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.
Some of the
greatest musicians that helped shape the sound of this
unique America artform are 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.
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.
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.
Latin Jazz
contains various physical characteristics that makes it
distinctively different from "Salsa" (popular Cuban
dance music) and other Latin rhythms. Although there are
some similarities in the context of its Afro-Cuban and
Brazilian popular music usage, Latin Jazz retains its
own specific unique style and is defined as
follows:
Mainly
instrumental hybrid music; contains progressive Jazz
harmonies used in and around its corresponding rhythmic
structural arrangement; contains African as well as
allowing for the inclusion of countless indiginous Latin
rhythms that continue to contribute to its development
from the entire Latin American Diaspora; allows for the
execution of much improvisation by all instruments using
the Jazz vocabulary as well as distinctive Afro-Latin
rhythmic patterns within the framework and construct of
each arrangement;
Unlike Latin pop music or what others
might call "Salsa", Latin Jazz has no set compositional
structure. The sound of one or more percussion instruments is an important musical component of Latin Jazz.
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.
LatinJazzPlayer is a not-for profit educational initiative founded
by musician Bobby
Ramirez to
honor the great musicians that made significant contributions in
helping to shape the sound of the classic American music artform
Latin Jazz.
LatinJazzPlayer also serves as a quick one-stop educational guide
for music students, as well as helping music teachers articulate
and present Latin Jazz as part of a school music
curriculum.
about LatinJazzClub Magazine - Everything Jazz & Rhythm
Founded in 1999 by musician Bobby Ramirez, LatinJazzClub.com was the first serious website of its kind totally dedicated to Latin Jazz in cyberspace; thus, becoming the most visible and accessible web portal for everything Latin Jazz on the Internet.
A giant literary cyber-emporium of related music news, articles, interviews, CD reviews and learning resource, LatinJazzClub is a virtual on-line magazine dedicated to the advancement, education and historical preservation of Latin Jazz. Join LatinJazzClub on FaceBook.
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