"In January 1946, the influential American pianist/bandleader Stan Kenton was awestruck when he heard the same "Tanga" at a club in Los Angeles. soon, he too added Latin elements to virtually all of his music."
Gillespie made Latin music history himself with his 30 December 1947 recording of 'Manteca' on RCA Victor, which he co-wrote with a musician introduced to him by Bauza. Mario Bauza started out as a professional clarinet and oboe player in the Havana Philharmonic before moving to New York in 1930. It was there while playing with Noble Sissle, that he took up the trumpet. It was the master conquero Chano Pozo, another seminal figure in the birth of Latin jazz and the key figure in Gillespie's continued 'latinization' of jazz. 'Manteca' would subsequently become Gillespie's signature tune and one of the most covered standards in the history of the genre.
Following closely behind Machito, Pozo, Gillespie and Kenton is master timbalero, bandleader and composer Tito Puente, also known as El Rey del Timbal and The Mambo King. Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, Puente was instrumental in taking jazz to a broader audience thanks to his big band orchestrations and his on stage flourish. And, of course, he wrote and recorded 'Oye Como Va' later popularized by Carlos Santana, which incorporated a coro section and used other eminently Latin elements, such as a charanga-style flute and, of course, the characteristic syncopated piano cha-cha riff.
Another pioneer who took Latin jazz to the mainstream was master conquero Ramon
'Mongo' Santamaria, beat known for his hit rendition of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man' and for authoring jazz standard 'Afro Blue'. It was with Santamaria's band, that a then-young Chick Corea first received major exposure, while present-day conquer Poncho Sanchez cites Santamaria as his mentor and major influence."
(Well him and I have that in common)(Also, Cachao first wrote the basic tune 'Oye Como Va' and never took credit for it)
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