy, and tense, yet he could also achieve a delicate, almost classical ambience in such pieces as "Angels' Flight" and work capably in larger forms (the groundbreaking "Afro-Cuban Jazz Suites").

O'Farrill took up the trumpet while in military school in Georgia, returning to Cuba as a full-fledged jazz fan after hearing the top American big bands. He studied composition in his native Havana and led his own band there before moving to New York City in 1948, where he soon made a name for himself writing music for Benny Goodman ("Undercurrent Blues"), Stan Kenton ("Cuban Episode"), and Machito ("Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite"). From 1950 to 1954, O'Farrill made six fiery 10" albums of Latin and American big band jazz for Clef and Norgran, all of which have been reissued on a Verve two-CD set, Cuban Blues. He also appeared with his own band at Birdland and toured the U.S. Toward the end of the decade, he moved to Mexico City, returning to New York in 1965 to work as arranger and music director of the TV series Festival of the Lively Arts and to write arrangements for Count Basie. O'Farrill also put his classical training to use by writing pieces for symphony orchestra such as "Three Cuban Dances" and "Symphony No. 1." Though he continued to write pieces for Machito, Kenton, Gato Barbieri, and Dizzy Gillespie into the '70s, there were no recording sessions under O'Farrill's name from 1966 until 1995, when he came roaring back on the scene, his imagination and vigor miraculously intact, with the outstanding Pure Emotion CD (Milestone). He recorded two more strong albums for Milestone, the last being Carambola, released in October 2000. Eight months later, on June 27, 2001, Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill died while hospitalized in New York.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chico-ofarrill-mn0000111794/biography

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Revisión
por Scott Yanow
Una de las pocas grabaciones de jazz del arreglista Chico O'Farrill del período 1954-94, este LP rinde homenaje a nueve países diferentes, que estaban representados en la época por las fragancias de Nine Flags. Las diez piezas (entre las que se incluye "The Lady from Nine Flags") son originales con influencia de la música de Brasil, Inglaterra, Francia, Alemania, Hong Kong, Irlanda, Italia, España y Suecia. La música en general es bastante diferente de las salidas habituales de O'Farrill del jazz afrocubano. Presenta tres grupos diferentes que van desde un septeto hasta una orquesta de 15 piezas, y asigna espacio para solistas como el trombonista J.J. Johnson, los flugelhornistas Art Farmer y Clark Terry y el guitarrista Larry Coryell (una de sus primeras grabaciones). Ninguna de las canciones individuales se puso de moda, y las interpretaciones suelen ser bastante concisas, pero este LP (que aún no se ha reeditado) es en general bastante divertido.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/nine-flags-mw0001881421


Biografía
por Richard S. Ginell
Chico O'Farrill estaba justo en el centro de las olas afrocubanas y latinas que afectaron al jazz a finales de los años 40 y 50. Sus sofisticadas composiciones para las big bands latinas de principios de los 50 eran a menudo atrevidas, descaradas y tensas, pero también podía lograr un ambiente delicado, casi clásico, en piezas como "Angels' Flight" y trabajar con habilidad en formas más amplias (las revolucionarias "Afro-Cuban Jazz Suites").

O'Farrill empezó a tocar la trompeta cuando estudiaba en la escuela militar de Georgia, y regresó a Cuba como un auténtico aficionado al jazz después de escuchar a las principales big bands estadounidenses. Estudió composición en su Habana natal y dirigió allí su propia banda antes de trasladarse a Nueva York en 1948, donde pronto se hizo un nombre escribiendo música para Benny Goodman ("Undercurrent Blues"), Stan Kenton ("Cuban Episode") y Machito ("Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite"). De 1950 a 1954, O'Farrill grabó seis ardientes álbumes de 10" de big band jazz latino y americano para Clef y Norgran, todos los cuales han sido reeditados en un conjunto de dos CD de Verve, Cuban Blues. También actuó con su propia banda en Birdland y realizó giras por Estados Unidos. Hacia el final de la década, se trasladó a Ciudad de México, y regresó a Nueva York en 1965 para trabajar como arreglista y director musical de la serie de televisión Festival of the Lively Arts y para escribir arreglos para Count Basie. O'Farrill también puso en práctica su formación clásica escribiendo piezas para orquesta sinfónica como "Tres danzas cubanas" y "Sinfonía nº 1". Aunque continuó escribiendo piezas para Machito, Kenton, Gato Barbieri y Dizzy Gillespie hasta los años 70, no hubo sesiones de grabación con el nombre de O'Farrill desde 1966 hasta 1995, cuando volvió a aparecer en escena, con su imaginación y vigor milagrosamente intactos, con el excelente CD Pure Emotion (Milestone). Grabó dos discos más para Milestone, el último de los cuales fue Carambola, publicado en octubre de 2000. Ocho meses después, el 27 de junio de 2001, Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill falleció mientras estaba hospitalizado en Nueva York.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chico-ofarrill-mn0000111794/biography

Tracklist
A1 - Live Oak - 2:41
A2 - Patcham - 4:01
A3 - Aromatic Tabac - 4:17
A4 - Dry Citrus - 3:30
A5 - Royal Saddle - 2:42
B1 - Panache - 2:45
B2 - Green Moss - 4:30
B3 - Manzanilla - 4:23
B4 - Clear Spruce - 3:28
B5 - The Lady From Nine Flags - 3:00


Credits:
    Bass – George Duvivier
    Drums – Don Lamond (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5), Gus Johnson (tracks: A4, B2, B4), Mel Lewis (tracks: A2, A3, B3)
    French Horn – Julius Watkins (tracks: A1 to A3, A5, B1, B3, B5)
    Guitar – Larry Coryell (tracks: A4, B2, B4)
    Leader – Chico O'Farrill
    Percussion – Carl Hard (tracks: A2, A3, B3)
    Piano – Pat Rebillot (tracks: A2 to A4, B2 to B4)
    Producer – Bob Thiele
    Tenor Saxophone – Seldon Powell (tracks: A4, B2, B4)
    Trombone – Benny Powell (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5), Harry Divito (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5), J.J. Johnson (tracks: A2 to A4, B2 to B4), Urbie Green (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5)
    Trumpet – Art Farmer (tracks: A1 to A3, A5, B1, B3, B5), Bernie Glow (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5), Jimmy Nottingham (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5)
    Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry
    Woodwind – Ed Wasserman (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5), Frank Wess (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5), Jerry Dodgion (tracks: A1, A5, B1, B5), Joe Firrantello* (tracks: A2, A3, B3), Seldon Powell (tracks: A2, A3, B3)

LP-Rip

Notes:
Tracks A2, A3, B3 - Recorded November 10, 1966.
Tracks A1, A5, B1, B5 - Recorded November 11, 1966.
Tracks A4, B2, B4 - Recoreded November 14, 1966.

Label: Impulse! – A-9135
Released: 1966
Genre: Jazz
Style: Bop, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Latin Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/735220-Chico-OFarrill-Nine-Flags

 

 

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