The Great 3

THE BIG 3

In the 1950’s, America fell in love with the MAMBO. “The Home of Mambo” was the PALLADIUM BALLROOM at 53rd Street & Broadway. Re-named The Palladium from Alma Dance Studio in 1946, six local bands were booked with MACHITO the headliner. This continued, playing to huge audiences, until 1948 when TITO PUENTE appeared as a bandleader for the first time. Later, singer TITO RODRIGUEZ and his band became a major crowd-puller and competed with Machito & Puente as the star act; thus THE BIG 3. The Palladium was the heart of Mambo & Latin music until it closed in 1966.

The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra is the brain-child of Machito's son Mario Grillo. After a discussion with Ina Dittke & Jyrki Kangas in New York, it was decided to approach the Puente & Rodriguez families to represent the music of the Palladium era. Margaret Puente and Tito Rodriguez Junior were delighted to offer their original charts for use, along with the Machito scores.