by Dena Burroughs
THE BIG 3 PALLADIUM ORCHESTRA - A FEW WORDS WITH MACHITO JR.
This
Saturday, February 24th, The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra will
perform at the Luckman Complex in the Cal State LA campus.
The Orchestra will be led by Mario “Machito Jr” Grillo and Tito Rodriguez Jr, sons of Machito and Tito Rodriguez, two of the ‘Big 3’ of the Palladium era, a time in the 1950s when Mambo was at its peak. Tito Puente completed the trio.
On stage at the Luckman will be: JOHN CARLSON, LARRY MOSES, GUIDO GONZALEZ, AND HECTOR COLON on trumpets, CHARLIE LAGOND, CARMEN LABOY, JORGE CASTRO, AND, FROM L.A.: PABLO CALOGERO on Sax; JERRY MADERA on base; GILBERTO ''EL PULPO'' COLON JR. on piano; and THE VOCALISTS: SAMMY GONZALEZ, HERMAN OLIVERA, MACHITO JR, AND TITO RODRIGUEZ JR.
They will be playing selections of the Palladium Orchestra’s "Live at the Blue Note" CD, samples of which can be found at http://cdbaby.com/cd/b3po
We know the facts; we know the music of ‘The Big 3’ is fabulous, we anticipate that the Orchestra’s presentation will be superb. What I wondered was what this music represents to them, the children of ‘The Big 3’; and those things that go beyond the notes.
Amid the rush of preparing for the concert, with the traveling and rehearsals that it entails, Machito Jr. Grillo was kind enough to answer a few questions:
Dena: I read that the idea of creating The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra was yours and that you then approached Tito Puente’s widow and Tito Rodriguez Jr with it, and they, in turn, gave you their support. What was the motivation and/or the goal for this project?
Machito Jr: The reason for the creation of The Big 3 Orchestra was simple enough, and that was to pay tribute to our fathers, and give people who heard the bands before, or never had the chance to hear the bands, the chance to hear this great music in a concert as well as a dance setting. As such, it's music for all generations.
Dena: When was the Orchestra’s first performance, and how did it progress from there?
Machito Jr: Our first gig was in August of 2001, in New York City at the Verizon Jazz Festival with Wayne Shorter and Abbey Lincoln. My idea was to do ONE concert, so that it would go in the history books as something special, done by the sons, BUT it then went crazy. Offers started coming in for the band, which led to concerts in New York at the Belleayre Jazz Festival, in Philadelphia at the Kimmel Center, in San Francisco at the Concord Jazz Festival, in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl, in Detroit at the Detroit Concert of Colors, in Chicago at the Ravinia Jazz Festival, and in events in Texas, Tennesse, and internationally, in Italy and Finland. We will [also] be at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, in Florida, to start the spring of 2007.
The New York Times wrote that we are ''America's first Latin Repertory Orchestra, performing the music of the masters Machito, Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez''.
We will also be presenting a ballet for dancers entitled "MACHITO, TITO AND TITO, a dancers delight.” This is commissioned for 2008, and I am looking forward to performing it with the leading dance companies of the world.
Dena: What differences should the audience expect between the sound of your Orchestra and the sound of a Salsa band?
Machito Jr: The difference between us and a Salsa band is that we perform Afro-Cuban Jazz in a Big Band format as opposed to a conjunto/charanga format. As such, we are structured in the same way as Basie, Ellington, and Kenton. However, you will hear in our music what is the true root of today’s Salsa Bands: mambo, montuno, son, guaguanco, etc. We feature two fantastic singers, and our music is truly ''dance music.''
Dena: Now, being that this is the music of your fathers, do you experience the concert at a level beyond the notes?
Machito Jr: I always feel my dad’s presence, all the time, but even stronger when performing his music. It's a great feeling of pride and satisfaction, and I know Tito Rodriguez Jr. feels the same way. We both had great love for our fathers and had the chance to spend quality time with them, and that lasts a life time. I started working with my dad at age 14.
Dena: How did you select the musicians performing the concert under your direction?
Machito Jr: The selection of the musicians in the band is crucial for us. We want many things from them, MUSICIANSHIP, VAST EXPERIENCE IN THE BIG BAND/ORCHESTRA FORMAT, KNOWLEDGE OF THE MUSIC OF THE MASTERS, THE ABILITY TO BRING IT TO LIFE IN THE MOST AUTHENTIC WAY THAT WE CAN, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVING PLAYED WITH THE MASTERS AT DIFFERENT POINTS OF THEIR MUSICAL LIFE.
Dena: As the three sons, and being that you are all accomplished musicians on your own merit, what is the beauty of this Orchestra?
Machito Jr: The beauty of the Orchestra is that we can come together and play great music. We all maintain our own orchestras and are busy all year, but we do our best to join forces and present the music at its highest level, sometimes our schedules conflict, but we are ready to pick up the responsibility for each other.
Dena: And on that note, for those of us that are nosey… where is Tito Puente Jr this time?
Machito Jr: He is on tour at this time.
My many thanks to Machito Jr for the time he gave me. I consider it my privilege. My thanks, as well, to Richie Blondet in NYC, who worked on the first contact.
Following are several web links that you will find interesting: www.machitoorchestranyc.com / www.titorodriguezjr.com / www.bprmusic.com / www.imgartists.com
The concert tomorrow will be fantastic! See you there!
P.D.: HERE'S A FEW PICTURES OF THE PERFORMANCE IN LOS ANGELES
