Afro-Cuban Jazz

My favorite is Kenny Dorham, "Afro Cuban" on Blue Note Records, this is "the" classic interpretation of the genre. Personnel include:

Art Blakey Drums
Kenny Dorham Trumpet
Percy Heath Bass
J.J. Johnson Trombone
Hank Mobley Sax (Tenor)
Cecil Payne Sax (Baritone), Brass
Oscar Pettiford Bass
Horace Silver Piano
Carlos "Patato" Valdes Conga, Continuo

An astounding lineup of talent and produced by Alfred Lion, engineered by none other than Rudy Van Gelder.

Remember this was done in 1955, the recording is a bit soft compared to modern stuff but a definitive work that deserves to be in every Jazz lovers library.

Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Poncho Sanchez, Eddie Palmieri, Mongo Santamaria. All had/have stellar careers in this genre.

For reading about the greats, I would recommend "From Afro-Cuban Rhythms to Latin Jazz" by Raul Fernandez. He curated the Smthsonian exhibit on Latin Jazz.

Digging way back, look up the group Osibisa, they were an outstanding but little known band from the mid 70s...

http://www.osibisa.co.uk/osibisa.html

-RW-

Phil Manzanera-801 Latino.....Roxy Music's guitarist extraordinaire returns to his homeland and records with a cuban 801 band, and literally makes one of the great jazz/rock records of all time....overlooked, and out of print, cd's can be found on ebay and amazon used....'an essential'.