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Arturo O'Farrill: Mundoagua: Celebrating Carla Bley

By Jack Bowers
February 11, 2025
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Arturo O'Farrill: Mundoagua: Celebrating Carla Bley

Mundoagua, the latest album by composer and pianist Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, is subdivided into three suites, the second of which is the four-movement "Blue Palestine," written and arranged by another celebrated composer and pianist,

Carla Bley

piano
1938 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Carla Bley, a leading light in the avant-garde free jazz movement of the mid-twentieth century, who died of cancer in October 2023.

The opening suite, "Mundoagua," commissioned by the Columbia University School of the Arts in 2018 to commemorate the Year of Water and recorded four years later alongside the others, was written by O'Farrill, as was the three-part "Dia de las Muertos," which closes the album and whose inspiration, O'Farrill writes, was a book about the Aztecs. While the music is varied and panoramic in its scope and purpose, an Afro Latin undercurrent is perceptible from start to finish, even on those numbers written by Bley, whose roots were more West Coast than Afro or Latin. Bley's daughter, pianist

Karen Mantler

piano
b.1850

" data-original-title="" title="">Karen Mantler, performs with vibraphonist

Patricia Brennan

vibraphone

" data-original-title="" title="">Patricia Brennan on the haunting third section of "Blue Palestine."

While all of the music is thematic—designed to exemplify a given concept or event—that becomes largely irrelevant once the orchestra digs into O'Farrill's and Bley's kinetic themes and stylish charts—which, it should be noted, are not always easy on the ears or comprehension of the beholder. There is dissonance aplenty, especially on the second movement of "Mundoaga," in which several members of the orchestra play divisive musical games, the freewheeling last section of "Blue Palestine" and the volatile opening movement of "Dia de las Muertos." It is, however, dissonance in service to a predetermined game plan, one that O'Farrill and his ensemble appreciate and embrace.

There are moments of sublime passion and beauty as well, as exemplified by the aforementioned Part Three of "Blue Palestine" or the lyrical second movement of "Dia de las Muertos," introduced by Sergio Ramirez' mellow guitar and featuring

Rachel Therrien

trumpet
b.1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Rachel Therrien's expressive trumpet. Interspersed are nimble passages of Afro Latin perception and power, suitably addressed by the orchestra and a number of inventive soloists including the full trumpet section on the album's opener, Movement I of "Mundoagua." Trumpeter

Adam O'Farrill

trumpet
b.1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Adam O'Farrill is showcased on Part Four of "Blue Palestine," trombonist

Abdulrahman Amer

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Abdulrahman Amer on the third and last movement of "Dia de las Muertos," which closes the session.

Although some may find the music tasteful and pleasing, others somewhat turbulent and disagreeable, it is clear that O'Farrill and his orchestra accomplished what they set out to do, which was to honor Bley's vision and virtuosity while producing an album of stylish and entertaining Afro Latin jazz. Not a classic, but one in which the pros easily outweigh the cons.

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Track Listing

Mundoagua: I. Glacial, II. Mundoagua, III. The Politics of Water; Blue Palestine: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four. ; D��a de los muertos: I. Flowery Death, II. La Bruja, III. Mambo Cadaverous.

Personnel

Arturo O'Farrill

piano

Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

band / ensemble / orchestra

Karen Mantler

piano

Patricia Brennan

vibraphone

Ivan Renta

saxophone

Adison Evans

saxophone, baritone

Jasper Dutz

saxophone, alto

Roman Filiu

saxophone, alto

Larry Bustamante

saxophone

Adam O'Farrill

trumpet

Seneca Black

trumpet

Bryan Davis

piano

Rachel Therrien

trumpet

Rafi Malkiel

trombone

Remee Ashley

trombone

Abdulrahman Amer

trombone

Earl McIntyre

trombone, bass

Andrew Andron

piano

Ricardo Rodriguez

bass

Vince Cherico

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Carlos Maldonado: percussion; Keisel Jimenez: percussion; Sergio Ramirez: guitar.

Album information

Title: Mundoagua: Celebrating Carla Bley | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Zoho Music

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Arturo O'Farrill Concerts

Sep 19 Fri

Jazz Room Presents: Arturo O’farrill Latin Jazz

The Jazz Room At The Stage Door Theater
Charlotte, NC

Sep 20 Sat

Jazz Room Presents: Arturo O’farrill Latin Jazz

The Jazz Room At The Stage Door Theater
Charlotte, NC

Oct 4 Sat

Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Ensemble

California Center For The Arts, Escondido
Escondido, CA

Oct 9 Thu

Arturo O'farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

ShapeShifter Plus
Brooklyn, NY

Oct 10 Fri

Arturo O'farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

ShapeShifter Plus
Brooklyn, NY

Nov 14 Fri

Ephrat Asherie Dance With Arturo O'Farrill

Zellerbach Theatre
Philadelphia, PA

Nov 15 Sat

Ephrat Asherie Dance With Arturo O'Farrill

Zellerbach Theatre
Philadelphia, PA

May 8 Fri

Arturo O’Farrill: Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble

Zellerbach Theatre
Philadelphia, PA

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