Machito's legacy: the Machito Orchestra was among New York City's top five most popular orchestras for twenty years beginning in 1940. On Sunday, April 13, 1984, he died in London, England, at age 75. The following is a resume of Machito's career

Latin Beat Magazine, June-July, 2002 by Max Salazar

Frank "Machito" Grillo: Musician, Vocalist and Composer.

Experience: Born in the district of Jesús María, Havana, Cuba, in 1909. Almost from the time he was born, Machito was influenced by the music of Havana and the songs of street vendors. As a youngster he sang with the juvenile band "Los Jovenes Redención." He gained experience with El Sexteto Occidente, Ignacio Piñeiro's Sexteto Nacional, El Sexteto Alabama and El Sexteto Universo before he left Cuba for New York City in October 1937. His first job in New York City was with the quartet Las Estrellas Cubanas.

In 1938, he made bis first recording with El Conjunto Moderno as second voice in the chorus. His first recording as a lead vocalist was with the Noro Morales orchestra, followed by recordings with Conjunto Caney and Xavier Cugat.

In 1940, Machito was singing lead with Alberto Iznaga's La Siboney. Months later, he left La Siboney and formed his own orchestra. In January, 1941, jazz trumpeter Mario Bauzá left the Cab Calloway orchestra, joined the Machito Orchestra and became its musical director. A successful debut at New York City's Park Palace Ballroom led to a Decca label recording contract. Five recordings--Sopa de Pichón, La Paella, Tingo Talango, Chacumbele and Nague--attracted attention. Bauzá's selection of Afro-American jazz musicians was the element that gave rise to the orchestra. Their interpretations of Afro-Cuban music added a jazz flavor, which set the band apart from other orchestras.

On Monday, May 30, 1943, at a band rehearsal at the Park Plaza Ballroom located at 110th Street & 5th Avenue, Afro-Cuban jazz was born, when Mario Bauzá composed the tune Tanga. Although Tanga was being heard via radio broadcasts from La Conga Club in late 1943, Afro-Cuban jazz was introduced at NYC's Town Hall on January 24, 1948.

Recordings: Between 1941 to 1979, the Machito Orchestra recorded 417 78-RPMs, 52 albums and 17 other LPs shared with various artists. Machito's voice is heard on 284 78-recordings with Noro Morales, Xavier Cugat, Caney, La Siboney, Conjunto Batiri, Marcelino Guerra, Tito Puente and the Gaucho All Stars. Since July 1941, the Machito orchestra has recorded for the labels of Decca, Verne, Continental, Roost, Mercury, Columbia, Seeco, Tico, Coral, GNP, RCA, Cotique, United Artists, Merricana, Coco, Guacho and Timeless. There were also live performances that emanated from La Conga Club radio remotes: Club Brazil in Los Angeles, Royal Roost Club, Bop City, the Apollo Theatre, the World War II broadcasts "Saludos Amigos," and Birdland.

Of all his recordings, the Machito orchestra is identified most with Tanga, Asia Minor and Mambo Inn. Among the widely known artists who have appeared on Machito recordings are Tito Puente, Charlie Palmieri, Olga Guillot, Graciela, René Hernández, Marcelino Guerra, Lalo Rodríguez, soloists Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Flip Phillips, Brew Moore, Howard McGhee, Cannonball Adderly, Johnny Griffin, Curtis Fuller, Herbie Mann, Lenny Hambro, Joe Newman, Doc Cheatham, Jon Faddis, Cachao, José "Chombo" Silva, Mauricio Smith, Ray Santos, Mario Rivera, Cándido, José Mangual and Patato Valdés. His 1976 Coco LP Fireworks was one of five nominations to reach the Grammy finals. Machito earned a Grammy for his Timeless label LP Machito and His Salsa Big Band, 1982.

Performances: The Machito Orchestra has shared billing with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Billy Eckstine, George Shearing, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, Royal Roost, Bon City, Club Clique, Bandbox Birdland, Apollo Theatre (15 times), Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Palladium. Dancers have moved to his Latin rhythms at La Conga Club, Park Plaza, Palladium, Chez José, Corso, Chateau Madrid, Concord Hotel (20 years), and in 15 American cities during 1954-55 when he and Joe Loco took the "Mambo U.S.A." concert on tour.

There have been performances in Puerto Rico, Haiti, Panamá, Colombia, Perú, Venezuela, Japan, France, Germany and Finland. One of the orchestra's most memorable performances occurred when it backed Tito Rodríguez during the popular vocalist's last performance at Madison Square Garden in February, 1973.

Personal Information: In 1940, Machito married the former Hilda Torres, of Puerto Rican heritage. They had six children and seven grandchildren. During April 1943, Machito entered the U.S. Army and while stationed at Fort Hood Texas, he learned to cook. To a composer, a phrase or a word can result in the inspiration for a song. Many of Machito's song lyrics were inspired by his experiences. There are a number of Machito milestones. The ones which merit mention are the tune Tanga; the birth of Afro-Cuban jazz; the Miguelito Valdés recordings (Decca, 1942); the first orchestra of musicians of African heritage to play at a Miami club (Mocambo, December, 1945); the performance of the tunes Nague, Tambo and Tanga in the Columbia motion picture "Tropical Night" (1946), the coast-to-coast La Conga Club broadcasts (1943); Machito Introduces Latinized Jazz (Town Hall, 1948), the Latin-bop recordings which featured Charlie Parker, Flip Phillips and Buddy Rich (Verve, 1948-49); Machito's first Apollo Theatre broadcast (1948); the Carnegie Hall concert in which the performance of Tanga added thrust to the Afro-Cuban jazz movement (February 11, 1949); the union of Machito and Chico O'Farrill for the recording of Afro Cuban Suite (Clef, 1950); the Palladium Ballroom peak years (1947-1960); the Concord Hotel years (1948-1968); the recording with Miguelito Valdés for the Tico LP Reunion (1963); the first group to perform at St. Patrick's Cathedral (January 5, 1975), and twice a finalist for Grammy category "Best Recording of the Year" (Dizzy Gillespie, Afro Cuban Moods, Pablo, 1976 and Fireworks, Coco, 1977).