TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz. - done
Say the name Chano Pozo, and you’re calling up the spirit of a revolution in jazz.
Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1915, Chano Pozo was a master percussionist, dancer, and composer. He brought the deep roots of Afro-Cuban religion and rhythm—Santería, rumba, bata drums—to American jazz.
In 1947, he joined forces with Dizzy Gillespie, and the result was pure fire: “Manteca”, one of the first great Afro-Cuban jazz pieces. It wasn’t just a tune—it was a turning point.
Chano didn’t read music. He played what he lived. And in just two short years in the U.S., he reshaped the sound of modern jazz with congas, clave, and raw power.
Chano Pozo ignited percussion.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.