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Tributo a Cachao KPFA FM; & "Cachao: Uno Mas" on PBS TV

20 Sep

From the Radio Cuba Canta archives in honor of the recent birthday of Israel López Cachao (14 September 1918 – 22 March 2008) and the Television premiere of the documentary film, Cachao: Uno Mas, on PBS’ American Masters on September 20, 2010 (check local listings)

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(note: the program includes KPFA‘s own Luis Medina!)

Broadcast veteran and Cuban music historian Emiliano Echeverria offers a retrospective tribute to the life and music of Cachao, with rare and classic tracks featuring his Danzones and Mambos to Descargas and experimental recordings, with groups from Arcano y su Maravillas, Chico O’Farrill, the Tito Rodriguez Orchestra, Walfredo de los Reyes with Louie Bellson, and Patato & Totico with Arsenio Rodriguez; as well as with Issac Delgado, his collaborations with his brother Orestes, and his own recordings.

Produced and hosted by Emiliano Echeverria
Associate producers: Ron Flores and Clay Leander – aka “CTone
Community Calendar produced by

Original Broadcast: March 22, 2008
KPFA 94.1 FM – San Francisco Bay & Northern California
KPFB 89.3 FM – Berkeley
KFCF 88.1 FM – Fresno

Listen NOW:
Radio Cuba Canta – March 22, 2008

Mp3 Playback (iTunes, WinAmp, Windows Media):
Radio Cuba Canta – March 22, 2008

More about  Cachao in San Francisco:

Cachao maintained a beautiful relationship with the San Francisco Bay community, where in 1989 he was a featured guest at the San Francisco Jazz Festival for the concert event, La Evolucion de la Musica Afro-Cubana featuring colleagues and collaborators including Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros, Orestes Vilató, Armando Peraza, Walfredo de los Reyes, and Carlos Santana, presented by John Santos and the Machete Ensemble and Coro Folklorico Kindembo.

Renown Cuban-American actor Andy Garcia, in town while working on the film Godfather III was in attendance that evening, met Cachao, and the rest is history: the two would work together on a number of projects over the years, including the film “Como Un Ritmo No Hay Dos“, and 2004’s ¡Ahora Sí! which won a Grammy Award for “Best Traditional Tropical Album“.

In Spring of 2005 Cachao would return to San Francisco for concerts at the Yerba Buena Garden Center and Bimbo’s 365 Club, which was filmed by San Francisco State University’s new DOC FILM INSTITUTE.

In Spring 2008 Cachao was scheduled to return for the premiere of “Cachao: Uno Mas” at the San Francisco International Film Festival , but it was not to be: after a brief illness, he passed away on the morning of March 22, 2008 in Miami, Florida. Radio Cuba Canta broadcast a tribute that evening. Our own C-Tone wrote his impressions at his website.

Just before Cachao‘s passing, San Francisco pianist  Rebeca Mauleon who has performed and recorded with el Maestro wrote an excellent article for Bass Player Magazine further examining Cachao’s music and technique, for future all musicians and students to discover.

Video clips featuring Cachao:

Israel López Cachao, con Bebo Valdez

Trailer – “Cachao: Uno Mas

Cachao at Tempo Latino Festival – 2007

Interviews with Andy Garcia & John Santos on Cachao at the SFIFF 2008

 
 

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