Okay, so this was a long time coming, but here's something.
LATIN JAZZ
Latin Jazz, latin music, afro-cuban, afro-latin...whatever. Indicating the combination of elements from African, Spanish, Portuguese, South/Central American musics.
Even around the turn of the century, New Orleans was a melting-pot of cultures, and in the early jazz styles (New Orleans, Ragtime) one can detect traces of South American rhythms (habanera, tango). Through the Swing era, Duke Ellinton was especially interested in absorbing other musical cultures and through the 1930's incorporated various latin characteristics. Of the Beboppers, Dizzy Gillespie had an affinity for latin music, collaborating with conga player Chano Pozo.
Drawing heavy influence from Cuba, the rhythmic qualities of latin music are so strong that it's near impossible not to incorporate them. Styles/feels/rhythms such as rhumba, samba, mambo, salsa, bugalu, tango and such are all varied and important. A key rhythmic figure in latin music is the Clave (of which there are many variations). Seriously, it's some intense rhythmic shit going on, and I don't know much about it. So, go talk to a drummer.
Some key innovators, musicians:- Buena Vista Social Club - a collective of seasoned Cuban musicians.
- Paquito D'Rivera - Cuban clarinet/saxophonist.
- Stan Getz - saxophonist who caused the great Bossa revolution in jazz during the 1960s
- Antonio Carlos Jobim - Brazilian composer, guitarist/pianist. Penned many of the greatest and most famous Bossa Nova tunes of all time. Girl From Ipanema, Wave, Corcovado, One Note Samba.
- Ástor Piazzola - Argentine composer and bandoneón player. Modernized the traditional tango.
- Chano Pozo - conga player who, with Dizzy Gillespie, ushered latin sounds into the bebop era. Helped write tunes such as Cubana Be, Cubana Bop and Manteca.
- Tito Puente - Mambo! El rey del timbal.
- Arturo Sandoval - Cuban trumpeter of unrivaled pyrotechnic ability.
- Chucho Valdés - Cuban piano royalty. His group Irakere brought Cuban musicians to the international scene in the 1980s.
I could keep going, and have likely missed some major names. Oh well...it's hard to explain this shit so go, watch, listen.
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Yeah, so ...there a little starter point for you.
May 21 2008, 4:54 PM
Linear Mode
