Theodore "Fats" Navarro (September 24, 1923 – July 6, 1950) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

trumpet player. He was a pioneer of the

bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early-to-mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo, complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerous changes of key, instrumen ...

style of

jazz improvisation Jazz improvisation is the spontaneous invention of melodic solo lines or accompaniment parts in a performance of jazz music. It is one of the defining elements of jazz. Improvisation is composing on the spot, when a singer or instrumentalist inv ...

in the 1940s. He had a strong stylistic influence on many other players, including

Clifford Brown Clifford Benjamin Brown (October 30, 1930 – June 26, 1956) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. He died at the age of 25 in a car accident, leaving behind four years' worth of recordings. His compositions "Sandu", "Joy Spring", an ...

Life

Navarro was born in

Key West, Florida Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Isla ...

, United States, of

Cuban Cuban may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean * Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent ** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof * Cuban citizen, a pers ...

, African, and Chinese descent. He began playing piano at age six, but did not become serious about music until he began playing trumpet at the age of thirteen. He was a childhood friend of drummer

Al Dreares Alfred Dreares II (January 4, 1927 – November 17, 2011) was an American jazz drummer. Early life Dreares was born in Key West, Florida, on January 4, 1927. He was a childhood friend of Fats Navarro, and studied at Hartnett Conservatory in New ...

. By the time he graduated from Douglass High School, he wanted to be away from Key West and joined a dance band headed for the Midwest. Navarro gained valuable experience touring in bands, including Snookum Russell's territory band, where he met and influenced a young J.J. Johnson. Tiring of the life on the road, Navarro settled in New York City in 1946, where his career took off. He met and played with, among others,

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...

. But Navarro was in a position to demand a high salary and did not join one of Parker's regular groups. He also developed a heroin addiction, tuberculosis, and a weight problem. (He was nicknamed "Fat Girl" due to his weight and high speaking voice.) These afflictions led to a slow decline in health. Navarro was hospitalized on July 1, 1950 and he died five days later on July 6 at the age of 26. His last performance was with Charlie Parker on July 1 at Birdland. Navarro played in the Andy Kirk,

Billy Eckstine William Clarence Eckstine (July 8, 1914 – March 8, 1993) was an American jazz and pop singer and a bandleader during the swing and bebop eras. He was noted for his rich, almost operatic bass-baritone voice. In 2019, Eckstine was posthumously ...

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conc ...

, and

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles ...

big bands, and participated in small group recording sessions with

Kenny Clarke Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914January 26, 1985), nicknamed Klook, was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A major innovator of the bebop style of drumming, he pioneered the use of the ride cymbal to keep time rather than the hi-ha ...

, Tadd Dameron, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis,

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...

Illinois Jacquet Jean-Baptiste "Illinois" Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on " Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo. Although he was a pioneer of ...

Howard McGhee Howard McGhee (March 6, 1918 – July 17, 1987) was one of the first American bebop jazz trumpeters, with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for his fast fingering and high notes. He had an influence on younger beb ...

, and

Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of mode ...

Death

Navarro died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...

and

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and bro ...

addiction in New York City on July 6, 1950, and was survived by wife Rena (née Clark, 1927–1975) and his daughter Linda (1949–2014). He was buried in an unmarked grave, number 414, at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey. In 1982, Navarro was inducted into the ''

DownBeat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Ch ...

'' Hall of Fame. In September 2002, friends and family members dedicated a headstone for Fats Navarro's grave. The event of dedication was sponsored by the Jazz Alliance International while the day of it was proclaimed as Fats Navarro Day by the mayor of Linden. During the ceremony, Linden High School Choir performed "

Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...

", while trumpeter

Jon Faddis Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator, renowned for both his playing and for his expertise in the field of music education. Upon his first appearance on the scene, he became known ...

played Navarro's "Nostalgia". The night of the same day, 14 trumpeters joined a stellar rhythm section to honor the Navarro songbook at the

Jazz Standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive li ...

in Manhattan. Faddis, who assembled the section under musical direction from Don Sickler, was accompanied by drummer Billy Drummond, bassist Peter Washington, and pianist James Williams.

Discography

1943 * Andy Kirk – "Fare Thee Well Honey" c/w "Baby, Don't You Tell Me No Lie" (Decca 4449) 1944 *Andy Kirk and his Orchestra– ''Live at the Apollo 1944–1947'' (Everybody's EV 3003) *Andy Kirk – ''Andy's Jive'' (Swing House (E) SWH 39) *Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds of Joy – ''The Uncollected Andy Kirk'' (Hindsight (E) HSR 227) *Andy Kirk and his Orchestra (no details) (Caracol (F) CAR 424) 1945 *Andy Kirk and his Orchestra (no details) (Swing House (E) SWH 130) *

– ''Together ''(Spotlite (E) SPJ 100) *Billy Eckstine – ''Blues for Sale'' (EmArcy MG 36029) *Billy Eckstine – ''The Love Songs of Mr. "B"'' (EmArcy MG 36030) *Various Artists – ''The Advance Guard of the '40s'' (EmArcy MG 36016) *Billy Eckstine – ''You Call It Madness'' (Regent MG 6058) *Billy Eckstine – ''Prisoner of Love'' (Regent MG 6052) 1946 *Andy Kirk – "He's My Baby" c/w "Soothe Me" (Decca 23870) *Andy Kirk – "Alabama Bound" c/w "Doggin' Man Blues" (Decca 48073) *Billy Eckstine – ''My Deep Blue Dream'' (Regent MG 6054) *Billy Eckstine – ''I Surrender, Dear'' (EmArcy MG 36010) *Various Artists – ''Boning Up the 'Bones'' (EmArcy MG 36038) *Billy Eckstine – ''Mr. B and the Band'' (Savoy SJL 2214) *Various Artists – ''The Bebop Era'' (RCA Victor LPV 519) *''Fats Navarro Memorial: Fats - Bud - Klook - Sonny - Kinney'' (Savoy MG 12011) * Earl Bud Powell – ''Burning in U.S.A., 53-55, Vol. 2'' (Mythic Sound MS 6002-2) *''Fats Navarro Memorial, Vol. 2: Nostalgia'' (Savoy MG 12133) *Various Artists – ''In the Beginning Bebop!'' (Savoy MG 12119) *

– '' Bean and the Boys'' (Prestige PR 7824) 1947 *

– ''Illinois Jacquet and his Tenor Sax'' (Aladdin AL 803) *Various Artists – ''Opus de Bop'' (Savoy MG 12114) *

Billy Stewart William Larry Stewart II (March 24, 1937 – January 17, 1970) was an American rhythm and blues singer and pianist who was popular during the 1960s. Biography Stewart was 12 years old when he began singing with his younger brothers Johnny, James ...

/ Ray Abrams – " Gloomy Sunday" c/w "In My Solitude" (Savoy 647) *Milton Buggs/Ray Abrams – "I Live True to You" c/w "Fine Brown Frame" (Savoy 648) *Various Artists – ''Jazz Off the Air, Vol. 2'' (Vox VSP 310) *Fats Navarro ''–'' ''The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Vol. 1'' ( Blue Note BLP 1531) *Fats Navarro – ''

Fat Girl ''Fat Girl'' (french: À ma sœur!, lit=To My Sister!) is a 2001 drama film written and directed by Catherine Breillat, and starring Anaïs Reboux and Roxane Mesquida. It was released in certain English-speaking countries under the alternative ...

'' (Savoy SJL 2216) *

– "

Anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...

" (Spotlite (E) SPJ 108) *Coleman Hawkins – ''His Greatest Hits 1939–47, Vol. 17'' (RCA (F) 730625) *Coleman Hawkins – ''Body and Soul: A Jazz Autobiography'' (RCA Victor LPV 501) *Various Artists – ''All American Hot Jazz'' (RCA Victor LPV 544) 1948 *

and his Orchestra – 1948 (Weka (Swt) Jds 12-1) *Lionel Hampton – ''Lionel Hampton in Concert'' (Cicala Jazz Live (It) BLJ 8015) *Fats Navarro Featured with the Tadd Dameron Quintet (Jazzland JLP 50) *The Tadd Dameron Band – ''1948'' (Jazzland JLP 68) *

Charlie Barnet Charles Daly Barnet (October 26, 1913 – September 4, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. His major recordings were "Skyliner", " Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", "In a Mizz", and "Southland Shuffl ...

– ''Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 15: Bebop Spoken Here'' (Capitol M 11061) *Fats Navarro ''–'' ''The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Vol. 2'' ( Blue Note BLP 1532) *Various Artists – ''The Other Side Blue Note 1500 Series'' (Blue Note (J) BNJ 61008/10) *''The Complete Blue Note and Capitol Recordings of Fats Navarro and Tadd Dameron'' (Blue Note CDP 7243 8 33373-2) * Earl Coleman – "

I Wished on the Moon "I Wished on the Moon" is a song composed by Ralph Rainger, with lyrics by Dorothy Parker. Bing Crosby sang the song in ''The Big Broadcast of 1936''. Crosby recorded the song on August 14, 1935 with The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra and it reach ...

" c/w "Guilty" (Dial 756) *

Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gi ...

– ''Move!'' (Spotlite (E) SPJ 133) 1949 *The Metronome All Stars – ''From Swing to Be-Bop'' (RCA Camden CAL 426) - released on

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but a ...

's ''

The Complete RCA Victor Recordings ''The Complete RCA Victor Recordings'' is a 1995 compilation 2-CD set of sessions led by Jazz trumpeter and composer Dizzy Gillespie recorded for the RCA Victor label between 1937 and 1949. Reception Writing for Allmusic, Richard S. Ginell sta ...

'' (Bluebird, 1937–1949, 995 *

– ''Strictly Be Bop'' (Capitol M 11059) *

Jazz at the Philharmonic Jazz at the Philharmonic, or JATP (1944–1983), was the title of a series of jazz concerts, tours and recordings produced by Norman Granz. Over the years, "Jazz at the Philharmonic" featured many of the era's preeminent musicians, including Lou ...

– ''J.A.T.P. at Carnegie Hall 1949'' (Pablo PACD 5311-2) *

– '' The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1'' (Blue Note BLP 1503) *Various Artists – ''25 Years of Prestige'' (Prestige PR 24046) *

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

/Fats Navarro – ''Trumpet Giants'' (New Jazz NJLP 8296) *

Don Lanphere Donald Gale Lanphere (June 26, 1928 – October 9, 2003) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist, known for his 1940s and 1950s work, and recordings with Fats Navarro (in 1948), Woody Herman (1949), Claude Thornhill, Sonny Dunham, Bil ...

/Fats Navarro/ Leo Parker/ Al Haig – ''Prestige First Sessions, Vol. 1'' (Prestige PRCD 24114-2) 1950 *Charlie Parker - Fats Navarro - Bud Powell (Ozone 4) *Charlie Parker – ''One Night in Birdland'' (Columbia JG 34808) *Charlie Parker - Bud Powell - Fats Navarro (Ozone 9) *

– ''Hooray for Miles Davis, Vol. 1'' (Session Disc 101) *Miles Davis All Stars and Gil Evans (Beppo (E) BEP 502) *Miles Davis – ''The Persuasively Coherent Miles Davis'' (Alto AL 701) *Miles Davis – ''Hooray for Miles Davis, Vol. 2'' (Session Disc 102) Compilations *1995: ''The Complete Blue Note and Capitol Recordings of Fats Navarro and Tadd Dameron'' (Blue Note)

References

External links

*
Biography of Fats Navarro
{{DEFAULTSORT:Navarro, Fats 1923 births 1950 deaths American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters American people of Chinese descent American people of Cuban descent Bebop trumpeters Blue Note Records artists People from Key West, Florida Savoy Records artists 20th-century American musicians American male jazz musicians 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in New York (state) Deaths by heroin overdose in New York (state) Drug-related deaths in New York City 20th-century American male musicians