Every decade includes the inevitable passing of important musicians - that’s simply the course of life; unfortunately, the 2000s found the Latin Jazz world loosing a large number of the genre’s most important musicians. The musicians that left us during the 2000s were all innovators that laid the groundwork for the style. From the early days of Palladium mambo to the collaborations with bebop artists, many of these musicians paved the way for the modern scene. These musicians all had long careers which spanned through the salsa craze of the sixties and seventies as well as dips into funk and pop. They left their influence from the East to West Coasts of the United States and made a mark in the Caribbean. In the eighties and nineties, they reshaped their orchestras as small groups and reinvigorated the Latin Jazz scene. They created new recordings of classic works and original compositions. Most importantly, they served as the iconic role models that represented Latin Jazz to a generation of musicians and the greater listening public. As they began to disappear, a cloud of change hung over the Latin Jazz world.

Some of the major Latin Jazz musicians that passed away during the 2000s:

Tito Puente – May 31, 2000

Israel “Cachao” Lopez – March 22, 2008

Throughout the past decade, the Latin Jazz world was forced to look at itself and consider what exactly a world without Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, or Ray Barretto sounded like. All these musicians left a lifetime of music to inspire and lead us through our listening; in fact, the combined output of all these musicians constitutes a lifetime of jazz study. These musicians left more than simply great music though - part of the impact of this group laid primarily in the fact that they all followed a similar conception of Latin Jazz. Despite quick dips in other directions, these musicians all drew upon Afro-Cuban dance rhythms for their rhythmic content and combined it with jazz harmony. The complexity of the harmony varied and sometimes they flirted with Puerto Rican rhythms or funky jams, but for the most part, their music all stemmed from the same roots. When listeners or young musicians looked these icons of Latin Jazz, they could easily answer the essential question, “What Is Latin Jazz?”

The impact of their loss was more than musical though - these musicians were the heavy-hitters that served as the face of Latin Jazz to the world. During the nineties, Tito Puente appeared on David Letterman and The Simpsons, Mongo Santamaria found a legacy of follower among young lovers of funky jazz, and Cachao became a hero through his well-publicized documentary. All these musicians were captured in the film Calle 54 during 2001, once again cementing these musicians’ reputation as the face of Latin Jazz. For a time, many people on the street could pull out the name Tito Puente when asked about Latin Jazz; there was simply a general awareness of the music that was fueled by the coherence and logic of these musicians’ sound. As these musicians started to leave us, the general public lost their connection to the style and once again were left with the question “What Is Latin Jazz?”

When one group of leaders step aside, another one arises though, and fortunately another group of musicians filled the void left by the passing of mentors during the 2000s. A new collection of Latin Jazz musicians rose into the spotlight during the 2000s, taking on the leadership role with style. These musicians were already respected musicians with long careers by the 2000s, so in a way, their placement as role models served as no surprise. This group of musicians played with outstanding style and sophistication during the 2000s, but they also took the music much further. They acted as a face for the music, appearing around the world at jazz festivals and beyond. They worked as educators, sharing the genre’s inner workings with a new generation of musicians. They acted as creative sparks, pushing the music in new directions. There was a definitive changing of the guard in the Latin Jazz world during the 2000s - these musicians set the tone among the general public for Latin Jazz in the 2010s, giving us a new face for an evolving genre.

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So let’s check out the new gate keepers that arose during the 2000s . . .

Poncho Sanchez
Poncho Sanchez built a strong reputation as one of the most solid and straight-ahead band leaders in Latin Jazz throughout the eighties and nineties. As he moved into the 2000s, his group had already gained an international following and loyal fan base. With the 2003 release of Out Of Sight, Sanchez made some major personnel changes and geared his repertoire towards Latin tinged Rhythm and Blues. This change seemed drastic to some, but it made sense based upon Sanchez’s influences - he spent years carrying on the legacy of his former boss Cal Tjader, but this new direction followed suit behind his primary conga mentor, Mongo Santamaria. His new direction clicked with the general publish and it sent his popularity soaring. Now leading one of the busiest bands in the Latin Jazz world, Sanchez represents the face of Latin Jazz for many people around the world.

Eddie Palmieri
Palmieri has always been a leader in the salsa world, inserting a jazz influenced style into a dance setting that changed the style forever. Over the course of decades, he dipped into Latin Jazz bit by bit, but didn’t fully dive into the mix until 1994’s Palmas. His musical approach fit perfectly into a jazz focused setting, and his fiery piano style stood apart from any other musician on the scene. His continued emphasis upon the music’s jazz side during the nineties earned him regular gigs at prestigious jazz clubs and major jazz festivals. By the time the 2000s rolled around, Palmieri began alternating between his La Perfecta repertoire and jazz oriented material, but the jazz world had fallen in love with him. His sidemen began to make serious Latin Jazz statements, most notably with trumpet player Brian Lynch’s Simpatico and Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side band. As more Latin Jazz artists started passing away, the general public began to recognize Palmieri’s importance as a musician and bandleader. Today he carries the mantle for the style and is considered the leading voice in New York Latin Jazz.

Paquito D’Rivera
When D’Rivera entered the 2000s, he was far from a newcomer; in fact, he celebrated 50 years in the music business during this decade. He came into the 2000s already considered a role model and leader, and in many ways he simply continued his work from earlier in his life. D’Rivera took some artistic chances during the 2000s though that allowed him to stretch across several genres while retaining his musical integrity. He spent his childhood years in Cuba performing classical music on both the clarinet and saxophone, and he returned to that world in a big way during the 2000s. Recordings with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and The Turtle Island String Quartet paved the way for acceptance among a classical artist. He worked extensively with Jazz At Lincoln Center and served as artistic director for the Caramoor Jazz Festival. When newly elected president Barak Obama organized a jazz night at the White House, D’Rivera stood alongside Wynton Marsalis as a prime exponent of the music. He kept his feet in Latin Jazz with some excellent recordings like 2003’s Big Band Time and the 2007 album Funk Tango. D’Rivera continues to serve as an example of musical excellence and diverse skills across the Latin Jazz world.

Arturo O’Farrill
After a serious modern jazz education as a member of Carla Bley’s band during the eighties, O’Farrill moved back towards Latin Jazz in the nineties. It was a natural transition, working with his father Chico in live performance and on record. When his father passed away in 2001, O’Farrill took on the family business and became a major advocate for Latin Jazz. The pure force of his beliefs allowed him to join forces with Jazz At Lincoln Center to create a high profile big band, The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. When Jazz At Lincoln Center relegated to group to traditional repertoire and undercut the importance of Latin Jazz, he parted ways with the group. He took his energy elsewhere, established the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance, and found a new home for the group at Symphony Space. His high profile position first with Jazz At Lincoln Center and now as the creative head of the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance has led to countless interviews and publicity spots where he has represented the music with dignity and style.

Bobby Sanabria
Sanabria spent the better part of the eighties and nineties performing with a who’s who list of Latin Jazz musicians, including Mongo Santamaria and Mario Bauza. His experiences with these musicians built upon an already thorough understanding of the style, making him a major torch bearer for the tradition. Sanabria really was a fountain of musical knowledge around Latin Jazz history and performance. As major figures began to disappear, a need for the preservation of the style and history arose and many people called upon Sanabria’s vast knowledge. He did not stay locked in the past though – he created some amazing big band albums during the 2000s that called upon history while pushing the envelope of modern composition. Sanabria also became an important educator whose work with the New School, the Manhattan School Of Music, and more has helped carve a new generation of musicians with a serious education around Latin Jazz.

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The 2000s were a major time of change in the Latin Jazz world, so we’re taking a look at some of the major trends through several different articles. Make sure you check out Part 1 of this series where we take a big picture look at the main theme riding over the 2000s. Come back next week for Part 3 & Part 4 where we’ll dive into two more major changes in the Latin Jazz world during the past decade - see you then!

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Jazz Now: 5 Latin Jazz Albums From The Present Moment
The Latin Jazz E-Group: Celebrating 10 Years Of Latin Jazz Community
Latin Jazz Album Artwork: An Essential Piece Of The Digital Music World
Latin Jazz: A Legitimate American Music

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