The influential meeting between bebop trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie and Cuban conguero Chano Pozo brought many benefits into the Latin Jazz world. With one of leading proponents of the modern jazz world supporting the inclusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms into the harmonic language of bebop, Latin rhythms found a legitimate connection to jazz. Gillespie’s prominence in the public eye led the to quick spread of Afro-Cuban Jazz, both in popularity and practice. The general public had already lived through a love affair with Latin ballroom dance, and the inclusion of “spicy” rhythms into jazz once again made this increasingly intellectual music appealing. Many jazz artists followed Gillespie’s lead, incorporating Cuban rhythms into a jazz context. These artists met varying degrees of success, and they all held the team of Gillespie and Pozo as their measuring stick. Cuban percussionists gained notoriety, and musicians such as Mongo Santamaria, Armando Pereza, and Ray Barretto found work with jazz artists. Many bands that had been performing a mix of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz previously, such as The Machito Orchestra and Tito Puente, found themselves becoming popular among jazz artists. The pioneering work of Gillespie and Pozo heralded the arrival of Latin Jazz in the public’s eye, and their brief collaboration became the cornerstone of Latin Jazz in the United States.

The team of Gillespie and Pozo composed a number of Latin Jazz originals that soon became standard repertoire; one of their most enduring compositions is the classic “Tin Tin Deo.” The piece draws upon a standard form commonly used during the bebop era, the 32 bar AABA form. The A section contains a repeated chordal figure that often serves as a vamp for the introduction, solos, or outro. Rhythmically the song has been through many different interpretations, including arrangements based upon cha cha cha, bembe, and guaguanco rhythms. In its most common performance practice, “Tin Tin Deo” utilizes an Afro rhythm with a switch into swing on the B section. The melody aligns properly with the clave, but it slyly avoids an interlocking relationship; instead the melody floats over the changes with a bold freedom. Its catchy nature can’t be denied though - after playing this song a few times, any musicians will walk away with the tune stuck in their head. “Tin Tin Deo” holds all the strong musical characteristic that makes it a favorite among many musicians, and many times artists from both the jazz and Latin world will know it well.

I’ve collected 10 outstanding versions of “Tin Tin Deo,” listed below by the album and artist that performed the track. One of the strengths of this composition is its inherent flexibility; a fact that you will hear as each musician provides a slightly different arrangement. Musicians should check out each arrangement and investigate the stylistic changes, the common breaks, and the unique voicings. They should also memorize the melody and chord changes - this tune could arise at any gig in any form, so be prepared for anything. Non-musicians will enjoy the trip through all 10 versions of “Tin Tin Deo.” It’s a fascinating journey that says a lot about the musical personalities behind some of the biggest names in Latin Jazz. Each of these musicians undoubtedly knows this piece well, but the way that they choose to arrange and record it reveals some interesting aspects of their artistic aesthetics. Take the opportunity to check out all 10 versions and build an appreciation for one of the well-established standards in the Latin Jazz world.

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1. Dizzy in South America: Official U.S. State Department Tour, 1956, Vol. 2, Dizzy Gillespie
Gillespie composed “Tin Tin Deo” during his brief but brilliant collaboration with Cuban conguero Chano Pozo, and the tune remained in his repertoire throughout his career. As a result, he recorded the song many, many times, yet this version features one of his early big bands. The U.S. State Department recruited Gillespie as an Ambassador of Goodwill in the 1950s, funding travel and performances for his big band to South America and beyond. Gillespie hired young trumpet player Quincy Jones to serve as arranger and musical director, giving us fantastic versions of Gillespie tunes such as this one. A stuttering sax part outlines an up-tempo cross between Afro and tango, transitioning into Gillespie’s personalized reading of the melody. The band explodes into a roaring swing on the bridge, handing the melodic duties to baritone saxophone soloist Marty Flax. Screaming brass hits lead into Flax’s improvisation, leaving short spaces for him to weave twisting melodies. Flax displays prodigious bebop chops, combining his deep rich tone with bluesy chromatic lines. It’s a stunning rendition of this tune from the composer, armed with the strength of a powerful big band and Jones’ arranging skills.

2. Spanish Rice, Clark Terry & Chico O’Farrill
The true test of a standard isn’t necessarily how many times it gets recorded, but rather who chooses to record it. In this case, “Tin Tin Deo” receives the ultimate honor as trumpet player Clark Terry, a jazz master, and Chico O’Farrill, an influential Cuban arranger, visit it on Spanish Rice. The album takes Terry out of his standard context and places him into expert Latin arrangements from O’Farrill with memorable results. The rhythm section provides a lazy pedal tone behind a lush chordal layer of brass players, quickly transitioning into an Afro rhythm for the melody. Terry travels through the A section with a bluesy flair, bending notes and adding tasteful embellishments as the trumpet section provides harmon mute colored attacks. The trumpet players ditch their mutes for a powerful harmonized interpretation of the melody, contrasted by guitarist Everett Barksdale’s quiet melodic turn. The wind players support Terry’s solo with an unexpected coro section, pushing the track forward with this new texture. Terry expertly winds brief licks around the coro, building a longer statement from connected ideas. The wind players build a vamp around the Afro groove, driving the track into a climatic conclusion. This track provides a short but interesting look at two masters exploring a classic standard in the Latin Jazz realm, gathering their collective experience into a tight arrangement and performance.

3. Tribute to the Masters, John Santos and the Machete Ensemble
The members of the Machete Ensemble always displayed outstanding performance skills, but the true beauty of the group was their unique vision of Latin Jazz, which they show on their version of “Tin Tin Deo.” A series of swung band hits boldly transition into a solid Afro groove, spearheaded by pianist Rebeca Mauleon and bassist David Belove. Ron Stallings rides over the rhythm section with a cutting soprano sax tone, driving the momentum forward as the band moves into swing at the bridge. Trombonist Wayne Wallace assertively creates a strong statement over a cha cha cha groove with rhythmic accents and jagged melodic lines, shifting into high gear as the rhythm section bursts into a double time guaguanco. The rhythmic structure disappears behind flautist John Calloway’s improvisation, who freely develops a distinctive statement through an interactive conversation with Santos’ congas. Swing hits take the band back into the melody, closing an innovative vision of a classic tune.

4. Get Out of My Way, The Estrada Brothers
Classic tunes like “Tin Tin Deo” live through generations of revisions, arrangements, and perspectives, resulting in lively, modern versions like this recording from The Estrada Brothers. Longtime veterans of the Los Angeles Latin Jazz scene, the Estrada group carries a deep familiarity with standards like this and generally apply witty ideas to performance. Vibraphonist Ruben Estrada, pianist Joe Rotondi, and bassist Malcom Ian Peters leap into an aggressive vamp over a driving songo groove that races towards a sparse son montuno with ferocious runs and abrupt breaks. Ruben Estrada freely interprets the melody, finding a natural propulsion from Rotondi’s montuno, while brother Henry Estrada rides a swing melody over the bridge. The band returns to son montuno for Ruben Estrada’s vibe solo, who balances his Cal Tjader influence with a virtuosic flair, gliding over the keys with a quick ease. The band quiets as Henry enters into his soprano sax statement, building behind Henry’s finely crafted statement with an interactive intensity. The group makes a brief return to the melody before jumping into the original vamp for an exciting solo from conguero Raul Rico which closes the track on a high note. The group’s combination of experience and new ideas take a well-worn standard and re-imagine it into a fresh musical experience.

5. Kenya Revisited, Live!!!, Bobby Sanabria Conducting The Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra
Experience may offer the benefits of hindsight, but youth presents a fresh and enthusiastic perspective that can sometimes take a standard into a new realm. Drummer Bobby Sanabria leads the Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra through an exploration of the version of “Tin Tin Deo” presented by Machito And His Afro-Cubans on their classic album Kenya, adding some creative twists. Pianist Christian Sylvester Sands opens the piece with an unaccompanied solo that resonates with an addictive creative energy, as he combines dynamic contrast and lush harmonic touches into a full statement. Assertive brass hits lead into a strutting sax guajeo and a solo melodic reading from trombonist Timothy Vaughn, followed by a thickly harmonized bridge. The thick big band sound disappears as Sands reemerges with beautifully constructed improvisation that starts with ample space and grows into a thundering wave of sound above rhythmic background lines. A screaming trumpet line leads into a dramatic stop break as electric bassist Billy Norris runs into the spotlight with a chop melding fill. Norris takes the opportunity to display both his melodically intelligent side and his extensive technique on his improvisation, building his statement over increasingly dissonant chordal pads. As Norris draws his idea to a close, the band enters a propulsive moña that charges into explosive band attacks and a return to the main melody. The rhythm section disappears as the trombone section enters into a richly harmonized chorale that emphasizes the instrument’s harmonic possibilities. The band screams into aggressive hits which lead them into a half time swing while muted trombones improvise. There’s a bluesy edge to the proceedings here, until unison band hits take the group back to the Afro groove and an exciting close. Sanabria and the group take quite a ride through different possibilities on their vision of “Tin Tin Deo,” combining the best qualities of an established arrangement with a youthful perspective.

6. Afro-Jaws, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis
Sometimes a fresh perspective requires an artist from outside a song’s given genre, a unique voice that can provide an unbiased vision of the song. Tenor saxophonist Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis took a brief dip into the Latin Jazz world with his album Afro-Jaws, adding his distinct voice to a ferocious Latin rhythm section, guided by conguero Ray Barretto. The percussionists start the song with a driving rumba guaguanco as Davis lazily places the melody over the sparse setting. A strong trumpet section interjects frenetic bebop licks between melodic phrases, adding to the song’s overall momentum. The tension builds as bassist Larry Gales and pianist Lloyd Mayers enter the mix until the group explodes into a wildly swinging interpretation of the bridge. After a return to the guaguanco to end the melody, the group abandons the Latin element and jumps into a straight-ahead swing aesthetic for solos. Davis thrives in his element here, weaving blues drenched hard bop melodies through drummer Ben Riley’s lad-back swing. Clark Terry follows with a fluid flugelhorn improvisation, traveling through his range with comfortable phrases. The changes work well in a swing context, and Barretto’s masterful swing tumbao seems perfectly natural. An abrupt change back into guaguanco allows Davis to revisit the melody before Barretto ends the tune with an improvisatory flair. It’s an interesting perspective on “Tin Tin Deo,” showing us that the tune has more than enough flexibility to work in the swing world.

7. Jazz Descargas, Conga Kings
Many times the chords or melody can define a standard, but the performance context can change drastically. When percussionists Candido Camero, Carlos “Potato” Valdes, and Giovanni Hidalgo came together as The Conga Kings, their performance was defined by the depth of their collaboration. A drum heavy 6/8 rhythm introduces the piece, with all three congueros contributing to the groove among a wealth of bells and shakers. Guitarist John Benthal, tresero Nelson Gonzalez, and bass player Guillermo Edghill enter with a subdued vamp over the drummers, keeping the focus upon the rich percussion work bubbling in the background. Trumpet player Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros joins the group with a soulful rendition of the melody, putting each piece of his extensive experience behind every note. Alto saxophonist Phil Woods takes pieces of the melody, working around an exquisitely understated arrangement. Armenteros takes the lead as soloist, subtly working through the changes with taste and style. The rhythm section unobtrusively keeps the groove behind Armenteros as the remaining wind players interject rhythmic background lines. Benthal, Gonzalez, and Edghill bring their volume to a quiet roar as the three masters take turns commenting upon the vamp through their percussive expertise. There’s an underlying sense of calm behind the musicians - Benthal, Gonzalez, and Edghill keep an unchanging motion as the congueros infuse the performance with a quiet fire. Armenteros avoids an obvious return to the main melody, improvising around the changes as his band mates stay steady. In many ways, “Tin Tin Deo” serves as a launching point for The Conga Kings instead of a defining element, letting them focus upon their performance context.

8. Cubacan, Francisco Aguabella
Legendary drummers certainly carry common traits, and they often hear music in similar ways. Pozo embedded his personal traits deeply into the core of “Tin Tin Deo” and Aguabella reads the song’s soul with a fluent understanding. Bassist Tony Banda and pianist Donald Vega set up a 6/8 rhythm with a driving momentum that smoothly transforms into a cha cha cha as trumpet player Ron Blake enters with the melody. The band continues with frequent shifts between the two grooves behind the melody, held together with some interesting supportive horn writing from arranger Francisco Torres. The group flies into a double time guaguanco behind tenor saxophonist Justo Almario, who passionately builds a riveting idea around bopish melodic lines. Almario reaches into the highest register of his instrument as the band moves back into 6/8, screeching his solo into a dramatic end. Blake leads the charge back into the melody, floating over the changing pulse of the rhythm section and the rest of the wind players. Banda and Vega return to the initial 6/8 vamp while Aguabella riffs around the groove until the rhythm section explodes into a wild double time songo with Vega’s fiery montuno at the core. Aguabella demonstrates his percussion mastery over this intensive setting, firing streams of syncopated rhythms and fast licks into a coherent and exciting statement. Aguabella leads his group through an intensive percussive experience on this track, demonstrating once again that great minds, and great drummers, think alike.

9. El Conguero, Poncho Sanchez
Sanchez has made a career from the able interpretation of jazz and Latin standards into solid recorded products that allow his band to display their strong performance abilities. The ambient sound of shakers and random percussion attacks introduces a slow and methodical bembe rhythm, established by Ramon Banda’s bell pattern and a steady chekere. As the piano and bass enter over the percussion, Sanchez’s horn section attacks the melody with a jazz edge and their well-known sharp, precise rhythmic phrasing. The arrangement reflects an original take on the well-known standard, with clever twists upon the common melodic direction and smooth transitions between bembe and an up-tempo son montuno. Trombone player Art Velasco takes his time developing a clearly defined idea full of rhythmic accents and jazz chromatics as the rhythm section cooks with a blazing intensity. A firm ponche figure sets-up pianist David Torres’ solo, with the rhythm section providing unobtrusive support in the background. Torres employs a jazz emphasis, running long quick lines over the rhythmic structure with an audible shape and design. After a restatement of the melody, the rhythm section hangs on the bembe pattern allowing the drummers to add quick attacks. There’s a sense of Sanchez personality throughout the track, revisiting this classic standard with a clarity and sharply defined vision that shines through as his trademark.

10. Listen Here!, Eddie Palmieri
The flexibility of the jazz idiom allows for a wealth of exciting collaborations, but sometimes the most interesting performances result from a long standing group. While Eddie Palmieri integrates a variety of guest artists throughout his album Listen Here!, the beauty of his “Tin Tin Deo” arrangement revolves around the strength of his core group. Palmieri and his rhythm section establish a solid cha cha cha foundation, making room for a melodic introduction from trumpet player Brian Lynch. Saxophonist Donald Harrison infuses his reading of the melody with a strong sense of personality as the remaining wind players wrap clever chordal passages into the background. Harrison actively weaves bop-charged lines through the inspiring rhythm section work, providing a serious master class on improvisation through these changes. The band supportively adds background lines and an unstoppable groove behind Harrison as he stretches across several choruses. Palmieri explodes into his improvisation with a flurry of aggressive syncopated lines which immediately push the band into a new dynamic level. The solo screams with a Palmieri intensity as he employs ample amounts of harmonic dissonance and percussive madness, delivering a classic statement. As he completes his idea, Palmieri storms into a steady cha cha cha vamp, making room for a dynamic improvisation from conguero Giovanni Hidalgo. The stunning display of conga mastery leads the group into a full throttle mambo, which leads into the track’s completion at a powerful dynamic climax. While the musicians show their familiarity with “Tin Tin Deo” at every turn, their performance resonates with the distinctive sound of the Palmieri band, a sign of a strong working ensemble.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Latin Jazz Standards: 10 Versions Of Mambo Inn
Latin Jazz Standards
Standards From The Latin Tradition
Brazilian Jazz Standards: Jobim

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