Arturo O’Farrill Quintet

Monday 11th January 2016 - Tuesday 12th January 2016

Arturo O’Farrill - piano; Carlo de Rosa - bass; Vince Cherico - drums; Jim Seeley - trumpet and Ivan Renta - reeds.

BREAKING NEWS! Huge congratulations to Arturo for being nominated for not one but TWO GRAMMY 2016 AWARDS for 'best large ensemble album' and 'best instrumental composition'!

Arturo O'Farrill  appears for two nights at Ronnie Scott’s with his Latin Jazz Quintet playing music from Cuba – The Conversation Continues, nominated for two Grammys in the upcoming 58^th edition (Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album and Best Instrumental Composition ).  Presenting infectious energetic dance music that brings audiences to their feet, O’Farrill’s hard-hitting Afro-Cuban jazz is guaranteed to blow those winter blues away!

“If there is such a thing as a first family of Afro-Cuban jazz, the O’Farrill clan has a right to claim that distinction.” – The New York Times

Pianist Arturo O'Farrill is the Grammy award winning son of legendary Latin jazz musician, arranger and bandleader Chico O'Farrill and is perhaps best known as the current pianist, composer, and director for the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. He appears here with his hard-hitting Latin Jazz Quintet and they’ll be playing music from his latest album, Cuba – The Conversation Continues. Expect hard-hitting Afro-Cuban jazz guaranteed to blow those winter blues away!

At Symphony Space....

Grammy Award Winning Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Present “A Different Take / Randy Weston”
Thursday and Friday, November 5 and 6, 2009 at 8 PM
Symphony Space – Broadway at 95th Street, New York City

New York, New York Arturo O’Farrill and the Grammy-Award Winning Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra return to Symphony Space on November 5th & 6th, 2009 for a retrospective since its inception seven years ago, including the World Premiere of “Wise Latina Woman” written by Arturo O’Farrill, commissioned by Symphony Space, The Bronx Museum, and RD Rice Construction that celebrates the life of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Legendary pianist Randy Weston will perform his “African Sunrise Suite.” The rarely heard “Soul and Culture Suite” by Bob Franceschini and other works will be performed.
“Mr. O’Farrill is a magnificent player – sharp, splashy, and driving.” “The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra sounds great with precision brass and saxophone work…a warm, cohesive sound.”  The New York Times

The internationally renowned Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra recently won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz album with its Song for Chico. The Orchestra is now a proud performance partner with the Upper West Side's venerated Symphony Space. This world class ensemble continues to define modern Afro Latin big band jazz and is the template for contemporary jazz ensembles of the future. Performing from the vast repertory of classic Latin and jazz repertoire, the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra supported by the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, Inc. continues to commission new works, educate our young, and move this genre into the future.
Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra; http://www.afrolatinjazz.org/

Arturo O’Farrill: http://www.arturoofarrill.com/

Great live music, one story at a time

I love live music! It is invigorating to watch the musicians interact with one another as they play. It is as much fun to observe the audience get into the music as it is to listen myself. That is one the exciting parts about broadcasting live from J&R Music World. For the past six years we have showcased numerous musicians debut their new CDs. I have produced the whole series and this has given me the opportunity to get to know the regulars. That is one of the unique privileges of working at a radio station being in the community. You get to interact with the listeners. They tell you what they like and don’t like. The listeners also get to know the artists and each other.

The very first concert we presented 6 years ago featured Grammy nominated pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill. From the beginning, a young and eager 10 year-old named Travis Wolcott was one of two boys who would sit cross-legged on the floor in front of the stage. When the series first started, we held drawings for door prizes and Travis would help pull the winner’s names out of the box. His participation became a part of the show.
Travis and his brother Thomas, along with his dad Tom continued to attend the broadcasts and we became friends. My birthday or a holiday never came without a card from the Wolcotts. But the one constant reminder of how much a part of our lives this family has become was the sight of Travis each month in the front row as we presented artists at J&R.

Travis sat and watched and listened to every note and that he depended upon us made this all especially significant. Travis and Tom were on site early January 17 this year for our last scheduled broadcast from J&R, not coincidentally featuring Arturo’s sextet. Travis picked his familiar place on the floor and Tom and I reminisced about the drawing days.
People say you never think of the good time you are having as “the good old days”. But the Saturdays (and a few Tuesdays) we spent at J&R gave us wonderful memories, and a more great live music.

But then, the music ended. The series ended.
Our friends at J&R made it possible to bring the new music to our listeners and to special fans like Travis.
We won’t let him down. That’s why we ask for your support. Jazz88 is about giving our listeners music!
http://www.wbgo.org/blog/