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Authentic Cuban sound stays solid at the heart of its roots
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In the wake of World War II, three of the most celebrated and influential Cuban musicians of all time got together and created some of the best traditional Cuban music ever produced.
Between 1947-1953, as the Allies and the rest of the world struggled to get back on their feet after years of massive destruction and the horrors of war, Luciano “Chano” Pozo, Arsenio Rodríguez and Francisco Grillo, better known as Machito, joined their talents and made musical history along the way.
Part of what resulted from these magical meetings are compiled on this week’s pick, “Legendary Sessions: Chano Pozo and Arsenio Rodríguez, featuring Machito and his orchestra,” a 1992 Tumbao Cuban Classics series album which recollects some of their best performances.
Recorded in various jamming sessions in Havana and New York City, the 16-track production features 11 original songs by Rodríguez and five by Pozo, of which four are in the form of medleys.
Blending the simple harmonies of the tres, clave, bongos, maracas, tumbadoras and trumpets, it echoes the sounds of Cuba’s countryside, capturing the simplicity and richness of son, guaguancó and guajira — the styles which later gave shape to the pulsating classic salsa sound of the 1970s.
Among the set’s tracks are “Serenade,” Seven Seven,” “Rumba en swing,” “Porque tu sufres,” “Tumba palo cucuyé,” “Tocoloro,” “Cumayé,” “La yucca de Catalina” and “El reloj de pastora.”
Another highlight of this set are the collaborators, who include Mario Bauzá on trumpet and sax, Tito Rodríguez, Olga Guillot and Miguelito Valdés, four of the era’s biggest Cuban and Puerto Rican singers and musicians.
The album’s sound quality is relatively poor, but the essence of the music and singing burst out successfully nonetheless.
A bit of history would help understand why the trio — Pozo, Machito and Rodríguez — have been so influential within the Latin music world in general and why generations of leading Latin jazz and salsa stars continue recording their cross-cultural and timeless songs.
Born in Havana in 1915, Chano Pozo became a singer, dancer, conga drummer and composer during his years as a teenager. At 25, he had already achieved a great deal of notoriety in his homeland after penning the hits “Blen, blen, blen” and “Pin pon pan” and “Llora.”
But it wasn’t until 1945, when he met Bauzá that he had the break to record with big-name stars in New York City.
Once established in The Big Apple, Pozo hooked up with the legendary U.S. bebop jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who had always shown an interest in enriching traditional jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythms, and became a regular in his band. By doing so, Pozo became the first Latin “conguero” to play in a jazz band in the United States.
With Pozo as one of his sidemen, Gillespie recorded “Afro-Cuban Suite,” “Manteca” and “Tin Tin Deo,” three masterful tracks that have been recorded over and over again by generations of celebrated Latin jazz stars.
For his part, Rodríguez was a descendant from African Congolese tribesmen born in Matanzas, Cuba who became a recognized composer and “tres” guitar player. Between 1947-1971, Rodríguez produced some of the best music that Cuba has ever offered.
Meanwhile, Machito is known for his pioneering work in the Afro-Cuban jazz scene. During his years as a singer, maraca player and musical director, he performed with Conjunto Caney and Xavier Cugat, as well as shared the stage with Herbie Mann, Charlie Parker and Chico O’Farrill.
Undoubtedly, “Legendary Sessions: Chano Pozo and Arsenio Rodríguez, featuring Machito and his orchestra,” offers a delightful serving of traditional Cuban music, making it one of the best compilations of its kind.
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