Who is Fats Navarro?
Fats Navarro was a jazz trumpeter often described as the most important, influential and innovative trumpeter of bebop music. He was born on November 20, 1924 in Key West, Florida. Fats learned to play the trumpet from his father, who played in a military band, when he was just six, and his first public performance was at the age of eight. He began playing professionally at 16, and at 18 became the lead trumpeter in Earl Hines’ big band.
He became famous for his solo on “A Night in Tunisia”, which is one of his signature tunes. He is also famous for being the youngest musician ever to conduct a recording session, which he did at the age of 16.
He died of tuberculosis at the age of 26.
Youth and career
In 1947, he recorded for the first time with Dizzy Gillespie’s quintet, and it’s fair to say that this recording changed jazz forever. He also played with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell and many other famous jazz musicians of his generation.
His playing style is often described as “lush” because of the way he would use all the dynamics of a piece of music. In 1950, he was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana.
After a trial in which Chico played the role of defense witness, he was acquitted. The trial was published by an underground magazine called “Jazz Review”. In 1952, Duke Ellington asked him to sit in at the piano for a performance of his show at Carnegie Hall.
He released his first album, “The Legend of Chico Hamilton”, in 1959. In 1960, he was named America’s best jazz pianist by the readers of “Down Beat”. In 1968, he went blind from cataracts and stopped playing.
He died in 1973 of a heart attack at his home in New York. “His playing was like a brilliant sunrise that set the sky on fire,” wrote Down Beat.
Fats Navarro’s most famous albums
Fats Navarro’s most famous albums are “The Fabulous Fats Navarro” and “The Amazing”.
Both date from the 1950s. The Fabulous Fats Navarro is a compilation of his recordings from 1947 to 1950. It includes his best songs, such as “Oop Bop Sh’Bam” and “The Champ”.
Fats Navarro’s most famous album, The Amazing, was recorded in 1954 and 1955 . It was released in the mid-1950s and remains one of the best-selling albums in jazz history. The Fabulous Fats Navarro is a compilation of his recordings from 1947 to 1950. It includes his best songs, such as “Oop Bop Sh’Bam” and “The Champ”.
Fats Navarro’s musical style
He had an incredible ability to improvise during his performances, which kept audiences entertained and engaged. He also had a very distinct sound that can be identified by any jazz fan.
Fats Navarro’s musical style was very distinctive, especially when it came to his playing. He used to improvise a lot and play with a lot of feeling. Fats Navarro’s musical style is very particular, especially when it comes to his playing. He used to improvise a lot and play with a lot of feeling. Indeed, he used to improvise a lot and play with a lot of feeling.
Fats Navarro’s legacy
Navarro was the first musician to use the silent technique he developed himself. He also pioneered the use of the piston mute, which he called the “octave trumpet”. His solo style was remarkable for its rich tone and ability to play extremely fast lines without sacrificing precision or control.
He is a legend in the world of jazz music, but sadly had only a short time to leave his mark on the world before passing away. His legacy lives on today in the form of recordings and in the lives of those lucky enough to have known him.