This is a portrait of the legendary Cuban composer and acoustic bassist, Israel "Cachao" López. It is the first painting in a series of portraits I've begun of legends in dark rooms with flowers and windows.
Cachao López, a pioneer in descarga (Latin jam sessions), was born in 1918 in Havana, Cuba. In the 1930's, Cachao introduced African rhythms into danzón (Cuban music). Credited as being the creator of the Mambo, Cachao's artistic genius has won him several Grammies, most recently in 2005 for "Ahora Si," produced by actor-producer Andy Garcia. The album was recorded in only three days at Capitol Records in Los Angeles. Cachao improvisationally composed six of the album's ten songs on the spot. In 1993, Andy Garcia produced the documentary film on Cachao's life, entitled "Cachao: Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos" ("Cachao: There is No Other Rhythm Like His.")
The flowers in this painting, both in the foreground and through the window, are called Mariposas (butterflies). They are the national flowers of Cuba.
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