Uploaded by projazz on January 1, 2020 at 6:22 pm

is an album byand, featuring arrangements by Chico O'Farrill, recorded in 1975 and released on the Pablo label. "Here we have a summit meeting late in the careers of the pioneering titans of Afro-Cuban jazz: Dizzy Gillespie fronting the Machito orchestra on trumpet, with Mario Bauza as music director, alto saxophonist/clarinetist, and organizing force, and Chico O'Farrill contributing the compositions and arrangements. This could have been just a nostalgic retro gathering 25 years after the fact, but instead, these guys put forth an ambitious effort to push the boundaries of the idiom. The centerpiece is a 15-minute trumpet concerto for Gillespie called "Oro, Incienso y Mirra," where O'Farrill melts dissonant clusters, electric piano comping, and synthesizer decorations together with hot Afro-Cuban rhythms into a coherent, multi-sectioned tour de force. Gillespie, who had apparently never been in the same room with synthesizers before, is magnificent as he peels off one patented bebop run after another over Machito's band and in the gaps between. There is also an equally sophisticated suite of O'Farrill pieces grouped under the title "Three Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods," which mixes rock elements into the rhythms. Parts of "Pensativo" sound as if O'Farrill had been carefully listening to Santana, the teacher learning from the student, as it were. It adds up to a paltry 32 minutes of music, yet one can forgive the short length, this being all there is of a historic recording session." - Richard S. Ginell/AllMusic All compositions by Chico O'Farrill. "Oro, Incienso y Mirra" - 15:38 "Calidoscopico" - 5:05 "Pensativo" - 5:20 "Exuberante" - 5:48Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet Machito - marimba, clavinet, leader Manny Duran, Paul Gonzalez, Raul Gonzalez Jr., Victor Paz - trumpet, flugelhorn Jerry Chamberlain, Jack Jeffers, Lewis Kahn, Barry Morrow - trombone Don Corrado, Brooks Tillotson - French horn Bob Stewart - tuba Mauricio Smith - alto saxophone, flute, piccolo Mario Bauzá - alto saxophone, clarinet Mario Rivera - tenor saxophone, alto flute Jose Madera Sr. - tenor saxophone, clarinet Leslie Yahonikan - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet Jorge Dalto - electric piano Dana McCurdy - synthesizer Carlos Castillo - electric bass Mickey Roker - drums Julito Grillo, Raymond Hernandez - African drums Pepin Pepin - congas Mario Grillo - bongos, cowbell Jose Madera Jr. - timpani Chico O'Farrill - arranger, conductor _________________________ Released: 1975 Recorded: June 4–5, 1975 Studio" Generation Sound Studios, New York City Length: 31:51 Label: Pablo 2310-771 Producer: Arturo 'Chico' O'Farrill & Mario Bauzá

Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods is an album by Dizzy Gillespie and Machito, featuring arrangements by Chico O’Farrill, recorded in 1975 and released on the Pablo label.

“Here we have a summit meeting late in the careers of the pioneering titans of Afro-Cuban jazz: Dizzy Gillespie fronting the Machito orchestra on trumpet, with Mario Bauza as music director, alto saxophonist/clarinetist, and organizing force, and Chico O’Farrill contributing the compositions and arrangements. This could have been just a nostalgic retro gathering 25 years after the fact, but instead, these guys put forth an ambitious effort to push the boundaries of the idiom. The centerpiece is a 15-minute trumpet concerto for Gillespie called “Oro, Incienso y Mirra,” where O’Farrill melts dissonant clusters, electric piano comping, and synthesizer decorations together with hot Afro-Cuban rhythms into a coherent, multi-sectioned tour de force. Gillespie, who had apparently never been in the same room with synthesizers before, is magnificent as he peels off one patented bebop run after another over Machito’s band and in the gaps between. There is also an equally sophisticated suite of O’Farrill pieces grouped under the title “Three Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods,” which mixes rock elements into the rhythms. Parts of “Pensativo” sound as if O’Farrill had been carefully listening to Santana, the teacher learning from the student, as it were. It adds up to a paltry 32 minutes of music, yet one can forgive the short length, this being all there is of a historic recording session.” – Richard S. Ginell/AllMusic.

Track listing:

All compositions by Chico O’Farrill.

“Oro, Incienso y Mirra” – 15:38

“Calidoscopico” – 5:05

“Pensativo” – 5:20

“Exuberante” – 5:48

Personnel:

Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet

Machito – marimba, clavinet, leader

Manny Duran, Paul Gonzalez, Raul Gonzalez Jr., Victor Paz – trumpet, flugelhorn

Jerry Chamberlain, Jack Jeffers, Lewis Kahn, Barry Morrow – trombone

Don Corrado, Brooks Tillotson – French horn

Bob Stewart – tuba

Mauricio Smith – alto saxophone, flute, piccolo

Mario Bauzá – alto saxophone, clarinet

Mario Rivera – tenor saxophone, alto flute

Jose Madera Sr. – tenor saxophone, clarinet

Leslie Yahonikan – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet

Jorge Dalto – electric piano

Dana McCurdy – synthesizer

Carlos Castillo – electric bass

Mickey Roker – drums

Julito Grillo, Raymond Hernandez – African drums

Pepin Pepin – congas

Mario Grillo – bongos, cowbell

Jose Madera Jr. – timpani

Chico O’Farrill – arranger, conductor

_________________________

Released: 1975

Recorded: June 4–5, 1975

Studio” Generation Sound Studios, New York City

Length: 31:51

Label: Pablo

2310-771

Producer: Arturo ‘Chico’ O’Farrill & Mario Bauzá



