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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZNAVARRO, Fats(b Theodore Navarro, 24 Sep. '23, Key West FL; d 7 July '50, NYC) Trumpet; one of the most tragic losses to heroin of the period (he also had TB). Nickname was 'Fat Girl'. Navarro was one of the founders of modern jazz on the instrument; his beautiful tone and quicksilver technique can be compared only to that of Dizzy Gillespie, and a good case can be made that Navarro's musical logic was superior, more committed to continuity. Navarro himself admired Howard McGhee, his section mate in the Andy Kirk band, and also Charlie Shavers, 'for his trumpet playing, not his jazz'; Navarro himself was an important infl. on the brilliant Clifford Brown. He began on piano at six, trumpet at 13, mostly self-taught; he also played tenor sax in Florida; with Kirk '43--4, recommended by Dizzy to replace him in the Billy Eckstine band '45--6, played with Illinois Jacquet and Lionel Hampton. On Blue Note he recorded with Tadd Dameron and Bud Powell small groups and with McGhee in the McGhee/Dameron Boptet, tracks now compiled in Blue Note CDs The Amazing Bud Powell Vol. 1 and The Complete Blue Note And Capitol Recordings Of Fats Navarro And Tadd Dameron. More CDs Memorial and Nostalgia on Savoy also incl. Dameron, as do Fats Navarro With The Tadd Dameron Band on Milestone and Royal Roost Sessions 1948 on Fresh Sound. Also 'Stealin' Apples' with Benny Goodman sextet on Capitol, Metronome All Stars date on RCA. |