Kenya [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Machito | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 1957
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B000042OQU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,639 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #10 in Music > Indie Music > World Music > Caribbean & Cuba
  • #11 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Brazilian & Latin Jazz
  • #16 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > International Jazz

Track Listings

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. Minot Rama

12. Tururato

Editorial Reviews

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.

Product Description

Master percussionists Jose Mangual, Uba Nieto, Candido Camero and Carlos "Potato" Valdes join Cannonball Adderley, Joe Newman and Doc Cheatham for a classic 1957 Latin big band session arranged by the legendary Mario Bauza. First time on CD!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "MUST HAVE" MACHITO CD !!, May 23, 2006

By 

Fidels Eyeglasses (new york city, new york United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kenya (Audio 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! **********

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hot!, May 22, 2007

By 

Artichoke Girl "jeb1956" (Monterey, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kenya (Audio CD)

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic, August 8, 2010

By 

Bill Your 'Free Form FM Handi Cyber Print DJ ... (Mahwah, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Kenya (Audio CD)

I don't know a lot about Afro-Cuban Jazz, but hearing Kenya has me raring to learn a whole lot more.

With its blasting horn orchestrations and rhythm atop rhythm atop rhythm, this music is win-win. Listening to these extremely graceful, melodic, yet searing arrangements is matched only by soaking in the barrage of percussion.

Most of us have heard this music, sometime: in a film or even some of Desi Arnez's arrangements on I Love Lucy. But we are far underexposed to this suave, layered, sexy, complex genre.

I keep stopping, looking at the adjectives I'm using to describe Kenya and I am humbled. Saying words don't do music justice is too simple, especially for a music reviewer.

But it's true here. This music is so passionate and pleasing, so driv...............see, there I go again.

Just get Kenya. Play it.

And when you play it, here is one more adjective for you: LOUD!