Machito

Name: Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo
Date of birth: December 3, 1909
Deceased: April 15, 1984
Place of birth: Havana, Cuba

Machito was an influential Latin jazz musician from Cuba. Machito's band of the 1940s, the Afro-Cubans, were among the first to fuse Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz improvisation. Machito was the front man, singer, conductor, and maraca player of the Afro-Cubans and its successors. Machito's brother-in-law Mario Bauza, who was also the musical director, influenced Machito to hire jazz-oriented arrangers.

The son of a cigar manufacturer, Machito emigrated to America in 1937 and joined La Estrella Habanera as a vocalist. He recorded with the then-dominant Latin bandleader Xavier Cugat.  In 1984 Machito succumbed to a fatal stroke during a concert in London, England.

Trivia:
In 1983, he won a Grammy Award in the Best Latin Recording category for "Machito & His Salsa Big Band '82".

His song "Mambo Mucho Mambo" has featured on the sound track for the game Grand Theft Auto Vice City.

The album Kenya was added to the list of albums '1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die' in 2005.

Discography:
Main Releases
2009 Esta Es Graciela
2009 La Herencia
2008   1982 Machito
2008   The Early Years
2008   Machito The Early Years
2007 Cha Cha Cha at the Palladium
2006 Soul Of Machito
2006 Machito!!! The Best of Latin
2006 Latin Cool Classics
2006 Machito And His Afro-Cubans
2004 Chill House Sensation: London
2004 Precious Lullabies
2004 The Latin Kings
2002 Mambo Mucho Mambo: The Complete Columbia Masters
2000 Machito Y Graciela
2000 Blen Blen Blen
2000 Reggae's Greatest
1999 Baila Baila Baila: 1943-1948
1999 Don't Tease Me
1996 Machito & His Afro Cubans
1996 Muy Sentimental
1995 Yogi in My House
1995 Yodeling Cowgirl
1994 Yo Soy La Rumba
1993 Trucker's Jukebox, Vol. 3 [Columbia]
1993 Rap: Bass Assault
1993 Cubop City
1993 Rap: Today's Greatest Hits
1990 Approximately
1983 Machito!!!
1982 Live At North Sea '82
1978 This is Machito and His Afro-Cubans
1961 Machito At The Crescendo
1958 Vacation At The...
1957 Kenya: Afro-Cuban Jazz
1954 Tremendo Cumban
1949 Mucho Macho  
 
Singles
2009 Diferente
2009 Tea For Two
2009 Bananas
 
Compilations
2009 A !Gozar! Latin Grooves On Blue Note Dance Latino! Mambo No.5 / Original Latin Hits
2009  Envoyes
2008  Hot Nights At The Palladium
2008  Mojito Latino
2007 Cuba
2007 Pachanga At The Palladium Vol. 1
2007 Chavirants Cha-Cha-Cha Chantés
2007 Rumba At The Palladium Vol. 1
2007 Bailando At The Palladium Vol. 1
2007 Coconut Groove
2007 Knockout
2007 Mambo At The Palladium Vol. 1
2007 Cha Cha Cha At The Palladium Vol. 1
2007 Bananas Swing
2007 ambo Mucho Mambo
2006 Gringo - Reggaeton Con Navidad
2006 The Mambo Kings
2006  Ambassadors Of Rhythm
2006  Mambo Mania!
2006  Latin Lounge Jazz - Spanish Harlem
2006  Latin Lounge Jazz - Havana
2005  Latin Masters: Ricci, Ricci
2005  Latin Masters: Mamboscope
2005  Mambo Caravan
2003 Salsa: The Essential Album
2003 Lullaby Of Birdland
2003 Manteca! The Roots Of Afro-Cuban Jazz
2002 Latins from Manhattan
2002 Grand Theft Auto Vol. 7: Radio Espantoso
2002 Chacharicha
2002 Vamos A Bailar!
2002 The Pablo Sampler
2002 Cocktail Hour: Latin Swing Time
2002 Cocktail Hour: Mambo Nights
2001 Saoco! Masters of Afro-Cuban Jazz
2001 Mas Mambo Mania: More Kings and Queens of Mambo
2000 Cuba Legends: The Myths
2000 Latino Blue: Blue Note Jazz Con Sabor Latino
1999 Cocktail Hour: Mambo Jambo
1995 Salsa Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
1995 Mambo Mania: The Kings & Queens Of Mambo
1994 The Verve Story 1944-1994
1993 The Original Mambo Kings: An Introduction to Afro-Cubop
1993 Los Bravos Del Ritmo
1960 Jazz Scene
 
 
By Lourd Vijay
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About the Author: Lourd Vijay is the principal Promoter of Latin culture, music and dance in the Asian Region. He recently stood 10th at the “most Popular Entrepreneur of the year 2009” amongst 180 nominees from across the country. An innovative choreographer and a very able instructor, he is the director of the Lourd Vijay’s Dance Studios (www.lvds.in) in India.