Dizzy Gillespie with conguero Chano Pozo and tenor saxophonist James Moody, c. 1948.

Courtesy of the Frank Driggs Collection.

 

“Manteca”

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra

1947

Dizzy loved Afro-Cuban music and combined it best with jazz when collaborating with the Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo with whom he co-wrote this song. Both understood that jazz and Afro-Cuban music shared musical roots. Pozo explained, “Dizzy no speak Spanish, me no speak English. Both speak African. ”