Hostos Events

Film – A screening of the documentary
“Machito: A Latin Jazz Legacy”

  • Repertory Theater
    Friday
    7:30 p.m.
  • FREE ADMISSION: Tickets required
    Tickets online
    (718) 518-4455

In a career that spanned half a century, Cuban bandleader Frank "Machito" Grillo embodied Latin Jazz and influenced several generations of musicians, contributing to a cultural explosion on the international music scene. Machito: A Latin Jazz Legacy (1987) weaves together vintage film clips and recordings, Hollywood production numbers, and one-of-a-kind street performances from 1920s Cuba to contemporary New York. Sensational shows at such hot spots as the Cotton Club highlight the golden era of Latin Jazz in the 40s and 50s.

Musicians Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, and Ray Barretto share fond memories of the scene while paying tribute to Machito. Warm and "simpatico," Machito laughs, reminisces, and plays some of the hottest Latin Jazz on film anywhere. "Hugely informative, with astonishing archival footage."—Jon Pareles, The New York Times.

A post film discussion follows, hosted by Columbia University Professor / trombonist Chris Washburne, with Machito’s son Mario Grillo, and author /Latin music historian Joe Conzo, Sr.


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