San Francisco, CA – Cachao: Uno Más, a performance-driven documentary about Cuban music legend Israel “Cachao” López, will have its world premiere at the 51st San Francisco International Film Festival (April 24–May 8, 2008) at 6:30 pm on Monday, April 28 at the Sundance Cinemas Kabuki, with an encore screening at the Kabuki at 1:15 pm on Friday, May 2. Andy Garcia, who is featured in the film, is expected to attend the April 28 screening.

The living legend, the “Picasso of the bass,” the great Cuban bassist Israel “Cachao” López, is the indisputable center of this exhilarating documentary produced by the DOC Film Institute at San Francisco State University. Stirring San Francisco concert footage at Bimbo’s 365 Club is interspersed with interviews with friends, associates and Latin music aficionados who describe López’s vast influence and recount affectionate stories of the man they so admire. In the 1940s, López, with his brother Orestes, brought the rhythm section to the forefront of the sedate Cuban danzón and in the process virtually invented modern Cuban music. In the 1950s, Cachao popularized descargas—raucous jam sessions that brought together legendary Cuban musicians. Now nearly 90, the unstoppable Cachao recalls his boyhood forays into music and the days when musicians often performed without pay simply for the love of song. Cachao: Uno Más is an impassioned valentine to the Cuban artist and innovator, and a fitting follow-up to Andy Garcia’s concert documentary Cachao (Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos) (SFIFF 1993). Garcia has devoted himself to maintaining the legacy of the great musician who (judging by the heartfelt accolades the actor voices as he accompanies the maestro onstage) has reconnected him to his roots. The Bimbo’s show features Cachao playing with the CineSon All Stars—including percussionists John Santos and Luis Conte, saxophonist Justo Almario, timbalista Orestes Vilató and vocalist Lázaro Galarrag—and a brilliant battle of one-upmanship between a fiercely strumming Cachao and violinist Federico Britos.

Israel “Cachao” López was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1918, into a family of highly respected, classically trained musicians. Cachao received a classical conservatory training, focusing on the bass, an instrument of particular importance in Cuban music.  He developed into one of the top bassists in the world playing for theater, opera and for 30 years as bass chair in the Havana Symphony under the direction of all the legendary conductors of the day from Europe and the Americas. Because he had a deep affection for popular Afro-Cuban forms such as son and rumba he also played them extensively from the beginning of his career. He went on to revolutionize the heart of Cuban music by pioneering the concept of the descarga Cubana (Cuban jam session), bringing a high level of spontaneous improvisation into a 150-year-old tradition of Cuban dance music. But he made his most significant contributions and innovations in the Cuban dance music known as danzón, the precursor of the mambo. This legendary maestro turns 90 this spring.

Following the screening on April 28, the action moves down San Francisco’s jazz corridor to Yoshi’s Jazz Club at the Fillmore Heritage Center for two sets by the John Santos Quintet with special guests at 9:00 and 11:00 pm. For club tickets and information go to http://sfyoshis.inticketing.com/ or call 415.655.5600.