· Collectors Edition
· Issued in Digipack
· 2 Original LPs on 1 CD
· Original Cover Art and Liner Notes
· Stereo Recordings
· Newly Remastered in 24-Bit
In these two albums, Machito combined all the elements needed to bring the true meaning of Afro-Cuban jazz music to the listener. Kenya is a collection of original tunes composed by A.K. Salim, and by pianist René Hernández along with Mario Bauzáthe bands musical director. The incredible bite of the brass in this album, paired with the rhythmic freedom carried by the congas, bongos, timbales, guiros, claves and maracas, are what really make the band and featured soloists shine.
Among them are arresting solos by Cannonball Adderley on alto sax and Joe Newman on trumpet, both at their best, and a remarkably crisp performance by the under-rated trumpeter, Doc Cheatham, on Chano Pozos classic Tin Tin Deo, the only tune not written for this album.
The second album, With Flute to Boot (aka Afro-Jazziac), also emphasises the colorful percussion employed in a varied ranges of rhythms, enhanced by Machitos powerful brass section. All the material here was written and arranged by the featured flutist, Herbie Mann. Not only is his talent as a flutist always evident, but throughout, his keen awareness of authenticity also marks this album as a unique jazz accomplishment. Along the way, Johnny Griffin on tenor and Curtis Fuller on trombone are given enough room to grace almost every piece with emotionally strong improvisations.
Tracklist
Total time: 74:56 min.
01. Wild Jungle 2:42
02. Congo Mulence 2:56
03. Kenya 3:10
04. Oyeme 2:46
05. Holiday 2:59
06. Cannonology 2:29
07. Frenzy 2:55
08. Blues a la Machito 2:59
09. Conversation 2:55
10. Tin Tin Deo 2:54
11. Minor Rama 3:01
12. Tururato 3:10
13. Brazilian Soft Shoe 2:20
14. Love Chant 3:12
15. Afro-Jazziac 4:23
16. Ring a Levio 2:56
17. Afternoon Death 3:30
18. To Birdland and Hurry 3:12
19. Calypso John 2:04
20. The African Flute 2:58
21. Bacao 4:33
22. Carabunta 3:43
23. The Davis Cup 3:14
24. Answer Me 3:35
Album details
Sources:
Tracks #1-12, from the 12" LP "Kenya" (Roulette SR 52006)
Tracks #13-24, from the 12" LP "With Flute to Boot" (Roulette SR 52026)
[Later reissued as "Afro-Jazziac"]
Personnel on "Kenya"
Machito, leader and maracas; Francis Williams, Adolphus Doc Cheatham, Paul Cohen, Joe Newman, Frank Paquito Davila, trumpets; Eddie Bert, Santo Sonny Russo, Bart Varsalona, Rex Peer, trombones; Julian Cannonball Adderley, Joe Livramento, alto saxes; José Pin Madera, Ray Santos, tenor saxes; Leslie Johnakins, baritone sax; René Hernández, piano; Roberto Rodríguez, bass; Ubaldo Nieto, timbales; Candido Camero, Carlos Patato Valdés, congas; José Mangual, bongos; Pedro Boulong, Jose Silva, Nilo Sierra, percussion.
Recorded at Metropolitan Studios, New York City, December 17, 19 & 24, 1957
Music arranged by Mario Bauzá, René Hernández & A.K. Salim
Conducted by Mario Bauzá
Personnel on "From Flute to Boot":
Machito, leader and maracas; personnel probably similar to the Kenya album, but Cannonball Adderley and Joe Newman, replaced by Johnny Griffin, tenor sax; Curtis Fuller, trombone, and Herbie Mann, flute added.
Recorded at Metropolitan Studios, New York City, November 1958
Music composed and arranged by Herbie Mann
Conducted by Mario Bauzá
Original recordings produced by Ralph Seijo (#1-12) and Teddy Reig (#13-24)
This compilation produced by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
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Note about the original KENYA LP record (Roulette SR 52006): Both the Palladium LP (1988) and CD (1990) releases had the correct track list, but most of the later CD editions of this album followed the EMI label copy and have the tracks Wild Jungle and Frenzy mixed up. The original liner notes describe the tunes perfectly except for a slight mistake: they state Joe Livramento plays trumpet on Wild Jungle, when he actually performs a solo on alto sax.
