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Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Guide to the Chico O'Farrill Papers
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NMAH.AC.0892
- Creators:
-
O'Farrill, Chico, 1921-2001O'Farrill, LupeStravinsky, Igor, 1882-1971
- Dates:
-
1975 - 19751999 - 19991949
- Languages:
-
Collection is inEnglish. Some materials inSpanish.
- Physical Description:
-
1 Cubic foot5 boxes
- Repository:
The collection documents the professional career of Chico O'Farrill, Cuban-born trumpet player, composer and arranger of Afro Cuban, bebop, and other styles of jazz.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of materials documenting the musical career of Chico O'Farrill. There are no personal papers, and there is very little information about his life.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series.
Series 1, Music Manuscripts, undated
Series 2, Other Materials, 1949, 1975, 1999
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
: Arturo (Chico) O' Farrill was born October 28, 1921, into an Irish-German Cuban family in Havana, Cuba. He learned to play trumpet while attending Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia. O'Farrill later returned to Havana and studied composition. He arranged and composed classical music and jazz for mainstream and Latin musicians. He played trumpet throughout the mid-forties with various Cuban bands, including the Lecuna Cuban Boys. In 1948, O'Farrill moved to New York to study at The Julliard School. Later he composed and arranged music for Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Machito, Stan Kenton, Dizzy Gillespie, and Gato Barbieri. He collaborated with impresario Norman Granz, who helped put together a recording session including Machito, alto saxophonist Charlie Parker, tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips and drummer Buddy Rich. They recorded Afro Cuban Jazz Suite in 1950, a successful blend of the bebop sound he arranged for Benny Goodman and Latin jazz rhythms. O'Farrill formed his own band and toured the United States and Cuba, returning to Havana around 1955, subsequently relocating to Mexico City. O'Farrill moved to Los Angeles in 1965. He recorded Afro Cuban Moods with Dizzy Gillespie in 1975. Around this time, he began to compose commercial music for advertising and television. From 1998 until 2000, he conducted the Lincoln Center Latin Jazz Orchestra and the Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band in New York. O'Farrill died on June 27, 2001 in New York City.
Administration
Author
Sarah Allan
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Guadalupe Valero O'Farrill, widow of Chico O'Farrill, donated the collection in 2005.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Sarah Allan (volunteer), supervised by Vanessa Broussard Simmons, archivist, 2008.
Using the Collection
Preferred Citation
Chico O'Farrill Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Paquito D'Rivera Music Manuscripts and Photograph (AC0891)
Tito Puente Papers (AC0894)
Mongo Santamaria Papers (AC0893)
Charismic Productions Records of Dizzy Gillespie (AC0979)
Latino Music Collection (AC0852)
Keywords
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Jazz | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Music -- 20th century | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Jazz musicians -- United States | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Photographs -- 20th century | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Musicians -- United States | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Videotapes | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Scores | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu
