Track Listing

1. Wild Jungle
2. Congo Mulence
3. Kenya
4. Oyeme
5. Holiday
6. Cannonology
7. Frenzy
8. Blues a la Machito
9. Conversation
10. Tin Tin Deo
11. Minor Rama
12. Tururato

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47568 in Music
• Released on: 2000-01-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
Frank Raul Grillo, also known as Machito, was the leader of The Afro-Cubans, a fiery definitive Latin-jazz big band. Not only did they sport a topnotch percussion section, featuring Candido Camero, Jose Mangual, and Uba Nieto, but they worked the arrangements of Mario Bauza, the father of modern Afro-Hispanic jazz in the U.S. This outstanding album, recorded in 1957, the same year that Tito Puente cut his historic Top Percussion sessions and Israel "Cachao" Lopez laid down his influential descargas. Named in honor the African country, Kenya, with pianist Rene Hernandez and A.K. Salim contributing compositions and arrangements, swings with the ancestral anthems that fueled the best Afro-inspired dances. "Wild Jungle" is a roaring rumba capped by special guest Doc Cheatham's zesty trumpet solo. The title track is an elegant Palladium-style lullaby graced by tenor saxophonist Ray Santoz's Lester Young lilt, and the Florida-born Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's Charlie Parker-like alto-sax riffs fly on "Oyeme," with another American, trumpeter Joe Newman. On the bata-drum-driven blues "Congo Mulence," Adderley and Newman create inspired solos off of the clave, highlighting the wonderful Afro-American and Afro-Cuban musical language Machito spoke and swung so well. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Customer Reviews

A "MUST HAVE" MACHITO CD !!
As it says above, truly a "MUST HAVE" CD for any lover / true collector of Afro-Cuban-Be-Bop Jazz. One of, if not "the best" recordings of the perfect combination of Afro-Cuban and 1957 Be-Bop!
AWESOME big band arrangements by pianist Rene Hernandez and A.K. Salim! Doc Cheatham in the Trumpet section, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley plays a KILLER Be-Bop alto-sax! And of course the percussion mastery of 'Candido Camero', 'Jose Mangual', and 'Ubaldo Nieto'
The beauty of the Kenya sessions is that they were done in 1957... when hard Bop and Afro-Cuban ruled! This CD for under $7.00 is a steal! Rated 10 stars! **********

Hot!
This recording doesn't come close to showing its age. Sound quality is fabulous, and the sizzling Cuban beats and hot musicianship will have you up and dancing.

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS CD. IT'S FUNKY, IT'S HIP, IT'S ALL OF THOSE OLD SAYINGS AND THEN SOME. BUY IT, YOU'LL LOVE IT.