Latin Jazz - An American Music Artform
By Bobby Ramirez

The American music artform known as Latin Jazz establishes a perfect symmetrical balance between the traditional and/or progressive harmonic language of Jazz and Afro/indigenous rhythms of Latin America; of which, Cuban and Brazilian rhythmic traditions have played the largest role in the historical development and evolution of classic/modern American Jazz.

First known as Cubop, then Afro-Cuban Jazz, "Latin Jazz" was created in New York City, emerging as part of a massive socio-cultural revolution in the 1930's & 40's transcending racial lines between black, white and Latino musicians, explored in its infancy by visionary musicians like Alberto Socarras, Ernesto Lecuona, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Mario Bauza, Machito & his Afro-Cubans, Juan Tizol, Noro Morales, Tito Puente, Chano Pozo, Stan Kenton, Chico O'Farrill and many others.

Today, Latin Jazz has evolved considerably into a more progressive amalgamation of the language of Jazz with rhythms not only from Cuba and Brazil, but expanding rhythmic influences from other perhaps less notable yet equally important countries that are part of the entire Latin American Diaspora.

As Latin Jazz continues to expand, it remains free, open and inclusive to countless yet to be discovered Latin rhythmic possibilities that will no doubt empower creativity from current and future generations of musicians that will ultimately take the genre of Latin Jazz to greater heights.

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Masters of Latin Jazz

Since the dawn of its founding, Latin Jazz has been an ever evolving gerne of music thriving on a spontaneous amalgamation of physical characteristics that are based on Afro and indiginous rhythms from the Latin American diaspora, and combined with the harmonic language of Jazz.

LatinJazzClub Magazine presents a Tour D' Force into the world of Latin Jazz featuring some of the greatest musicians that helped shape the sound of this unique America artform: Poncho Sanchez, Patato Valdez, Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Dizzy Gillespie, Federico Britos, Mario Rivera, Mongo Santamaria, Michel Camilo, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, Paquito D' Rivera, Dave Valentin, Cal Tjader, and others.