Kenya

Very good, very lively, lots of energy

This album is a great Afro-Cuban jazz statement. The horns are bright and expressive, yet the shimmer and flash is undergirded by a fantastic rhythm section. The melodies and improvisations are top notch as well. Overall, this album is a joyful and nuanced look at Afro-Cuban jazz.

Luuuuuuucy… you have some 'splainin to do. I have to wonder if the Ricky Ricardo character is partially influenced by Machito. Regardless, it's nice hear more jazz on this list. Kenya sets the bar for afro-cuban jazz that it wasn't until today that I really see the connection to today's contemporary latin music. 4/5.

Not over-sure what this has got to do with Kenya, like. Or the Congo. Seems like some pretty good Latin jazz, occasionally veering a bit towards samba. I mean it's good Latin jazz, in that way you kind of expect it to be playing in a restaurant or a theme bar.

Jazz latino. Está bien. Un 4.

Great to have some variety in this listen. Fantastic in its genre, makes you want to dance!

Good energy, good fun.

Beautiful x

po bueno

Probablemente de lo mas influyente en la historia de la música que he escuchado. Pd. Cuphead ahh music

Favourite tracks: wild jungle; Congo mulence

Bounced right off this one.

I don't think this is my kind of jazz... feels like the soundtrack to an 80s Disney caper

I dig it

Ooh I really like Cuban jazz but I’ve never heard it in this big band style before. Reminds me a little of the music in “I Love Lucy.” Really charming album with great brass solos and an energetic rhythm section with lots of small percussion.

Wow my booty started shaking immediately. I love the brass- incredibly performed, like a marching band. Very tight, powerful, and confident sound. I think "Kenya" is my favorite track so far. Great energy and the brass again is blowing me away. This was a really nice album to listen to. The brass really blew me away and I will definitely be returning to it.

Not too bad

Afro-Cuban jazz. The most fun version to play, and the most fun version to listen to. Favorite track: Cannonology

A fun little listen. Not something for every day, but it definitely creates a mood.

Not sure there's a mood I would ever be in and put this on as a result.

Without this project I would never have listened to this, so thank you albumsgenerator, I'm pleased to have heard it and broadened my horizons a little on a Sunday morning. Big band jazz with latin rhythms. Frenetic and cool. Instantly likable. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Wild Jungle Date listened: 09/07/23

Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble, Tito puente vibe zone, strong 4

Feeling it.

honestly pretty good it sounds like music you'd hear in a movie set in Cuba

Pleasant enough, but I think that under normal circumstances just one track would do. A little goes a long way.

3.5/5. Machito Machito Machitoooooo.

C'étais bien, mais je vois plus lors de film ou d'occasion. Je trouve que sans contexte l'album est un peu vide.

Fun listen, I can see myself putting this on for a smooth dinner party vibe!

Lively world jazz, not my cup of tea

Tajt 50-talsfilmlatin i adhd-tempo. Måste ha gjort bättre plattor. Minus för den inneboende stressen.

This is cool! Reminds me of a Cuba casino scene from a Bond film.

If you aren’t tapping your feet to at least one of these songs, then what’s the point? Machito’s best-known album is bursting with life and endlessly appealing rhythms.

This music is joy. It makes you feel happy and like dancing.

Fun!

J’aime bien, c’est dynamique et chill en même temps

Had me shaking

The Mask soundtrack

meh

Soothing

Groovy

Cool summer jam. But not an album I needed to hear. 6 out of 10

A bouncy and warm entrance into a genre I've had minimal exposure to. Probably better enjoyed on a deck with some liquor, rather than spreadsheeting on a Wednesday morning. I don't know how to dance, but this album makes me want to learn. Favourite tracks: Conversation, Cannonology

Horns aren’t really my favorite sound but nevertheless this was uplifting and made me feel like I was watching Office Space

All that African Jazz

Not a jazz fan

Extremely enjoyable to listen to, perfect for focusing and grooving. Had an immediate 2nd listen and will listen again later as well. Enjoyed the big band sound with the Afro-Cuban rhythms 8/10

Liked

Eh, extremely repetitive and not in a bopping way. It would change songs and I honestly didn't even notice because they sounded so similar

It was really good and nothing like I’ve had before, but did start sounding the same towards the end

Not much better than big ol brass smacking you in the face with Cuban beats holding it down. This kind of record will make you want to be in the venue where they played it live, sitting with a daiquiri in one and and a Cohiba in the other.

Kinetic Latin jazz kindling ready and raring to spark the flame of any dance floor, house party, or, in my case, Wednesday morning.

This album was fun for ten minutes and then it stopped being fun.

Kind of enjoyable but started getting close to that squealy jazz

Short and sweet. Maybe not the strongest 4 I’ll give but I liked it more than I thought I would so points for that

An unknown name to many a music listener (including myself before today), Machito is remembered by jazz aficionados as a pioneer in fusing Afro-Cuban music with big-band swing and jazz arrangements. The resulting extensive body of work includes this lively, exciting record from 1957, full of mostly original compositions. “Kenya” pivots effortlessly from bombast and noise to a cool, smooth breeze. It’s all instrumental: the “vocals” are provided by the endlessly expressive ensemble. Squealing trumpets, muted and moody trombones, breathless saxophones… they all combine to a bombastic horn section, often playing in unison to open and close each track. Each player has many a moment in the sun, and an impressive CV beyond “Kenya”: alto sax player Cannonball Adderly dominates “Cannonology” and “Frenzy”, and would go on to appear in Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue” sextet. Trumpet player Joe Newman worked regularly with Count Basie, and trombonist Eddie Bert was a regular for Charles Mingus. Listen to the dynamic opener “Wild Jungle” for all of them working in tandem, and perhaps the energetic high-point of the whole set. The best thing about “Kenya”, though- which sets it apart from a lot of other jazz I’ve heard- is the rhythm running through its veins. The Latin percussion- congas, bongos, claves- play in frantic syncopation and supply a dense base layer to every track, and it’s wonderful. To this end, there are great sequences across the whole record from all involved. The grandeur opening the title track as well as the sudden tempo switches in its final minute… the panache of the muted trumpets in the sublime “Holiday”… the rapid-fire refrains, stabs and punches punctuating “Frenzy”… the percussion break in “Tururato”. Occasionally, the sound buckles and distorts under the weight of the horns- this was 1957, after all- but somehow it only adds to raw power of this ensemble. Seeing them live must have been such a thrill. My knowledge of jazz is very limited, but today, I have to add that I’m currently staying on the Spanish island of Majorca with my family, and this music complemented my poolside relaxation perfectly. Solipsistic as it sounds, it’s easy to enjoy music more when it forms a soundtrack to our own lives and captures the places we’re in… and it’s easier to enjoy a holiday when the soundtrack is this good.

I love seeing something more unique like this coming out of the 50s here, since most of them are somewhat what you'd expect from that time period. This is a really cool mix of Cuban sounds with big beat. The cover is striking too.

This genre is really not for me

Enjoyed this in a general way, but nothing really stood out that much. Kind of reminded me a bit of a James Bond soundtrack.

Bursts out of the gate hard and fast and just keeps going. High energy mad joy good time fun. I especially love Machito's song endings: a good all horn blast bwaaah! or on the classic doo-weee-youuuu or horns up bwaah! saxes down duuuh or how the whole album ends on just a hard single BOP! Great stuff. Full marks.

As exciting as the percussion is, the rest is some instrumental big band jazz. I would have appreciated some vocals to break up the horns.

I'm just not a jazz guy and this is a little much for me.

A super enjoyable listen with great energy! I love the big band sound with the jazzy Latin flair

This was some top-tier Latin jazz. Every song was truly enjoyable.

When I want jazz, I specifically means THIS. Fast-paced, heavy brass, loud, rhythmic. So much good stuff out of this album. I’ll be coming back to this anytime I want to listen to this genre. The trumpet solos A+++

I feel bad giving this a 2 as they are clearly very talented musicians but I found the horns to be pretty annoying. This pretty short album didnt hold my interest.

Opção para jazz cubano instrumental.

I guess a classic in its kind, but way too cheerful and sunny and 'life is beautiful for me'. Come on, some energy would be appreciated

This reminded me of I Love Lucy a little bit. Didn't hate it!

Decently enjoyed most of it. A few of the faster songs didn’t really do much for me and the squealing horns sometimes got a bit grating. I did definitely enjoy the incorporation of African drums in many of the songs though. 5/10

I didn’t at all expect bongo big band, what a crazy album. Really enjoyed this one.

It's essentially big band with Cuban percussion and groove lines. Cool stuff. I got several complaints, like the excessive horn injections. Would prefer longer more developed tracks. Favorites: Congo Mulence, Oyeme, Holiday, Frenzy

Another great example of why this project is so fun. Despite loving jazz, I'd never ventured into Afro-Cuban Jazz and yet it's really fun. A cool blend of American big-band, with African rhythm, and Cuban melodies. Some complain that it's a bit one note, without enough variety, but I find the tempo and tone changes sufficiently exciting while maintaining a consistent theme for the album. It's an album for cooking, then enjoying a nice meal, then chilling with a cocktail, and maybe having a little dance. 06/04/23

I’ve made no attempt to hide the fact that I don’t like music from the 50’s throughout the course of this project. I try and go in with an open mind to records from this era, but…sweet jesus, most of them are boring. It always feels like I’m a listening to the theme song for a black and white TV show like I Love Lucy or My Three Sons. Even when it’s different, it all sounds the same. I can’t get past it. Sorry. Well, not really. All I can say is: thank god someone introduced musicians to LSD, otherwise there’s a good chance we’d still be stuck with the cloying sound of 50’s popular music.

Not my thing, I don't know how to rate this. Not bad I guess, it was fun to listen to.

Afro jazz cubain. Très agréable a l'écoute, comme le long générique d'intro d'un film d'espionnage des années 50 se passant dans un lieu exotique.

Yeah, this is decent jazz.

Dude this makes me want to put on a white jacket and go party in Havana in the 50s. Damn. I'm picturing the whole fancy club, everybody dressed up nice and drinking cocktails while the boys in the band lay down groovin beat after groovin beat.

Competent Afro-Cuban Jazz.

Kenya and Blues À La Machito go pretty hard, I like that. Otherwise, some pretty ordinary Afro-Cuban big band stuff. Enjoyable. 3 / 5 stars.

Groovy

Very different kinda jazz that i usually listen to, but it great so far

Great genre 4.5

A whole vibe. If I had any talent in making music this would be the kind of band I’d want to be in.

Very enjoyable jazz album, very tight. Jazz requires a lot of focus to really appreciate and I tried hard to give this as much as I could. It’s an exciting album that could have soundtracked a number of car chase scenes (was this in French Connection?). I think I’d need at least 10 more spins to truly appreciate this and I intend to come back, but for now it’s about a 3.5.

Picture an early sixties movie. It’s New York City at night and the streets are full of people and cars. A man, his eyes wide with panic, his hair wild, runs faster and faster through the mad streets full of garish lights and ugly strangers, his mind burning and confused. This is the music playing.

Afro-Cuban jazz will always have my heat. Favorite track: Frenzy

Wonderful album, definitely going into the library

Non il mio genere preferito

Exactly what I want to listen to when I'm two whiskeys in and cooking with friends.

I love this so much. Makes me realize I have no musical talent though…

this raised my HR, interesting but made me a little anxious

Pura arqueología para mí. Suena muy bien, me alegra escuchar música bien grabada hace tiempo.

Hey daddio.... dont be gimmie me none of your jive... let's go chilling with Jazz... 50s style... Ron Burgandy style on Jazz flute... It's great background music, and I couldn't really tell you if there was any difference between tracks.. its ok... all a bit samey and of a time... but hey man lets go chill... but doubt I'll listen to it again.

Melted my head

A good one for cooking in the kitchen! Nice mix of jazz & exotica 👍

Solid jazz, very upbeat

Not really a big fan of the genre. Not much to say about it it was just lots of jazz that I really didn’t care for. I can’t say it’s objectively bad but it’s really just not my thing.

This was new to me. I'm not very into jazz, but this was a very pleasant surprise!

Another record wildly different from what I usually listen to. This one I found very enjoyable and put a smile of my face.

Stabil Jazzig, immer rein damit.

Cuban jazz - I don't know what to s good and what is bad, but I know I was shaking my behind to this. Really enjoyed it more than I ever expected!

Super lively and fun! I listened to this a couple of times in a row at work and will absolutely be returning to it. This is exactly what I was looking for from this site.

pretty good, litt sassy jazz med litt afrikansk vibes solid 4.3

Fun in a random way.

Great fun jazz bops

Zesty! I enjoyed this amuse-bouche but forgive me, I found it just that - something to whet my appetite for something more full-spectrum.

Groovy drums

Not bad exactly, just too much of it all at once made it hard work

I really enjoyed this one. I have reasons.

"We are currently experiencing a higher-than-normal volume of calls. Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. We will connect you when one of our operators becomes available."

Awesome big band jazz, will have to check this out again sometime.

7/10 my high school self definitely would’ve given this an 8 or even a 9/10 but for me the more dissonant tracks were grating, and the recording quality could’ve been better

7/10. Jazzy. A pretty fun time

Quite entertaining. It’s not as engaging or challenging as, say, Miles Davis or John Coltrane but this album has its worthy place in the jazz canon. Alternatively, Kenya fit these nuts in your mouth?? 8/10

Nice!

Lots of horns. Not really my thing.

Didn't finish

I like this a lot. Especially the more up tempo tracks. Favorite track: Wild Jungle

I'm not really a jazz aficionado, I've listened to a good amount of the classics I suppose, liked most of them pretty well. This one hits a special spot for me though. It's energetic, dancey! I think describing it as old-timey big-band Afro-Cubano jazz gets the main idea across. Very Salsa like, with brash and kinda noisy brass and also... Bongo solos! I never thought I would be hyped for yet another bongo solo! But I was! Listened to this twice in a row and I still wanna listen to it again! Apparently I dig Latin jazz. 5/5

not that great

This is an excellent example of this sort of thing.

Loved it. The jazzy vibe was fitting with what my mind needed.

Jazz with some island-ey influence (bongos and heavy horns)

Bien, bien, bien! Perfecto para el viernes! (ONB) Mover el culete mientras se trabaja (LNB)

I felt like I was in the middle of a 1960's caper movie

Супер-джаз, єбєйший

A genre I didn't know existed, and one I probably won't be going back to - I like a lyric once in a while

Enjoyed the vibes of this one! Also enjoyed reading about the artist as I'd never heard of them before.

Great combination of Afro-Cuban rhythms and Jazz. Good energy and is just fun to listen all around. Feels both modern and old with a proper big band sound.

Thumping good Cuban Afro Jazz. Big sound, big impact.

good latin jazz

Nice 1950s jazz album for the background

Great big band Cuban style. Loved it!

meh absolutely nothing to say

ok

Meh...nothing special. 1.5/5

Great jazz album.

Nice! I always appreciate some cuban music and salsa on the list

I enjoyed the drums the most and the other instruments were pleasant but my brain associates this style of music too much with old Hollywood movies

Fun album. Amused to learn that Machito is the maraca player. I'm sure there's skill to maraca playing, but I feel it's a fairly entry level percussion instrument. One step above the triangle maybe. Percussion snobbery aside, this is great orchestra with excellent soloists and tight arrangements. Nice to finally hear 'Tin Tin Deo' after seeing it countless times in the Real Book. Also, an early Mingus tune and a Machito original that sounds suspiciously like 'Have You Met Miss Jones'.

"Kenya" is an African-Cuban jazz album by Cuban jazz musician Machito (Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo). The musicians and instruments include three percussionists, a horn section, bongos and congas. Yes, the rhythm section was prominent. The album was recorded at Metropolitan Studios in New York City. "Wild Jungle" comes out strong. A fast rumba. A very fast beat. It sounds like a marching band with the horns and the multiple percussion. The second song "Congo Mulence" is more traditional jazz. "Frenzy" lives up to its name with crazy percussion. "Blues a La Machito" is described as Cuban blues. Hmmm. This slows down things a bit. The seductive horns makes this song sound like it belongs in a private eye movie (i.e. "The Pink Panther"). The album ends with "Turutao." A rumba beat. A complex horn arrangement and horn solos. Interesting. This album reminded me a lot of Hollywood movie music. I don't have enough of a Latin jazz background/listening experience to compare, to say a Tito Puente. The highlight for me was the multiple percussions and the beats they created making this worth a listen.

I can definitely here the African rhythms paired with American Jazz and latin energy. Nice to be exposed to be a exposed to this!

Standard 3 Star world music rating

Amazing album that is impossible to resist.

Not for me. Shrill, incessantly so.

Yup

This is only the second jazz album I've gotten on here, and it's another 5-star album. I love the frenetic energy of this with the soulful Cuban drums. Truly every song is amazing from start to finish. I loved this album so much that when Spotify started playing recommended tracks when it finished, I just started it over. This will be a regular part of my jazz rotation from here on out.

Listened Before? N An unexpected treat. Great jazz album with additional tribal beats behind it. I really liked the complex horns here and the fast pacing. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Wild Jungle

Very brass heavy cuban African jazz. It is intense and in your face. Can't think when I would ever play t except to annoy the neighbors.

On essaie de me faire dire que je n'aime pas le jazz alors que j'ai vu 2 fois La La Land

un après-midi diversifié et ce n'est pas pour me déplaire

what a fun album, loved it

A really enjoyable and infectious listen. Not come across Machito before, but this is great and gets your foot tapping immediately.

Yeah, always happy to get this sort of thing.

Ok for background music while sipping on a daiquiri but I wouldn't see myself listening to this again on purpose.

Say no to bongos, kids.

too long....

Great grooves, absolutely nothing memorable that I want to listen again in my life.

I enjoyed this enough but wonder if a bosa nova revival 50 years after the fact is that essential

Je pensais pas que j’etais pret pour autant de samba ;p tout de meme j’ai apprecie .3

cool!

baita som, jazz latino e pa

cute

I respect this culturally, but it's just not really my thing.

Not really my taste but I enjoyed it

Fully enjoyable listen. Tin Tin Deo is a personal fave.

Another Cuban hitting NYC and finding cool fusions in the 50s. I have the last one a high rating although who knows who was first. Oh well the 1001 order influences the ratings.

If memory serves me correctly, I gave Willie Colón & Rubén Blades high marks because their 70s salsa was devoid of piercing horns. Tito Puente, I scored high in spite of the brassy horns because the music was danceable and I enjoyed the smooth vocalists. This music is piercing, but not danceable and without vocals so it gets a lower mark from me. Some of the pieces sound like they would be perfect for a James Bond car chase scene. I like the occasional sax and trumpet solos. This would have been quite a waker-upper in 1957 & Machito was certainly a major influence on the emerging Latin Jazz scene.

Afro Cuban music is really not my jam and this album is an extreme version of this genre. This record is too frenetic and brassy for me, and all the songs sound the same with no distinguishing features.

looks and sounds influential but not much happens during this, and that’s pretty much about it. might have to dive deeper into the genre before judging this particular release though

Pink Panther car chase rushes past us while we’re sipping Singapore Slings in a Tiki Bar

I’m not much for Jazz. And this jazz fusion with Afro Cuban sensibilities while totally fine was in fact so damned cool. I’d probably grade this up a notch because of the cool factor. The coalescence of the horns and percussion all give way to some joyful noise that’s hard to predict.

Love it. Big band meets jazz meets afro-cubano sound and rhythm.

I thought this was a pretty impressive jazz album. It was primarily high temp and had some amazing brass sounds. I felt the album did a good job of providing a unique jazz sound that in 57 was new to a lot of people. Would listen to some of this again. 7.1/10

Half of it sounded like a football marching band and half sounded like 50s jazz. Could be a good album for anyone into that music.

This is some spicy jazz I like it very much December 15, 2022

Afro-cuban jazz. Dig it. Besides Tin Tin Deo, which I was familiar with, all of the other tunes were great. Band is tight, locked in and this does not sound like it was recorded almost 70 years ago. Good music should be timeless like that. Seven man percussion section. Damn! Cannonball Adderley is on this?! Holy crap! Definitely something I am going to come back to.

Very cool, fun album. Love the tempo on this kind of jazz - Latin? Salsa? Whatever, it has that classic jazz feel without sounding dated. Felt like a party was going to break out any second.

Interesting

Picture yourself in a hot, sweaty Cuban nightclub, 1957, sipping on a Cuba Libre, beautiful people dancing close. This is the music I hear in my mind. Not necessarily my favorite type of music, but it's a nice change of pace occasionally. 3 stars.

1/12, 8%

Really good listen, the album as a whole. Really enjoyed “Congo Mulence” and “Wild Jungle.”

Like this very much, more than I would have thought!

Parts of this reminded me of The Graduate, which is never a bad thing. Other parts reminded me of Desi Arnaz. It's an overall joy.

Afro-Cuban-Latin-Jazz. You know what it sounds like. Perfect for a BBQ or montages of arriving and driving around the streets of Cuba. Best Tracks: Congo Mulence; Kenya; Holiday

Groovy and fantastic. 4 stars.

This is really good, but doesn't seem hugely African to me.

This is hella sexy.

A nice mix of jazz and African

Zeer tof, deze zomerse jazzklanken

Didn’t mind this but it did feel like I had put on an album of sixties theme tunes at one point. I found the history as the start of Latin Jazz interesting, especially how when something that sounds of its time as much as this was once fresh and new. Not the worst album I have had to listen to recently. but nothing really stood out.

This was the perfect music for a rainy morning. Sixty-five years old and still sounding fresh. Maybe I've been listening to too much Gilles Peterson of late. You can never listen to too much GP tbh. The horn stabs are so sharp that they leap out and grab you by the bollocks. OUCH! That hurt, but soulful pain is good pain, right? The rhythm helped out with the morning typing tasks. I had a very productive and enjoyable morning at the keyboard. The tunes and history here are special. They need to be remembered.

Very introspective and calm. Enjoyed it throughly. I don’t know what introspective means. 3/5

Loved the energy and rhythms. Not sure my hips and feet could keep up if I ever tried to actually dance to it but my toes were definitely tapping the whole time.

Great stuff! I love a good samba! Revenge? Of course! But why wound his body with bullets, when I can set his soul on fire with a slanderous mambo? ~Tito Puente

Boogie

I know I sound like a broken record (HAHA) but can we have more of these albums and fewer generic forgettable boring 1980s post punk scottish wastes of my time? I have nothing to say about this album that isn't just a tired superlative. It's so good and restores my belief in the power of music.

Excellent afro-cuban jazz

This one is going in the regular rotation. Listened 4 or 5 times yesterday. I loved everything about it. Damn good album.

you like afro-cuban jazz?

Después de 4 días de gripe y fiebre que me atormentaron al punto de no poder escuchar ni una canción, este gran disco me hizo bailar hasta el baño.

p35. 1957. 2.5 stars 50s Latin big band jazz. Too many bongos, but perfectly acceptable otherwise. Not sure I would listen to it again.

Frenzied and fast. Kind of reminded me of those old 1940s movies or cartoons. Comparisons aside, this was a fun listen. Favorite track: Holiday

When I refreshed on yesterday's morning I couldn't hide disappointment. Couple of my previous albums were somewhat challenging, mostly instrumental, jazz-influenced. I was hoping for proper rock bangers or something similar. And I was proven so wrong! This was on fire, amazing, mood oozes all over the place.

Goloso, varia, bella musica strumentale. Percussione africana, musica occidentale sopra.

Lovely album! Smooth songs for a smooth Friday! I'm very impressed with never heard about "Machito" before. He made a real contribution to Latin culture and other Afro-Cuban cultures. I hope to get more of this kind of music here on this list!

Not my thing

Jazz

Finally, after Tom waits and experimental miles Davis, I got a jazz album that I really really like. John Coltrane was pretty good but it can’t compare to the high energy afro Cuban stuff that’s on this album. I think this is also one of the oldest albums I’ve gotten. Conversation and tin tin deo are my favs

4/5. Quite a good collection of big band songs. It’s not perfect but great musicianship and instrumentation all around.

Had me dancing with my daughter. Excellent cuban jazz

Good to listen to.

Ei tää nyt huono ollut, mutta ei toistekaan tuu kuunneltua. Paikoin tuli mieleen Ihmeperheen score, mistä plussaa.

джаз и трубы! ничего не запомнила

Strong start, descends into something quite samey. I don't say this unkindly - I could pick any of the tracks on the latter half of the album and enjoy them, but after a few I'd zone out. Coherent - but needs more flare.

This is my kind of jazz; concise, uptempo, and heavy on brass and percussion. I don't generally care for the long-winded, improvisational, "it's the notes they don't play" sort of jazz, so this was a refreshing deviation from that style. No single track truly stood out, which is why it gets 3 stars instead of 4, but if someone threw this on I'd happily listen to it in its entirety (especially if some tropical drinks were part of the equation).

Reminded me of West Side Story. Not something I'd actively listening to.

3,5/5

Fajne

Good album with some great brass-work, but didn't really do anything too bold for me, but that is just because this album is so influential to other artists, that I feel like I have heard this album before.

This was a fun album. Short and different from what I am used too.

Overraskende bra!

This album is fuuunnnky. I haven't listened to much jazz outside of pop culture stuff, so this album was really nice to listen to. Although not every song completely grabbed me, I was vibing with the whole album. Plus it's a nice length, if it was longer I might have gotten sick of it. Favorite song: Holiday Worst song: N/A

Je trouve l'écoute agréable, mais je ne suis pas assez connaisseuse pour apprécier l'innovation ou la maîtrise. Ne me laisse pas un souvenir marquant.

Probably more of a 4.5 album.

It seems rare that jazz can be fun, and usually because it incorporates a bit of a band feel, with commanding brass, aggressive yet rhythmic drumming, and sensical melodies not drowned within droll mathematics. This album is the former, a testament to lively culture and the capability of that to produce that pep in the step, a non-regrettable episode of excitement contained by what is also a master class in pure entertainment.

i hated every second of this

This style of music isn’t up my alley, ever. I thought it was interesting but that’s where the compliments sort of end. I don’t have much to say about it, truthfully.

This kind of upbeat jazz isn't usually something I'd get excited about but this was just darn enjoyable. Kinda made me happy on a cold Monday morning. Not sure if I'd always reach for this but also seems too good to give it a 3 - I do like me some instrumental jazz combos and maybe as I get older I really am getting more open-minded :D At a minimum it's really good and productive work music. Try to be in a bad mood while this is playing. 8/10 4 stars.

incredible. every song sounds similar but has its own unique flavor to it. melodies are so catchy. almost perfect. One of the best ive heard so far from this list

I think I only like jazz in small doses… smaller than this.

4.5

This was cool

Really fun frenetic jazz, yes please

Absolutely loved this! This put a smile on my face and got my hips moving and my toes tapping. Over the past week I’ve listened to it several times and the feeling has been the same every time. I feel like this is music for the hard-working regular Joe or the hard-luck fool who just wants to cut loose and forget his troubles on a Saturday night, 'cause when the jazz gets hot and your feet start moving you can’t help but be happy in your very soul. Each song carried a positive, propulsive energy; I felt I could see each musician smiling behind his instrument. And it wasn’t just that it made me feel good - even though the Caribbean beats with a Glen Miller swing screamed post-war big city it still felt incredibly fresh to me. Wild Jungle - Well I don’t know how to dance to this but my feet and hips were doing something that felt so right. Is this mambo? Salsa? All I know is it transported me to some smokey club uptown where Mickey Mantle sits in the corner not slowly getting drunk. Kenya - big band start then driving island drums Holiday - brought a smile to face with its upbeat trumpeting Frenzy - lived up to its name with its frenetic background drumbeats that lingered before each soaring solo and duet Blues a la Machito - “Sometimes I feel bad. But when I play the blues, I feel good.” Tin Tin Deo - the screaming orchestra hits just keep coming Minor Rama - sax/trumpet call and response - in stereo! Feel like I don’t want to be throwing 5’s around yet but this is a 4.5 for me for sure! I could listen to this stuff all day.

Wow, I loved this! Fully instrumental is usually my jam for Jazz, and it was super uptempo/fun. Again, I don't really have standouts because the album really kind of blended together for me, but this one will definitely go into the Jazz rotation.

Regardless of quality I’m just never gonna like the freeeflow jazz albums

There's few genres I really get nothing out of but this type of Latin jazz is one of them, does absolutely nothing for me. The band seems talented but it just doesn't vibe with me at all

Tight band and great percussion.

Not a genre id ever think to seek out, but this was really nice, made me just wanna groove and dance.

Not a huge fan of Jazz, but this had a lot of interesting themes in the music

Jazz, 1957. A funny and danceable record with a really good afro-cuban rythm. Even though I prefere other genres, I found it quite interesting and also enjoyable.

I should be listening to this album being played by a big band, not through bluetooth speakers. This is not my genre, but I have to appreciate how Machito makes me feel like I'm on the set of a 1950s film noir, with Humphrey Bogart handing me an old fashioned before we go solve a murder. As a whole, the album can be a bit samey but with the right mood and venue, this record is - in modern terms, a banger. Standout tracks are Congo Mulence & the titular Kenya.

just so cool, no complaints, a very good time

I liked this a lot! I think I'm starting to become a fan of jazz. I would consider listening to this again because it was so fun. If the rating system allowed for half stars, I'd give this 4.5 stars.

Not my type 1/5 0 songs added to library

Predicted the mid to late Sixties in the mid to late Fifties.

the gumshoe and the hepcat, original soundtrack recording

It's some really nice jazz with the African/Cuban influences, especially on the drums. At times some relaxed jazz to have on in the background, other times uplifting jazz to dance to, but it never really gets special for me. I appreciate the importance of this album in music history and am glad I listened to it a few times, but will likely never put it on again.

relaxing

It’s the sound track of every 1950-60 movie in the most perfect way. Be it beatnik or love story- incredibly fun. Enough energy to move, not the ideal album for me to relax to. It makes me want to wear all my pin-up clothes.

I’m into it. I’ll give it another couple of listens, but it’s abstract- but not too abstract

很有趣的一张爵士专，很欢乐，很丰富。总会给我一种迪士尼老动画的感觉。整个专辑声音都很满，可是听起来却一点都不累。没有任何不喜欢的单曲，很不错。

Perfect album to smoke this j to. 🤣

From 70s Disco to 50s Afro-Cuban Jazz. Yeppers. - Wild Jungle – About what I’d expect from Afro-Cuban Jazz. Lots of hand-drums percussion. The original trumpet solo is fine. Tone is not my favorite. The first percussion solo is nifty, but not varied enough to be particularly notable. Kinda blends together. Second percussion solo is a bit better. Then it ends. Kinda without a climax. - Congo Mulence – A slower track. Smoother too. I like the trumpet solos in this one. - Kenya - Another lower mid-tempo track, though not as smooth as Congo. Feels like the opening to a 50s sitcom or cartoon, lol. The longest track on the album. The transition to faster percussion and more aggressive brass doesn’t really work for me. - Oyeme – Defining sound here is the da-da-DA! trumpet riff. Lots of trumpet soloing, but no real climax. - Holiday – This one is more distinctive, which I appreciate. The sassy/cocky trumpet riff is fun. - Cannonology – A more dancy track with stronger bass. Kinda forgettable though. - Frenzy - another one where the bass takes an active role, giving this one a stronger feel. The frantic percussion lets an energy to this lacking in some of the others. This one is probably the best percussion of the bunch, with the trumpets often serving as accents instead of being the driving force. The extended percussion solo is quite nice. Like a lot of the songs, though, the climax either isn’t there, or comes too abruptly and ends. - Blues a La Machito – A slower track with a fair bit of swagger. Smooth like Congo Mulence, but not quite as memorable. The chorus of brass is kind of a grating sound too. Not sure if it’s the mastering or what, but I really don’t like that. This one does at least have a proper climax. - Conversation – Good balance with the percussion and brass. The different brass sounds do sound like they’re having a conversation, hence the name. It mostly works as a concept. A pretty good song. - Tin Tin Deo – Sounds a lot like the other songs on this album tbh. Not sure if there’s anything new here. - Minor Rama – Lots of trumpet work, and it’s hit or miss. A lot of the tones, I’m not a fan of, but the groove is really nice, as is the solo. - Turuato – The rhythm of the brass is kinda jarring. I don’t really like it. A lot of short songs on this one. Most under 3 minutes and longest is 3:28. That’s different from what I’ve come to expect from jazz, but brevity is nice for easy listening. There’s not a lot of variety on this record. It’s all trumpet and percussion music, and not much to distinguish each track, outside of Congo Mulence’s super smooth solos and Holiday’s cocky trumpet riff. The trumpet playing is nice, but I’m not the biggest trumpet fan, so a number of the tracks fall flat. This is more of an every-other-track album than a consistently good one. From reading about Machito, it sounds like he’s genuinely insanely innovative in terms of music, so it’s a bit surprising that so many of the songs here come off sounding so similar. Then again, about half the songs are really good, so… Overall, this was an enjoyable experience to listen too, though nothing just is rushing up as my favorite. It’s in a weird spot where it’s probably too good to be a 3/5 but not good enough to be a 4/5. I can’t do half stars, though, so I guess it’s a 3? To be a 4 it’d need a bit more variety or WOW moments, I think.

Good example of Afro-Cuban jazz. Lots of horns and drums.

Was fun to listen, very upbeat and engaging

Good old-fashioned jazz.

Lots of fun - not what I expected, but was tapping my foot. Not entirely sure why this is afro Jazz, but whatever it was, I liked it

It was alright.

I imagine if you're into this type of music it's good, but it's a 2.5 for me.

Nice arrangements and tasteful playing, but it all blends together.

It’s ok for jazz, not a big fan of the genre but it’s an easy listen.

Very fun, but not one I could appreciate fully because I don't understand why it is so good. I really enjoyed it, but jazz just isn't my thing.

It's a jazz record. Just not my thing.

Very good instrumental album brah

What a great album. That is "feel good" music 100%. 3.5

I don’t do Jazz

Rating: 7/10

Holy shit this is awesome I don't listen to jazz often but I'm a sucker for Afro-Cuban percussion It did end up getting a little old for me personally though

Good

Perfect, blistering and crazy, repetitive sometimes

Congo/salsa music. Was not expecting to enjoy this at all but I had it on in the background while I was working and found myself swaying along to the music. Still not really my style or anything I would listen to on a regular basis but it makes you want to move.

jazz cubano hey

Bright and splashy, exactly what you'd expect from this. I'll take it

Awesome album for productivity 4 3

I've never heard of Machito or any of the music on Kenya. I enjoyed listening to something different that I would pick for myself. I probably don't understand enough about the music to fully enjoy what is offered. There were tracks that grabbed more of my attention ("Blues a la Machito", "Holiday", "Congo Mulence") but there were also tracks that made me feel impatient to move on to the next thing ("Wild Jungle"). Kenya was good enough.

very upbeat

On one listen it doesn’t transcend high quality late night TV talk show jazz. Frenzy was a highlight.

I enjoyed it

3/5

I'll be listening to this again.

Fun!

I’ll be on a Latin jazz kick for a week now.

Jazz latino. Está bien. Un 4.

Latin jazz. Agradable.

More like a soundtrack, but fun

Jazzy

Not my jam. Seem talented tho

Enjoyed listening to it but wouldn’t rush back again. Imagine if an episode of Tom & Jerry was set in Nandos.

detta var party. Tyvärr är det lite för repetetativt, även fast albumet var bara under 40 minuter.

Fun listen. Cool album, very different to the rest of the albums listened to so far.

Kenya came across a bit too soundtrack-y, though the rhythms were neat and the playing high-quality. Seems like many of the players never really opened up, at least not in any way I could pick up.

Yes, funky, and yes, complex rhythmically, but personally, I find too much going on here, especially percussion-wise. Title track, “Holiday” and “Blues la Machito” are tops for me but there is a large amount of sameness, inclusive of much impressive playing and soloing. Plus it all sounds good. But it’s almost too jazzy, too typically popular big band (as Machito aimed for the charts and broad acceptance, one supposes). One wishes for a bit more of a world music feel. Compare this to say Ethiopiques albums and you see what I mean. File under “not quite my thing.”

Pretty good Afro-Cuban jazz album, I’m not the biggest fan of big band jazz but these guys were swinging.

Sassy. Loved it.

So enthusiastic and light and breezy.

Great cleaning music or if you have a bongo fetish. Lots of fun, but the music Apple provided after the album ended was equally fun. A high 3 but didn't add.

Frank Grillo "Machito" was one of the first guys to bring afro-cuban rhythms into jazz. This was a distinct style point that brought new life into the genre by focusing on the excellent percussion from Cuba (congas, bongo, timbales) while also utilizing the 2-3 son and 3-2 son clave rhythms with the horns and melodies of big band jazz. Kenya is a prime example of this work, as best shown in the song Frenzy, which is aptly named. I love the energy and blend of styles on display here, it's a real treat. It's not the most varied or excellent show of jazz in general, but based on the stylistic premise I can still enjoy this album and what it has to offer. I do wish, however, that an album called "Kenya" featured more music styling from East Africa, such as Taarab.

Upbeat lounge music? Very cool afro jazz vibes and what on earth is Cubop.