Machito facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Machito
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Machito and Graciela performing at Glen Island Casino, New York, late 1940s
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo |
| Also known as | Frank Grillo |
| Born | c. December 3, 1909 |
| Origin | Havana, Cuba |
| Died | April 15, 1984 (aged 74) London |
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| Years active | 1928–1984 |
| Associated acts | Afro-Cubans |
Machito (born Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, December 3, 1909 – April 15, 1984) was a famous Latin jazz musician. He helped create and improve musical styles like Afro-Cuban jazz, Cubop, and salsa music. He grew up in Havana, Cuba, with his foster sister, the singer Graciela.
In 1940, Machito started his own band in New York City called the Afro-Cubans. With Mario Bauzá as the musical director, they mixed Cuban rhythms with the sound of big bands. Machito recorded many songs from the 1940s to the 1980s, often with Graciela singing. In 1975, he started playing with a smaller group and toured a lot in Europe. He even brought his son and daughter into the band. Machito won a Grammy Award in 1983, just one year before he passed away.
Machito's music influenced many other musicians. Famous jazz artists like George Shearing, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Stan Kenton said he inspired them. A street intersection in East Harlem, New York, is named "Machito Square" to honor him.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Machito told different stories about where he was born. Sometimes he said he was from Havana, Cuba. Other times, he mentioned Tampa, Florida, meaning he was an American with Cuban family. It's thought he was born around 1909 in either Havana or Tampa.
No matter where he was born, Machito grew up in Havana with his foster sister Graciela. Her parents raised both of them. Young Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo was called "Macho" because he was the first son born after three daughters. As a teenager and young adult in Cuba, he became a professional musician. He played in different bands from 1928 to 1937.
Machito's Music Career
In 1937, Machito moved to New York City as a singer. He worked with several Latin artists and bands. In 1940, he started his own band, the Afro-Cubans. Their first practice was on December 3 at the Park Palace Ballroom in Harlem. The band had a big band sound with trumpets and saxophones. They also used Cuban instruments like the bongo, piano, and bass.
In early 1941, Machito's brother-in-law, Mario Bauzá, became the band's musical director. Bauzá played trumpet and alto saxophone. He helped shape the band's unique sound. The band had an early hit song called "Sopa de Pichon" in 1941. This song's title was a joke about how hard it was for immigrants to make a living in New York.
Creating Afro-Cuban Jazz
Machito and the Afro-Cubans were pioneers in mixing Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz. They used jazz solos and big band arrangements. Machito was the main performer and played the maracas. Bauzá made sure the band had a strong jazz influence. He hired jazz arrangers and musicians.
Because of this, Machito's music greatly inspired American jazz musicians. These included Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Stan Kenton. Stan Kenton even wrote a song called "Machito" in his honor.
In April 1943, during World War II, Machito joined the United States Army. He was discharged a few months later due to a leg injury. Before he left, Bauzá asked Graciela to come to New York from Havana. She became the lead singer for the Afro-Cubans while Machito was away. When Machito returned, Graciela stayed with the band. They sang solo songs and duets together. Graciela also played the claves, adding to the band's percussion.
A young musician named Willie Bobo used to help the band move their equipment. He did this just to watch them play. Sometimes, he would borrow bongos and play with the band. Machito later helped him find other music jobs. Many years later, George Shearing said Machito helped him understand Latin music.
Cubop and Big Performances
In December 1947, Machito recorded with Stan Kenton. He played maracas on Kenton's hit song "The Peanut Vendor." The next month, both bands played together in New York. This helped create a lot of interest in a new style called Cubop. Machito named this style when he recorded a song called "Cubop City" in 1948.
Machito became very popular. He performed at famous venues like Carnegie Hall in February 1949. He shared the stage with other jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker. An album called Mucho Macho was released with recordings from 1948 and 1949. His band had 14 members, including three trumpeters, four saxophonists, a piano player, a bass player, and three percussionists. Graciela and Machito also added their unique sounds.
For 22 years, from the mid-1940s to the late 1960s, Machito's band played every summer at the Concord Resort Hotel. His album Vacation at the Concord (1958) gives a taste of their live shows. In 1961, Machito's five-year-old son, Mario Grillo, learned to play the timbales during these summer shows. He later played his first gig at the Palladium Ballroom with his father's band.
In 1957, Machito recorded the album Kenya. It featured many original songs. Guest musicians included Cannonball Adderley and Doc Cheatham. This album was very successful and is still recognized today.
Smaller Band and Later Years
In 1975, Machito's son, Mario Grillo (known as "Machito Jr."), joined the band. They recorded with Dizzy Gillespie on the album Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods, which was nominated for a Grammy Award. Later that year, Machito decided to tour Europe with a smaller, eight-piece band. Mario Bauzá and Graciela left the band because they doubted this new idea. However, the tour was a big success, leading to many more European tours. Bauzá later admitted he was wrong.
Mario Grillo became the musical director in 1977. That year, the band received another Grammy nomination for their album Fireworks. Machito's daughter, Paula Grillo, also joined the band as the female lead singer. The band often toured Europe under the name "Machito and his Salsa Big Band." In 1982, they made London their main base.
In 1978, Machito's band played at the Newport Jazz Festival in New York. Dizzy Gillespie performed with them. Later, Machito and Tito Puente brought their bands together on stage. They played a song for 15 minutes that Puente later renamed "Machito Forever."
In 1983, Machito won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording. The award was for his album Machito & His Salsa Big Band '82. This album was recorded quickly in the Netherlands.
Personal Life
Machito was a short man, about 5 feet 4 inches tall. He was a Roman Catholic. On January 17, 1940, he married Hilda Torres from Puerto Rico. At this time, he changed his nickname from "Macho" to "Machito." Their marriage showed that people from different Latin American backgrounds could come together in New York.
Frank and Hilda Grillo had five children: Martha, Frank Jr, Barbara, Mario, and Paula. The family lived in Spanish Harlem in New York. Machito loved cooking for his children. He even wrote songs, like "Sopa de Pichón," while in the kitchen.
Machito suffered a stroke in London in 1984. He collapsed before a concert at Ronnie Scott's club. He passed away four days later on April 19, 1984. After his death, his son Mario continued his musical legacy by leading The Machito Orchestra. His daughter Paula, who focused on her studies, sometimes sang with the group.
Mario Bauzá died in 1993. Hilda Grillo, who supported Latin music after her husband's death, passed away in 1997. Graciela, who never married, died in 2010 at age 94.
Machito's Legacy
In 1985, New York City mayor Ed Koch named the intersection of East 111th Street and Third Avenue "Machito Square." This spot in Spanish Harlem is close to East 110th Street, which was renamed "Tito Puente Way" after Tito Puente died in 2000. Machito had lived in an apartment near this intersection when he was younger.
A documentary film about Machito, called Machito: A Latin Jazz Legacy, was released in 1987. It showed an older Machito and his wife at home. It also included old videos of his performances from the 1940s and later.
Selected Albums
- Mucho Macho Machito (1948–1949)
- Kenya (1957)
- Vacation at the Concord (1958)
- Machito!!! (1983)
Images for kids
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Machito and Graciela performing at Glen Island Casino, New York, late 1940s
