by Mr Tim Vickery

@Tim_Vickery

In the late 1930s a French critic wrote that the work of Duke Ellington was not only a new art form, but also a new reason for living.  Jazz is powerful stuff. At its heart it always seems to be about the quest for freedom, in social and creative terms.  

At its most frenetic, be bop jazz can come across as a fly trying to find its way out of a bottle.  And this, of course goes hand in hand with the story of the African North American.  It is their music.  But it is also everybody’s.  Both because Jazz has the generosity of spirit to allow anyone to come along for the ride, and also because, as boundaries become blurred in multicultural neighbourhoods,  there have always been different streams flowing into it.  Some learned folk argue that the Latin influence was always right, right from the start in New Orleans.  What is beyond doubt is that over the years there has been considerable cross-fertilization with Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian expressions.  These can be termed ‘Latin Jazz,’ and in no specific order this is my Latin Jazz top ten.

DIZZY GILLESPIE – MANTECA

From Dizzy’s short lived but massively influential time with Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo.  A late 40s be bop big band clearly love doing their stuff on top of a joyous Caribbean rhythm.  The title translates as ‘butter,’ and the outcome melts between your eardrums.

JUAN AMALBERT’S LATIN JAZZ QUINTET – SUNDAY GO MEETIN

The first track from the 1961 ‘Hot Sauce’ EP, this is driven by sweet vibes while the band leader makes notches in my mind with his congas.  It cruises in a sophisticated groove -I’m not too sure about Sunday, because this strikes me as the kind of thing that would be playing at Holly Golightly’s house party in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’

HORACE SILVER – SONG FOR MY FATHER

Some might be surprised to see this Blue Note standard in a Latin Jazz list, but it most certainly belongs.  True, this is the  title track of a 1964 album which was a tribute to Silver’s father, who was from Cape Verde.  But the pianist picked up the famous backwards and forwards rhythm from a trip to Brazil.  As you hear it you can imagine Silver hunched over his piano, sweating buckets for his art and its ancestors.

RAY BARRETTO – EL NUEVO BARRETTO

From his groundbreaking 1968 album ‘Acid,’ Ray Barretto was a New York percussionist of Puerto Rican descent, and here he captures the time and its urban mix of r&b and Latin grooves.  Announced by a furious opening blast on the horns and it only gets hotter from there.  The new Barretto is inviting you to dance, and you will not refuse.

DUKE PEARSON – SANDALIA DELA

Pianist Duke Pearson was a Blue Note stalwart who got the Brazil bug in the early sixties, and recorded this at the end of the decade, with Flora Purim on vocals and Airto Moreira on percussion.  Man, does it swing!  Every time you think the band have reached top gear they effortlessly take it up another notch.  Should be available on the NHS.

LEE MORGAN – CARAMBA!

Title track of a 1968 Blue Note LP from the ill fated trumpet playing master, and a thoroughly successful venture into the genre.  A hypnotic rhythm, played with rising intensity, proves an excellent backdrop for Morgan to blow hot and cold, sweet and sour.

CAL TJADER – SOUL SOURCE

Vibes man who came up with this in 1964, a well worked modernisation of a Dizzy Gillespie – Chano Pozo composition.  Once played drums with Dave Brubeck, and has the same studious, bespectacled air, but he really makes this one fly.

MONGO SANTAMARIA – WATERMELON MAN

A big surprise hit in 1963 was this Latinised version of a Herbie Hancock number by the Cuban bandleader and conga player.  More obvious than the original, but more swinging – the watermelon salesman would do a lot better hawking his wares the Santamaria way.  Set off a Latin Jazz craze.

EDISON MACHADO – SOLO

From his 1964 album ‘Edison Machado e’ Samba Novo,’ the bandleader was a kind of Keith Moon of the Samba Jazz years, bombing away to nail down a delicious groove with wonderful horn lines and some lovely piano work from the ill fated Tenorio Junior.  My favourite Brazilian piece of music.

SMALL FACES – EDDIE’S DREAMING

One of those songs that makes you think ‘where did that come from?’  Final track from the second self-named album, and it seems to have been forgotten.  But how on earth were East London’s finest clued into these sounds back in 1967?  

www.pellicanomenswear.com

For The Modern Man