The Machete Ensemble was a

Latin jazz Latin jazz is a genre of jazz with Latin American rhythms. The two main categories are Afro-Cuban jazz, rhythmically based on Cuban popular dance music, with a rhythm section employing ostinato patterns or a clave (rhythm), clave, and Afro-Brazil ...

band whose 21-year organization ended with its final concert on November 12, 2006, when it closed the 2006

San Francisco Jazz Festival San Francisco Jazz Festival is an annual three-week music festival produced by SFJAZZ, a non-profit organization dedicated to jazz and jazz education. Notable performers 1995 Jack DeJohnette, Keith Jarrett, Christian McBride, Charles McPherso ...

. KQED News reported that "it seemed like everyone who was ever part of the San Francisco Latin jazz scene was on hand to bid adios to John Santos' Machete Ensemble."Clemens, Samuel. "Where Are They Now?", ''The Galileo Observer''. p.3. October 25, 2022 Its main personnel were

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Gov ...

musicians John Santos, director, congas, percussion, composer;

Orestes Vilató Orestes Vilató (born 12 May 1944 in Camagüey, Cuba) is a Cuban percussionist who has worked as a sideman with Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Cachao, and the Fania All-Stars. Vilató also worked with Carlos Santana, for whom he played timbales, ...

, timbales, bongos;

John Calloway John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Seco ...

, flute, composer/arranger;

Wayne Wallace Wayne John Wallace is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer and coach who represented New Zealand in the 1988 World Cup Final. Playing career Wallace played in the Canterbury Rugby League club competition for Hornby, although he spent on ...

, trombone, composer/arranger; Melecio Magdaluyo, saxophone, clarinet, flute;

Ron Stallings Ronald Edward "Ron" Stallings, Jr. (born February 25, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division. A professional competitor since 2003, Stallings has also formerly competed for Strikeforce, Titan FC, and ...

, saxophone, clarinet;

David Belove David Belove is an American Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz bass guitarist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was born in Kansas City and relocated to California in the early 1980's. He studied at San Francisco State University and at the San ...

, bass; Paul Van Wageningen, drumset;

Murray Low Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American manufacturer of low-cost bicycles * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trust * D. & W. Murray Limited, an Australian wh ...

, piano;

Orlando Torriente Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures ...

, vocals, percussion.

References

Jazz ensembles from California Musical groups from the San Francisco Bay Area 2006 disestablishments in California 1985 establishments in California Musical groups disestablished in 2006 Musical groups established in 1985 {{US-jazz-band-stub