Kenya

Machito
1957

The title track doesn't sound particularly African to me; rather it sounds like a fairly typical lounge jazz (in fact what it really reminds me of is Murph & The Magic Tones). In this, it's atypical of the rest of album, which is rather fine salsa-flavoured jazz - or is it jazz-flavoured samba?  Either way, it's good stuff, like Basie with some Latin spice.

The up-tempo tracks, like "Frenzy", are wild and infectious, an inspired combination of swing and salsa. Although they do also remind me of a chase scene from a sixties madcap caper movie, or maybe from a scene in an exotic nightclub - in fact, I'm sure there's Bond scene that uses music very like "Wild Jungle". Other tracks are slower but nicely atmospheric; "Blues A La Machito" is a good example. It is all a touch lounge but the South American flavours make a nice change from straight-ahead jazz. Excellent for the right occasion.