The guitar and its close relatives play an essential role throughout the Latin music world. Traditional Peruvian music places the guitar as its primary harmonic instrument. The Brazilian bossa nova found its heartbeat in the guitar, combining lush harmonies and laid-back rhythms. The Cuban tres drives tipico son conjuntos and Nuevo Trova reflects the American image of a singer-songwriter with a guitar. Spanish music is forever linked to the virtuosic stylings of flamenco guitar. The ten stringed Bolivian charango provides the steady pulse behind much of the country’s folkloric music. The soul of Puerto Rican Jibaro music lies in the steady montunos and rhythmic improvisations of the cuatro. Even in the States, an expression of Latino identity mixed with the blues inflected played of Carlos Santana to put the guitar at the front of the Latin rock scene. In almost every piece of the Latin music world - from Spain to the Caribbean, South America to the United States - the guitar appears consistently as a major musical component.
Strangely enough, this saturation of guitar-based music doesn’t translate to the general Latin Jazz world. The piano captured the forefront of the harmonic function in traditional Latin Jazz, slamming powerful montunos throughout songs and contributing percussive solos. The guitar occasionally served as a solo instrument or melodic player, but it rarely took over the chordal foundation completely. Similar to the straight-ahead jazz world in the 1940s - the 1960s, great Latin Jazz guitar players were greatly outnumbered by great Latin Jazz pianists. The guitar appeared regularly in Latin Jazz albums starting in the 1970s, but its presence too often implied rock and funk leanings. The sound of a distorted guitar almost served as a novelty at times, instantly sending the listener into a world of Latin fusion. In many ways, the guitar has maintained the quality of a second-class citizen for years in the Latin Jazz world.
Several guitarists have dedicated themselves to the pursuit of artistic integrity in Latin Jazz, bringing the instrument to a new level of respect. Each musician has looked into their own personalities and found unique ways to express themselves through the instrument. They’ve taken the time to refine their jazz chops, ensuring depth and substance to their work. These musicians have a variety of focuses, from Afro-Cuban music to Peruvian genres or Brazilian music. In each case, they’ve integrated traditional genres into their music, making an actual connection to the original culture. Each of these musicians makes a compelling case for the promotion of the guitar into the front of the style, and the continued development of the guitarist as leader in a Latin Jazz group.
Strangely enough, this saturation of guitar-based music doesn’t translate to the general Latin Jazz world. The piano captured the forefront of the harmonic function in traditional Latin Jazz, slamming powerful montunos throughout songs and contributing percussive solos. The guitar occasionally served as a solo instrument or melodic player, but it rarely took over the chordal foundation completely. Similar to the straight-ahead jazz world in the 1940s - the 1960s, great Latin Jazz guitar players were greatly outnumbered by great Latin Jazz pianists. The guitar appeared regularly in Latin Jazz albums starting in the 1970s, but its presence too often implied rock and funk leanings. The sound of a distorted guitar almost served as a novelty at times, instantly sending the listener into a world of Latin fusion. In many ways, the guitar has maintained the quality of a second-class citizen for years in the Latin Jazz world.
Several guitarists have dedicated themselves to the pursuit of artistic integrity in Latin Jazz, bringing the instrument to a new level of respect. Each musician has looked into their own personalities and found unique ways to express themselves through the instrument. They’ve taken the time to refine their jazz chops, ensuring depth and substance to their work. These musicians have a variety of focuses, from Afro-Cuban music to Peruvian genres or Brazilian music. In each case, they’ve integrated traditional genres into their music, making an actual connection to the original culture. Each of these musicians makes a compelling case for the promotion of the guitar into the front of the style, and the continued development of the guitarist as leader in a Latin Jazz group.
