Joseph Carl Firrantello (December 16, 1937 – January 10, 1986),[1] known as Joe Farrell, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who primarily performed as a saxophonist and flutist. He is best known for a series of albums under his own name on the CTI record label and for playing in the initial incarnation of Chick Corea's Return to Forever.
Joe Farrell
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Joe Farrell performing at Lush Life in New York City, 1985
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Joseph Carl Firrantello |
| Born | (1937-12-16)December 16, 1937 |
| Origin | Chicago Heights, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | January 10, 1986(1986-01-10) (aged 48) Duarte, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1962–1986 |
| Labels | CTI |
Farrell was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois.[2][3] As a child, Farrell began playing the flute and clarinet. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1959, he moved to New York City to work as a freelance musician.[4]
He joined the Ralph Marterie Band in 1957 and later played with Maynard Ferguson and The Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra. He also recorded with Charles Mingus, Andrew Hill, Jaki Byard, Players Association and Elvin Jones. After the death of John Coltrane, Elvin Jones formed a pianoless trio with Jimmy Garrison and Farrell, recording two albums for Blue Note in 1968.
In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, Farrell performed with Chick Corea and Return to Forever. He is the flutist on the original recording of the Corea-penned jazz standard "Spain."
He did numerous sessions and contributed a flute solo to Aretha Franklin's 1973 hit "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)". The Santana track "When I Look into Your Eyes" (from Welcome [1973]) includes prominent flute solos from Farrell. During this period, he also contributed tenor saxophone and oboe solos to Hall & Oates' Abandoned Luncheonette (1973). Some of the most famous funk singles of James Brown feature Farrell as a part of the horn section.
In 1976, Joe recorded a duo album with George Benson called Benson & Farrell on CTI Records.
Farrell recorded Flute Talk with Sam Most in 1979, which was billed as a duet of the world's two greatest jazz flutists.
Farrell performs with Brazilian percussionist Airto and Airto's wife Flora Purim on the album Three-Way Mirror. A message on the CD jacket dedicates the 1987 album to Farrell and states it contains his final recordings.
Farrell died of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in Duarte, California, on January 10, 1986, at the age of 48.[5]
In 2008, Farrell's daughter Kathleen Firrantello filed a lawsuit against rappers Kanye West, Method Man, Redman and Common, and their respective record labels, for allegedly using portions of Farrell's 1974 musical composition "Upon This Rock" in their songs without approval. Firrantello was seeking punitive damages of at least US$1 million and asked that no further copies of the songs be made, sold or performed.[6][7]
With Mose Allison
With Patti Austin
With Average White Band
With The Band
With Ray Barreto
With the Bee Gees
With George Benson
With Willie Bobo
With Frank Butler
With Jaki Byard
With George Cables
With Billy Cobham
'With Chick Corea
With Return to Forever
With Lou Donaldson
With Maynard Ferguson
With Aretha Franklin
With Fuse One
With Grant Green
With Urbie Green
With Slide Hampton
With Andrew Hill
With Johnny Hodges
With Jackie and Roy
With Antônio Carlos Jobim
With Elvin Jones
With The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra
With Rufus Jones
With Lee Konitz
With John Larkin
With Jeff Lorber Fusion
With Arif Mardin
With Pat Martino
With Jack McDuff
With Charles Mingus
With Mingus Dynasty
With Blue Mitchell
With James Moody
With Airto Moreira
With Laura Nyro
With Dizzy Reece
With Santana
With Lalo Schifrin
With Don Sebesky
With Dakota Staton
With Bobby Timmons
With Allen Vizzutti