Machito And His Orchestra - Le Gusta Mi Pais
- 9 years ago
Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, Machito [1908-1994]
Machito was born in Havana, where he worked as a singer from a young age. In 1937 he came to New York as a singer of the orchestra La Estrella Habanera, and continued to work with several Latin bands in New York, including Noro Morales and Xavier Cougat.
In 1940 he formed his own orchestra, Machito and his Afro-Cubans, and a year later hired his brother Mario Bauza as musical director. Under the direction of Bauza, Machito and his Afro-Cubans they created a unique fusion of jazz harmonies with Afro-Cuban rhythms and forms, as evidenced by his hits "Barababatiri" and Nagüe ".
Among the famous musicians who worked with Machito's orchestra found the singer Miguelito Valdés and percussionist Tito Puente. Machito's sister, Graciela, also joined the orchestra as a singer in the 1940s.
During the height of the popularity of the mambo in the 1950s, the Machito orchestra in great demand, playing regularly at the Palladium Ballroom and other New York clubs. After mambo's popularity declined in the 1960s, Machito and his Afro Cubans became rather orchestra repertoire, known by his Latin jazz.
Machito died of a stroke during a concert in London in 1984, but the band was reorganized under the direction of his son Mario Grillo, who changed his name to Machito's Orchestra, and continued performing to the present.
Machito was born in Havana, where he worked as a singer from a young age. In 1937 he came to New York as a singer of the orchestra La Estrella Habanera, and continued to work with several Latin bands in New York, including Noro Morales and Xavier Cougat.
In 1940 he formed his own orchestra, Machito and his Afro-Cubans, and a year later hired his brother Mario Bauza as musical director. Under the direction of Bauza, Machito and his Afro-Cubans they created a unique fusion of jazz harmonies with Afro-Cuban rhythms and forms, as evidenced by his hits "Barababatiri" and Nagüe ".
Among the famous musicians who worked with Machito's orchestra found the singer Miguelito Valdés and percussionist Tito Puente. Machito's sister, Graciela, also joined the orchestra as a singer in the 1940s.
During the height of the popularity of the mambo in the 1950s, the Machito orchestra in great demand, playing regularly at the Palladium Ballroom and other New York clubs. After mambo's popularity declined in the 1960s, Machito and his Afro Cubans became rather orchestra repertoire, known by his Latin jazz.
Machito died of a stroke during a concert in London in 1984, but the band was reorganized under the direction of his son Mario Grillo, who changed his name to Machito's Orchestra, and continued performing to the present.