Arturo O\u2019Farrill, son of the \u201cAfro-Cuban jazz architect,\u201d Chico O\u2019Farrill, will finally keep his father\u2019s wish. Right after the improvement of US-Cuba relations, the remains of the illustrious Cuban trumpet player will rest in peace in his island, just as he wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was extremely sad for not having being able to go back to his country. The only thing that made him cry was the memory of Cuba during his childhood,\u201d expressed to EFE Arturo, also pianist and composer.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father\u2019s spirit is ill at ease, because he is not resting in his land. I am proud to be able contribute to this process,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
This gesture was made possible thanks to the Ministry of Culture of Cuba, the Office of the Historian of Havana, and the US Embassy in the Island.<\/p>\n
Chico always regretted not visiting his country. He did not want \u201cto fail\u201d his audience in Miami. His ashes remain in his dwelling in New York; but next October 29 will be sent to Cuba, where a religious service will be rendered in the Bas\u00edlica de San Francisco de As\u00eds; and eventually he will be laid to rest in the Col\u00f3n Necropolis, in Havana.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt my father\u2019s wish and his need to rest in the place where he came from. Our journey is not about politics, ideology, nationalism, or patriotism,\u201d pointed out the also orchestra conductor and Grammy winner this year for the theme \u201cThe Afro Latin Jazz Suite.\u201d He said too that by taking his father\u2019s remains to Cuba, he would keep the promise he made him when he was six years old, for the birthday of the musician.<\/p>\n
Arturo will travel to Cuba with his family and his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, founded and directed by him; and after the religious service, they will pay homage to his father\u2014who died on June 27, 2001\u2014with classical themes and composed by him for the Big Band.<\/p>\n
Some of Chico\u2019s themes will be played during the tribute, having Cuban Director Guido L\u00f3pez Gavil\u00e1n as guest, who will conduct the Orquesta de C\u00e1mara de La Habana.<\/p>\n
Young O\u2019Farrill has widespread his father\u2019s legacy, mainly as founder and artistic director of the Afro-American Jazz Alliance, a non-profit art and education organization whose most visible expression is the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, a worldwide acclaimed band.<\/p>\n
His father learned how to play trumpet in an American military academy, went back to Cuba to study law, and returned in a one-way trip to New York in 1947. He started working as an arranger, but nobody would acknowledge his talent until he met the clarinet player and orchestra conductor Benny Goodman, for whom he composed \u201cUndercurrent Blues.\u201d Benny was the one who called him \u201cChico\u201d for the first time.<\/p>\n
No doubt, Arturo father is one of the most influential composers of the Afro-Cuban jazz genre. For many specialists, he was a musician who was able to produce a tighter tone, with subtly-colored scores.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Arturo O\u2019Farrill, son of the \u201cAfro-Cuban jazz architect,\u201d Chico O\u2019Farrill, will finally keep his father\u2019s wish. Right after the improvement of US-Cuba relations, the remains of the illustrious Cuban trumpet player will rest in peace in his island, just as he wanted. \u201cHe was extremely sad for not having being able to go back to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3134,"featured_media":74858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13919],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[33546,8689],"class_list":["post-74857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-visual-arts"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n