Chico O'Farrill, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Chico O'Farrill

Cuban composer and musician

Date of Birth: 28-Oct-1921

Place of Birth: Havana, Havana Province, Cuba

Date of Death: 27-Jun-2001

Profession: composer, conductor, bandleader, film score composer, jazz musician

Nationality: United States, Cuba

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill (October 28, 1921 – June 27, 2001) was a Cuban composer, arranger, and conductor, best known for his work in the Latin idiom, specifically Afro-Cuban jazz or "Cubop", although he also composed traditional jazz pieces and even symphonic works. Born to an Irish father and a German mother, he played the trumpet early in his career.
He composed works for Machito (Afro-Cuban suite with Charlie Parker, 1950) and Benny Goodman's Bebop Orchestra ("Undercurrent Blues"), and arranged for Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Kenton, among others. In the 1990s O'Farrill led a big band that took up residence at New York's Birdland nightclub.
Chico's son, pianist Arturo O'Farrill, eventually took over the band.