RECENT NEWS

Fifty Years Ago

July 7, 2000 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Fats Navarro. Unfortunately, this page is unaware of much acknowledgement of this, and his grave site in New Jersey has remained unmarked these past 50 years.

One notable exception was the two hour tribute to Fats' music on Radio WRTU hosted by Dr. Carlos Iramain and the University of Puerto Rico on the evening of July 7, 2000.

Trumpeter Mac Gollehon Records Tribute Album

Trumpeter Mac Gollehon and the Smokin' Section have recorded a CD entitled Mac Gollehon: In the Spirit of Fats Navarro." It was released on Half Note Records (No. 4206) in late 2000.

Google Ranks Web Site Number One

Of the approximately 14,500 Web site references to Fats Navarro given by the highly popular "google.com" search engine, this Web site is listed first. Thus, it ranks as the number one Web-based repository of information about the trumpet great. Why this is the case is not entirely clear, but it is likely due to the fact that at last count seventeen other Web sites have links to this one.

Web Page Joins Linda Navarro in Fundraising Effort

This Web page has joined forces with Linda Navarro, the daughter of jazz trumpet great Fats Navarro, to raise funds for a proper headstone for her father. Currently, Fats is buried in an unmarked grave in Linden, New Jersey, a deplorable situation. Linda is in poor health and is seeking to set this straight while she can. We are also seeking funds to support Linda's travel and lodging to the east coast for a modest dedication ceremony to be held when our goal has been accomplished, hopefully in spring or summer of 2002. The public will be invited.

Many Reissued Now Available

It is gratifying to report that in the last couple of years many reissues of Fats' recorded body of work have become available. There are a few of the more notable collections:

"Fats Navarro: The 1946-1949 Small Group Sessions": Blue Moon Master Series (Nos. 1016, 1017, 1018). This is an excellent 3 CD series of 65 master takes and third fine biographical booklets.
"Fats Navarro: Complete Edition": Media 7. This French produced series is undertaking the ambitious task of releasing Fats' entire recorded output. The number of CD in the series has been been announced. Volume 1 covering the years 1943-46 has been issued. It is accompanied by an excellent biographical booklet.
"The Fats Navarro Story": Proper Records Ltd. (No. Properbox 11). This is an excellent 4 CD box set of 87 selection and a fine biographical booklet.

Release of Previously Unissued JATP Concert

We are delighted to report that the Jazz at the Philharmonic concert at Carnegie Hall held on February 11, 1949 has finally been issued. This session finds Fats on the concert stage alongside jazz greats such as Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins. See Session 45 in the discography for details.

"Norman Granz' J.A.T.P. Carnegie Hall, 1949": Fantasy (PACD-5311-2).

Arturo Sandoval's Navarro Tribute

Trumpet master Arturo Sandoval has recorded and released his tribute to the greatest jazz trumpet players of all time, which includes Fats Navarro. Mr. Sandoval selected Navarro's composition Nostalgia to represent Navarro's playing. Interestingly, he has chosen to offer a note-by-note rendering of the original Navarro solo instead of a personal interpretation of Navarro's style.

Arturo Sandoval - Trumpet Evolution: Crescent Moon (87195).