Cuban Musicians Honored at the Smithsonian Institute

Latin Beat Magazine, April, 1999 by Max Salazar

At 7:30 p.m., an audience of 500 heard the Machito orchestra's versions of Buena Noche Che Che, Buscando La Melodía, Yo Soy La Rumba, No Sera Para Ti, Pineiro Tiene Razón, Rumbantella, Mambo Inn, Cuban Fantasy and Babarabatiri. The sounds were libidinous, searing hot. Pianist Gil Colón's montunos were torrid. Vocalist Herman Olivera, a tall, lanky, handsome Puerto Rican, was an audible and visual treat. Like a true sonero, he ad-libbed lyrics which would have had Machito beaming with pride. When he wasn't singing he was mamboing on stage and compelled many in the audience to dance in the lobby.

As master of ceremonies, I mentioned the brief backgrounds of each musician intended to receive an award. I mentioned that Mario Grillo, Machito's youngest son, was born on March 17, 1956 in New York City, that he began performing in 1961, became a regular substitute in 1970 and finally musical director in 1975.

Then the orchestra's history. "In 1940, Frank Grillo, a vocalist, a.k.a Machito, organized his orchestra. Trumpeter Mario Bauzá, his brother-in-law, got tired of playing out of town one-nighters and long bus trips and decided to join the Machito Orchestra. In January, 1941, Mario Bauzá left the Cab Calloway orchestra and became Machito's musical director. At Bauzá's request, jazz music arrangers Edgar Sampson and John Bartee helped to develop the big band sound of MACHITO AND THE AFRO CUBANS. In 1941, Machito's Decca label recordings Sopa De Pichon and La Paella became hits and enabled the Afro-Cubans to perform at La Conga Club in midtown Manhattan. It was at La Conga Club during May, 1943, that Mario Bauzá was inspired to create Afro-Cuban jazz, now known as LATIN JAZZ, when he composed the tune TANGA. The Machito Orchestra was New York's most popular Latin dance band between 1945 and 1954 Machito's orchestra performed the New York Daily News 1946 Harvest Moon Ball and introduced Afro-Cuban jazz on January 24, 1948 at New York City's Town Hall. On February 11, 1949, the Machito Orchestra became the first Latin music aggregation to perform at Carnegie Hall for Norman Grantz's Jazz At The Philharmonic. In January, 1949, the Machito Orchestra became the first to break away from the traditional under-three-minute recording with its 5 minutes, 6 seconds version of Tanga for Verve Records. There are many other milestones, too numerous to mention here. On April 16, 1984, Machito died in London, England. Mario Bauzá died June 11, 1993...but the Machito Orchestra lives on...through Mario Grillo, Machito's son.

"Alfredo 'Chocolate' Armenteros," I continued, "was born in Ranchuelo, Santa Clara, Cuba. Fondly known as 'CHOCOLATE' when he was mistaken for Cuban Featherweight World Boxing Champ Kid Chocolate, he began his music career in the late '30s with Los Hermanos Valladares. In 1949, Dr. Armenteros left Santa Clara for Havana where he joined El Septeto Habanero. He was with Arsenio Rodríguez's conjunto until the end of the year. From 1949 to 1953, Chocolate was part of Julio Gutierrez's trumpet section before joining La Sonora Matancera. Before 1953 ended, Chocolate scouted musicians for the creation of the Benny Moré big band. Chocolate has recorded with Arsenio Rodríguez, René Alvarez, Benny Moré, José Fajardo, Machito, Johnny Pacheco, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, César Concepción, Larry Harlow, Joe Cotto, Moncho Leña, vocalist Roberto Torres, Cachao, Machito and Alfredo Valdés' Las Estrellas Caiman. In 1977, he won the Latin New York magazine's award as 'Best Trumpeter of the Year' for his ad-lib inspirations for Tipica Novel's Fania album With A Touch Of Brass.