Machito

Machito

Born: February 3, 1909

Machito and his Afro Cubans was an absolute powerhouse unit that lay the foundation for Latin Jazz, a seminal force in the original fusion of Cuban clave rhythms and the melodies and harmonies of jazz. They were the original Mambo Kings in New York in the ‘40s and are considered the most innovative and influential orchestra in the genre.

Francisco Gutierrez Grillo was born in Havana, Cuba on April 16, 1908. He set out to be a singer, and music became his life. He acquired the nickname Machito, as a youngster, though he was called Macho by his close friends. He sang in many local groups and also became a very proficient clave and maraca player, essential instruments in Cuban music. He relocated to New York in 1937, where he immediately found work singing and landed in Conjunto Moderno, with whom he made his first recordings. He moved on to the Conjunto Caney and recorded with them until 1939.

Latin Sounds from the Catskills + New Releases

by David Brown
August 8, 2025

First up, Sonny Rollins our man in jazz, a live free-form date recorded 63 years ago this week at the Village Gate, NYC; from there, we move into a summer set of sounds from the NY Catskill mountains via the 50s Latin jazz craze with Johnny Conquet and his Orchestra, vocalists Ruth Wallis and Abbe Lane ...

Perfection: Machito - Conversation (1957)

March 8, 2025

In the 1950s, many top New York jazz musicians found additional work playing in top Latin bands. The mambo and cha-cha-cha were in full swing, and the demand for live bands was high, especially in the smaller clubs in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. The jazz players were top sight-readers, which was a big plus. So ...

Afro-Cuban Jazz Show

by David Brown
December 19, 2024

This week, we have been checking out some sounds from Cuba, Afro-Cuban Jazz and other Latin Jazz works from the 1950s to today.Playlist Thelonious Monk “Esistrophy (Theme)" from Live at the It Club-Complete (Columbia) 01:30 Julio Gutierrez “Theme On Cha Cha Cha" from The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions (Panart Records) 03:15 Nino Rivera “Guanguanco--Comparsa" ...

Philippe Vieux

Born: January 17, 1972

The musicianship of Philippe Vieux has touched and impressed audiences and peers worldwide for over four decades, while spanning five continents.  A native of San Francisco:  he is a composer/producer, multi award winning recording artist and educator.

Starting on piano at the age of three, Philippe diligently studied music; expanding into theoretical harmony and experimentation in composition and arrangement.   By 1990, Vieux had truly found his own voice and begun to win the respect of his musical elders.  While still in high school, he placed a concentration on the saxophone and began studying composition, while simultaneously staying active by playing in orchestras and jazz groups.

Spanish Harlem Orchestra: Imagenes Latinas

by Angelo Leonardi
February 2, 2023

L'ottavo album della Spanish Harlem Orchestra celebra il secondo decennio della formazione e colleziona un'altra nomination al Grammy, dopo averne vinti tre. Guidata dal pianista e compositore Oscar Hernández, la big band �� una delle voci pi�� acclamate del latin jazz, e si pone sulla scia dei leggendari Manny Oquendo, Barry Rogers, Andy e Jerry Gonzalez ...

Machito

Roxana Amed: Un��nime

by Angelo Leonardi
November 7, 2022

La relazione tra jazz e musiche latine �� quanto mai vasta e risale ai primi del Novecento ma il termine latin jazz �� stato generalmente limitato alle relazioni col bacino caraibico, rese popolari dai vari Machito, Mario Bauza, Tito Puente, Chico O'Farrill eccetera. La cantante argentina Roxana Amed �� tra quelle personalit�� musicali ...

Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band at Dimitriou��s Jazz Alley

by Jack Gold-Molina
September 24, 2022

Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band Dimitriou's Jazz Alley Seattle, WA August 12, 2022 Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band performed two sets at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley on Friday, August 12th. Still touring to support 2019's Trane's Delight, they have faced numerous cancellations and delays due to COVID restrictions. As Mr. ...