Object Details
- Artist
- Manny Vega, born 1956
- Sitter
- Machito, 1908 - 1984
- Exhibition Label
- Born Havana, Cuba
- Named “the original New York Latin bandleader” by New York Magazine in 1969, Machito was a groundbreaking talent. His collaboration with African American musicians furthered the development of jazz and helped define Afro-Cuban jazz, Latin jazz, and salsa.
- Born Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, the maracas player and singer Machito left Cuba for New York City in 1937. Three years later, he established the legendary band Machito and His Afro-Cubans, with his brother-in-law, the trumpeter Mario Bauzá, and the singer Graciela (Pérez-Gutiérrez). Starting in 1948, they were the headliners at the famous Palladium Ballroom in Midtown Manhattan, helping to integrate Jewish, Latino, and African American audiences. Collaborating with jazz giants such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Cannonball Adderley, the band created a unique sound that combined Cuban mambo and the rhythmic phrasing of clave with jazz. By portraying Machito from below, Manny Vega conveys the sensation of witnessing a live performance up close.
- Nacido en La Habana, Cuba
- Reconocido por New York Magazine en 1969 como “el primer director de una banda latina en Nueva York”, Machito fue un talento innovador. Su trabajo con músicos afroamericanos fomentó el desarrollo del jazz y contribuyó a definir el jazz afrocubano, el jazz latino y la salsa.
- El nombre verdadero de este maraquero y cantante era Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo. Se fue de Cuba a Nueva York en 1937 y tres años después fundó la legendaria banda Machito y sus Afrocubanos con el trompetista Mario Bauzá, cuñado suyo, y la cantante Graciela (Pérez Gutiérrez). A partir de 1948 fueron la atracción principal del famoso salón de baile Palladium, en el centro de Manhattan, y aglutinaron a públicos judíos, latinos y afroamericanos. Colaborando con gigantes del jazz como Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker y Cannonball Adderley, la banda de Machito creó un sonido único que combinaba el mambo cubano y el fraseo rítmico de la clave con el jazz. Manny Vega dibujó a Machito visto desde abajo, creando la sensación de estar presenciando una de sus actuaciones.
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; museum purchase through the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center
- 2018
- Object number
- NPG.2022.8
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright
- © Manuel Vega
- Type
- Drawing
- Medium
- Pen and ink on paper
- Dimensions
- Image/Sheet: 70.8 × 67.6 cm (27 7/8 × 26 5/8")
- Frame: 88 × 86 × 5 cm (34 5/8 × 33 7/8 × 1 15/16")
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Location
- Currently not on view
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- Interior
- Music\Musical instrument
- Costume\Jewelry\Ring
- Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Mustache
- Machito: Male
- Machito: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician
- Machito: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician\Singer\Jazz singer
- Machito: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician\Jazz musician
- Machito: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician\Bandleader
- Machito: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician\Percussionist
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.2022.8
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4a79e1d5a-e117-49ea-b1f9-e9a9430e09cd
