Every week, La Alternativa delivers the very best from the Latin alternative scene by curating a blend of emerging and established artists within the Latin diaspora, while providing a platform to champion our growing local music scene. Listen on demand here and on 88Nine from 10-11 p.m. every Wednesday.
As we enter Black History Month, it's important to recognize the labor, artistry and impact that Black and Afro-Latine artists have put into and left on music from Latin America — from folk traditions like Bomba and Son Cubana to modern rap, pop and fusions.
We thought we’d start the month by recognizing the Afro-Latina women who have contributed to jazz, both trailblazers and contemporary.
The term “Latin jazz” was coined in the 1950s, but it’s important to note that it’s different in every country and region within Latin America and the diaspora, as various traditional sounds and rhythms have been introduced. The two most influential mixes are Brazilian and Afro-Cuban, the latter of which includes the grandfather of Latin jazz: Mario Bauza, a Cuban band leader who fused jazz arrangements with percussive afro-cuban rhythms in the early 1940s for Machito and his Afro-Cuban big band.
That brings us to Graciela Grillo. Known as the first lady of Latin jazz, Grillo was born in Havana and joined forces with Machito in 1937 after moving to NYC at the invitation of Mario Bauza. She recorded her first solo album, Esta es Graciela, in 1963. You’ll hear one of the tracks from that record, “El Gato Tience Tres Patas,” in this episode.
The intersection between Afro-Caribbean music and American jazz lie in the shared African-influenced musical characteristics, like rhythm, percussion and dance. Artists incorporate their own spin with the sounds that come from their country — like the work of Brazilian singer, composer, bandleader and piano player Tania Maria.
Prior to becoming internationally recognized, Maria was a hit in France, creating work that combined jazz, funk, bossa and Afro-Caribbean elements. Tania Maria released her first album, Olha Quem Chega, in 1971, and we’re proud to include “Samba de Orly” in a playlist packed with prime examples of Latin jazz at its finest.
Episode playlist
- Machito & His Orchestra with Graciela, “El Gato Tience Tres Patas”
- La Dame Blanche, “Los Fines De Semana”
- Maria Isabel, “No Soy Para Ti”
- Magdalena Sánchez & Corteta Ulises Acosta, “Ay! Trigueña”
- Tania Maria, “Samba de Orly”
- Chuwi, “Tierra”
- Daymé Arocena, “La Rumba Me Llamo Yo”
- Lilly Yan, “Te Advertí”
- La Lupe, “Fever”
- Celia Cruz, “Bembe Colorá”
- Mireya, “La Responsabilidad”
- Xenia Rubinos, “Did My Best”
- Rita Donte, “Zunzun Baba”
- J Noa and LOWLIGHT, “Traficando Rap”
