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Israel “Cachao” López was born in Havana, Cuba, in September 14, 1918 and died in March 22, 2008.
He was known as “Cachao”. A Cuban mambo musician, bassist and composer, he helped bring mambo music to popularity in the United States in the 1950s.

In his last years he became the most important living figure in Cuban music. He was regarded as the most important bassist in twentieth-century popular music. He innovated the Cuban music and influenced the now familiar bass lines of American R&B.

El Cachao has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, won several Grammy Awards and has been described as “the inventor of the mambo”. He is also considered a master of descarga (Latin jam sessions).

The name Cachao is “La Mata”, “The Tree”, from this tree rooted in the deepest traditions of Cuban music everything in modern Cuban music, music known to many as Salsa stems.

Cachao left Cuba in 1962. First he spent two years in Spain and then came to New York City. There he performed with mambo bands led by Tito Rodríguez, José Fajardo and Eddie Palmieri. For decades, he worked almost entirely as a sideman.
Then, he moved to Las Vegas and then to Miami. Cachao made only three albums as a leader between 1970 and 1990.

In 1990, Andy García, who is a longtime fan of Cachao’s music, organized recording sessions with leading Cuban musicians and a tribute concert for Cachao in Miami: “Master Sessions Volume 1” and “Master Sessions Volume 2”.

Afterwards, Andy García produced two more albums for Cachao, “Cuba Linda” (2000) and the Grammy-winning “Ahora sí” (2004)

“He leaves with us a legacy of extraordinary trendsetting music, and an unequaled example of humanity, that was a gift to all of us, who had the good fortune and honor to experience.”
Andy García

With renewed recognition, Cachao spent the 1990’s and 2000’s touring and recording worldwide and collecting awards.

There are two main documentaries about El Cachao, “Cachao, Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos” and was released in the 1990’s and “Cachao: Uno Más” which will be released in April of 2008.

“I consider our collaboration and friendship one of most important accomplishments of my life. Cachao is our musical father. He is revered by all who have come in contact with him and his music and is referred to simply as El Maestro. He has been honored around the world and has his rightful place in the Smithsonian Institute.”
Andy García

Needless to say, Andy García is a proud member of the Cachao Orchestra.

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Related Links, Resources, and Other Points of Interest:

* The King of Mambo experiences a career revival-at age 89!
* Israel “Cachao” López dies
* Cachaito López biograhpy
* Mambo Jumbo
* “Cachao” gets Star on Walk of Fame
* Cachao discography
* El Cachao filmography
* Gloria Estefan biography
* La vida es un carnaval! Celia Cruz
* The Latino Vote, who do you prefer?
* Latin American Music

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