Joseph Carl Firrantello (December 16, 1937 – January 10, 1986), known as Joe Farrell, was an American jazz 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. Farrell was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, United States.

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 in Corea’s most famous work “Spain,” which is considered to be a modern jazz standard.

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 also includes solo work from Farrell. Farrell was prominently featured on the Hall & Oatesrecording Abandoned Luncheonette which featured both tenor saxophone and oboe solos from Farrell. Some of the most famous funk singles of James Brown feature Farrell as a part of the brass section.