Machito Y Su Orquesta - Yo Soy La Rumba

compilation reissued 1994

Polydor / Polygram Latino
(also WS Latino re-issue 1993)

Ten songs released in the 1965 album Mucho Mucho Machito

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc

1. El Guardia Con El Tolete 3:10 (R. Becker)
2. Risque 3:15 (A. Barroso, H. Sanguinetti)
3. Baja El Caballo 3:25 (F. Grillo)
4. Lo Llevo En Mi 3:22 (B. Manrique)
5. Yo Soy La Rumba 3:55 (M. Guerra)
6. Noche De Ronda 2:52 (M. T. Lara)
7. Tanga 3:31 (M. Bauza)
8. Mi Cancion Es Para Ti 3:20 (L. Homes, B. Manrique)
9. Asi No Se Quiere A Nadie 2:45 (M. Guerra)
10. Es Que No Comprendes 3:22 (C. Abreu)
11. Entre Juanito Y Jose 2:57 (F. Grillo)
12. Balanza 3:02 (J. Gonzalez)

Ten of the twelve songs were originally released in 1965 in the album "Mucho Mucho Machito" featuring Graciela and Marcelino Guerra. The two extra songs are tracks 4 and 12 - skip those songs and this CD is identical to Mucho Mucho Machito.

Six of the songs are Boleros with Graciela at lead vocals. These are all the even-numbered tracks.

For me the big reason to get this album was the Marcelino "Rapindey" Guerra songs - especially Yo Soy La Rumba, which has been covered later by among others La Sonora Poncena and re-titled Ahora Si. Asi No Se Quiere A Nadie might be worth playing too - we'll see. The version of Tanga here has better sound quality especially compared to the radio recordings from the 1950s.

Musicians include:

Frank Grillo "Machito" / Lead Vocals, Maracas
Graciela / Lead Vocals
Marcelino "Rapindey" Guerra / Lead Vocals
Mario Bauza / Trumpet
Rene Hernandez / Piano

Machito - Relax and Mambo

Compilation of recordings from 1942 to 1953

Released 2007
Living Era
ASIN B000M344ZM

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc

1. Relax and Mambo 3:06 (Machito, Mario Bauza, Rene Hernandez)
2. Sopa De Pichon 3:08 (Machito)
3. Tingo Talango 3:13 (Julio Cuevas)
4. La Paella 3:09 (Machito)
5. No Noise 5:50 (John Bartee)
6. Mango Mangue 2:51 (Gilberto Valdes, Marion Sunshine)
7. Okiedoke 3:13 (Machito, arr. Rene Hernandez)
8. Tanga 6:57 (Mario Bauza)
9. Mambo, Mucho Mambo 3:00 (Blanco Suazo)
10. Si Si, No No 3:10 (Blanco Suazo)
11. Jungle Dreams 2:59 (Ernesto Lecuona)
12. Asia Minor 3:08 (Roger King Mozian)
13. Un Poquito De Tu Amor (Julio Gutierrez)
14. Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite I. Cancion 2:55 (Chico O'Farrill)
15. Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite II. Mambo 5:54
16. Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite III. 6/8 2:11
17. Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite IV. Jazz 3:39
18. Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite V. Rhumba Abierta 2:33
19. Mamboscope 2:22 (Lennie Hambro)
20. Consternacion 2:41 (George Shearing)
21. Feeding the Chickens 2:41 (Rene Hernandez)
22. Mambo Sentimental 3:00 (D'Juri, Yatasto)

This compilation gives excellent overview of Machito and His Afro-Cubans from 1942 to 1953. The major works here include Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite (with guest Charlie Parker) and the signature Afro-Cubans piece, Tanga. One song (Mambo Sentimental) made salsanewyork.com honor list as Salsa/Mambo and another (Relax and Mambo) made salsanewyork.com honor list as Cha Cha.

Musicians include

Mario Bauza, Bobby Woodlen, Paquito Davilla (5-22), Sweets Edison (14-18), Al Stewart (14-18), Eddie Medina (19-22) / Trumpet
Freddy Zito (19-22), Eddie Bert (19-22), Vern Friley (19-22) / Trombone
Johny Nieto (2-4), Gene Johnson (5-22), Fred Skerrit (5-22), Charlie Parker (solo 5-7, 14-18), Lennie Hambro (19-22) / Alto Saxophone
Pin Madera (2-4), Jose Madera (5-22), Flip Phillips (solo 5, solo 8, 14-18)/ Tenor Saxophone
Frank Gilberto Ayala (2-4), Rene Hernandez (5-22) / Piano
Julio Andino (2-4), Bobby Rodriguez (5-22) / Bass
Luis Miranda (2-13), Rafael Miranda (14-22), Chino Pozo (14-18) / Conga
Tony Escollies (2-4), Ubaldo Nieto (5-22) / Timbales
Bilingue (2-4), Jose Mangual (5-22) / Bongos
Leslie Johnakins / Baritone saxophone
Sol Rubin (14-18) / Tenor saxophone, Baritone saxophone
Chico O'Farrill / Conductor (14-18)
Graciela Grillo Perez / Lead vocals (10, 13, 22), Claves (11-13)
Frank Raul "Machito" Grillo / Lead vocals, Maracas, Director

Personnel and recoding date for track 1 is unknown.