Rich Rhythms Of Latin Jazz

Heart-throbbing Latin Jazz Rhythms; Pulse-pounding Beat Of Mambo & Samba; And More - Bossa Nova, Salsa, Rhumba, Cha-Cha-Cha ... Can You Resist That Urge To Stomp & Swing?


Hi, Jazz Lover:

LATIN JAZZ ... WHAT IS IT?

American jazz melded with the rhythms and other musical elements from Africa, the Caribbean and South America - this is Latin Jazz.

Cuba and Puerto Rico of the Caribbean and Brazil in South America contribute the major Latin influences. And, of course, the basic rhythms of jazz are African in origin.

There are two variants of this jazz style: Afro-Cuban and Brazilian. Afro-Cuban musical forms include mambo, salsa, cha-cha-cha and rhumba. Brazil has given us the bossa nova and samba.

But whatever the source,the pulse-pounding sounds of this music make the heart race ahead and the feet stomp hard.

EARLY INFLUENCES OF LATIN ELEMENTS

Since its early years in New Orleans, American jazz has absorbed Latin rhythms. In the 1920s, for instance, Latin elements could be heard in the tune "St Louis Blues", an early jazz standard.

In the 1930s, more Latin beats and melodies were introduced. Latin music bandleaders inspired American jazz musicians to infuse Latin flavours into jazz swing bands. One such bandleader, Xavier Cugat, brought in the Cuban dance "rhumba" and helped create the evergreen "Begin the Beguine".

Much mutual exchange of musical elements took place between jazzmen and Latin players.

A FRESH CREATION - LATIN JAZZ

In the 1940s, New York City's cosmopolitan culture favoured the birth of new jazz styles.

After the musical interchanges in the 1930s, the infusion of Latin rhythms into jazz now became a regular and significant feature. Latin jazz began to emerge as a mainstream form.

The inventors of bebop, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, were using Latin elements in a major way. At the same time, Cuban immigrants in New York were merging bebop with their Latin music.

This musical cross-pollination in the 1940s gave birth to the new jazz idiom - Cubop.

MATURING OF LATIN JAZZ

In the 1950s , following the earlier creation of Cubop, more jazzers hopped onto the Latin jazz "bandwagon". Latin influences also spread to bebop's two variants - hard bop in New York and cool jazz in California. And another Cuban beat, mambo, gained popularity at this time.

In the 1960s , bossa nova from Brazil took the fancy of jazz fans. The sounds of the saxophone and the flute fitted well with the rhythms of Latin jazz. One unforgettable tune from this period is "Girl from Ipanema".

In the 1970s , the irresistible beat of Latin rhythms continued to exert a strong influence on existing jazz forms. Young jazzers created new hybrids in Latin jazz and also introduced electric instruments.

In the 1980s and 1990s , as the mass media spread all forms of music far and wide, jazz received a vast range of influences. Jazzers of old continued to play cubop, bossa nova, samba and the like. Other jazz musicians invented yet newer hybrids by further merging jazz with Latin and diverse other musical elements.

WHO'S WHO IN LATIN JAZZ?

1 Mario Bauza & Grillo Machita

Bauza (trumpet) and Machita (bandleader) were brothers-in-law from Cuba. They contributed significantly to the emergence of Latin jazz.

Bauza played trumpet in, and directed, various bands. Machito led his own band, The Afro-Cubans, in which Bauza became a member.

In the late 1940s, these Cuban musicians collaborated with American jazzers Parker and Gillespie to create the new jazz style "Cubop".

Their recordings include:

... The Original Mambo King
... Machito Plays Mambos and Cha-Chas
... The Tanga Suite

2 Dizzy Gillespie & Chano Pozo

Gillespie was one of the inventors of bebop, while Pozo came from Cuba to New York City in 1947.

Gillespie led his own bebop big band (after splitting with Parker) and was very much into Cuban rhythms. He employed Pozo, with whom he had previously played together, and who loved the new music. Pozo also had ancient roots reaching into Cuba and West Africa.

Their collaboration resulted in many great recordings of Cubop Latin jazz in the late 1940s.

Their recordings include:

... Dizzy Gillespie And His Big Band In Concert
... Diz 'n' Bird At Carnegie Hall
... Emanon

3 Chico O'Farril

O'Farril, born in Cuba, moved to the US in the early 1950s. He was a composer and arranger, too.

Schooled in both Afro-Cuban rhythms and American big band jazz, Farril made a big impact on the jazz scene.. His musical compositions were much respected, and were used by such bandleaders as Machito, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman and Dizzy Gillespie.

It was Farril who composed, arranged and conducted the well-known piece "The Original Mambo King". In addition, he created many great jazz compositions.

His recordings include: ... Cuban Blues

4 Tito Puente

Puente plays various Latin percussion tools. He is the most prolific player of Latin jazz.

He has worked with numerous leading jazz musicians, like Mongo Santamaria, Machito, Willie Bobo, Mario Rivera, Dave Valentin and Hilton Ruiz.

Puente's musical offerings are a mix of original Latin jazz compositions and re-interpreted jazz standards.

His recordings include:

... Dance Mania
... El Rey
... Salsa Meets Jazz
,,, Royal T

5 Art Blakey

Blakey (drums) was the longterm bandleader of the "Jazz Messengers".

Fascinated by the percussive rhythms of Latin music, he explored, from 1955, all kinds of rhythm.

His recordings include: ... Orgy In Rhythm

6 Cal Tjader

Tjader (vibraphone) created a considerable amount of fresh Latin jazz in the 1960s and 1970s, more other American jazzers.

His vibes melodies blended very smoothly with Latin rhythms. Adept at choosing good players, he selected appropriate Latin elements.

Tjder jammed with prominent percussion players, such as Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo, to produce some well-known albums.

His recordings include:

... Tjader Plays Mambo
... La Onda Va Bien
... Latin Concert
... Primo
... Black Orchid

7 Mongo Santamaria

Santamaria (percussion) came from Havana, Cuba, to New York City in 1950. He was also a composer and bandleader.

Rated as one of the top jazz players, especially of Afro-Cuban style, he led his own band and inspired many other musicians.

He worked with numerous well-known jazzmen, like George Shearing, Cal Tjader, Dizzy Gillespie and Chick Corea.

His recordings include:

..... Afro Blue
..... Afro-Roots
..... At The Black Hawk
..... Soy Yo

8 Herbie Mann

Mann (flute) was a key player in fusing jazz with Latin music in the 1960s.

His band, the Afro-Jazz Sextet, used a diverse range of Latin elements, especially Brazilian and Afro-Cuban.

Mann played an important role in popularising bossa nova, which later grew into a nationwide craze.

His recordings include:

... Do The Bossa Nova
... Flute, Brass, Vibes and Percussion
... Brazil Blues

9 Dave Valentin

Valentin, another flautist, started merging jazz with Latin elements since his teenage days in New York City in the 1970s.

He has produced a large amount of Latin-flavoured jazz.

His recordings include:

... Red Sun
... Two Amigos
... Kalahari
... Tropic Heat

10 Chick Corea

Corea (piano) gave jazz a new twist in his use of electric instruments. He smoothly merged electric jazz with the Latin beat.

His recordings include:

... My Spanish Heart
... Light As A Feather

11 Arturo Sandoval

Sandoval, from Cuba, was a protege of Gillespie.

In the 1970s, he already played Latin jazz in Cuba. Then he went on tour with Gillespie in the 1980s.

He made his solo recording in 1982. He played bebop jazzed up with Latin rhythms.

His recording include:

... Arturo Sandoval & His Latin Train
... Hot House
... To A Finland Station

12 Poncho Sanchez

Sanchez was, from 1975, a protege of Tjader for many years.

He led his own band in the 1980s, and he generated some extremely hot Latin jazz.

His recordings include:

... Para Todos
... Soul Sauce: Memories of Cal Tjader
... Chile Con Soul
... Gozame! Pero Ya

13 Sergio Mendes

Mendes, one of the new-generation Latin jazzmen, is from Brazil. He has led successful big bands and has produced much exciting Brazilian-flavoured jazz.

His recordings include:

... Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66
... Brasilerio

14 Chucho Valdes

Valdes (piano) was born in Cuba. He is another Latin musician of the new generation.

In the 1970s, he founded the well-known Cuban jazz ensemble called "Irakere". His piano music is Afro-Cuban in flavour.

His recordings include:

... Lucumbi: Piano Solo
... Solo Piano

RESOURCES for further enjoyment:

Free Latin Jazz Radio
Stations On Latin Jazz Radio Present The Rich Rhythms of Latin Jazz And Many More Jazz Idioms. All For Free - Available All Day & All Night.

Free Music Videos
Latin Jazz On Free Music Videos ... Many Other Jazz Styles & Jazz Musicians From Various Eras Of Jazz History.

Latin Jazz Books
Latin Jazz Books For In-Depth Knowledge & Understanding Of This Exciting Jazz Idiom. More About Mambo, Bossa Nova, Salsa, Rhumba, Samba .....