Adding Salsa to the Gumbo: Latin Jazz
Adding Salsa to
the Gumbo: Latin Jazz
Let’s take a trip down memory lane to honor Latin Jazz, a subgenre of jazz that combines elements of
traditional New Orleans jazz with mambo,
son, rumba, cumbia, and other Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Cuban elements. There are
many contributors to this genre of jazz, including African-American composer, and
New Orlean’s native Jelly Roll Mortin and trumpeter extraordinaire Dizzy Gillespie,
but I am going to focus today on Afro-Latino contributors, especially two of Cuban
and Puerto Rican descent.
On our tour, let’s start with one of originators, Machito, with his hit song Tanga (1943). Note how the Latin and Afro-Caribbean beats infuse seamlessly with the New Orleans jazz creating a gumbo infused with salsa. The New Orleans “wah-wah,” trumpet mutes go in and out of the percussive piano playing, giving the song both a bluesy and jazzy sound, and rhythmic percussion, including drums, congas, bongos, timbales, and maracas keep the beat swinging. Tanga sounds as good as gumbo and salsa taste.
Take a listen:
Let’s move on to another Latin
jazz pioneer and percussionist, Tito Puente, “El Rey” (The King), who really
put Latin Jazz on the radar, especially in
the 1950’s and the 1960’s. His 1962 single Oyé Como Va, from his album El Rey Bravo (The Brave King),
is a Latin Jazz masterpiece. The song
includes a powerful flute solo and horn section giving it an urban and Caribbean
feel as if you are strolling through Spanish Harlem, New York. I think Tito Puente summed up his music best
by saying, “we play with jazz with the Latin Touch, that’s all, you know”.
Click here and take a watch of an older and still jamming Tito Puente:
Today, a lot of Latin Jazz has
morphed into World Music. However, we
cannot forget the music of the pioneers who still gets you moving on your feet.
Wow! Before I began reading your blog post, I followed the youtube link so that I could listen to your music selection and man oh man!!! I must say, reading the background information of these artist while listening to the record made sparked a new level of interest! If I wasn't reading, I would've been up dancing. This is the kind of feel good music that makes you want to move your feet. I also love that you've chosen to highlight Afro Latinos! Absolutely loved this post. Thank you for putting me to some new music!
ReplyDeleteTanga is such a fun song! I am of the stereotype that can think that Jazz can be a little difficult to follow sometimes, but the selections you offered were very easy to follow the rhythm. I did not know that New Orleans Jazz had an influence on Latin music. Very cool!
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