Although jazz is often said to be an American creation, that's not the whole story. The rhythms and syncopation of jazz originate in African and Afro-Caribbean music and dance. Today, we'll explore some of the earliest ground-breaking music produced from this dynamic mingling of cultures.
King of the Zulus - This seminal 1926 Louis Armstrong recording about the traditional Mardi Gras Festival procession celebrating African culture in New Orleans has a distinctly African feel. The interactions with Afro-Caribbean bystanders heighten that vibe.
Sam Manning playlist - Sam Manning, a Trinidad-born jazz musician, made recordings during the 1920s which fused calypso musical phrasing with other jazz sounds. This is a playlist of several of Manning's songs recorded between 1924-1927. Find the playlist along the right-side of the page.
West Indian Dance - Among many Duke Ellington compositions with a Caribbean or Afro-Caribbean theme, this song recorded in 1945 is dedicated to the heroics of free Haitians who helped liberate Savannah from British rule in 1779.
Caravan (featuring Juan Tizol) - This 1937 composition was co-authored by Duke Ellington and Puerto Rican trombonist Juan Tizol. And so, too, was the famous Conga Brava among others.
Minton's Playhouse - This 4-minute video tells the story of the famous jazz club in Harlem founded in 1938 by Henry Minton, a Jamaican, who was the first Black person to hold high office in the local musician's union. His club became a haven for some of the most famously creative jazz musicians.
Swing to Bop - One of the revolutionizing musicians who played regularly at Minton's was Charlie Christian. Generally recognized as the musician who popularized the electric guitar, this is a 1941 recording at Minton's Playhouse. And, here he is on another 1941 recording, playing with the Benny Goodman Sextet: Breakfast Feud.
Midnight at Minton's - This renowned recording captures Thelonius Monk and several other early jazz greats playing at Minton's in 1941.
Jambo Caribe - Of modern jazz musicians with a strong feeling for Caribbean music, Dizzy Gillespie is probably the Dean. From the 1940s his band included Caribbean musicians and the band's late 1950's tour of the Caribbean produced the songs for this famous album, recorded in 1964. That spirit continued in an ever-more-world-embracing direction throughout his career.