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How did Machito combine Afro-Cuban music with jazz and big-band sounds?

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ceramic flute — Latin American music Flute, slip-painted ceramic, Nopiloa, southern Veracruz, Mexico, 300–500 ce; in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 35.56 × 17.15 × 10.80 cm.

The fusion of Afro-Cuban music with jazz and big-band sounds was pioneered in 1940 in New York City with the formation of the Machito and the Afro-Cubans orchestra. This ensemble was led by singer and percussionist Frank "Machito" Grillo and directed by the Cuban-born trumpeter Mario Bauzá.12

Bauzá, who had extensive experience playing in prominent American big bands—including those of Chick Webb, Fletcher Henderson, and Cab Calloway—was instrumental in bridging these musical traditions. By integrating the complex, syncopated rhythms and percussion instruments of Cuba with the sophisticated arrangements and instrumentation of the swing era, the orchestra created a new sound.12

A defining moment in this synthesis was the early 1940s hit "Tanga," which is widely regarded by critics as the first true example of Latin jazz. This collaboration effectively established a foundation for future Afro-Cuban jazz, influencing later artists like Stan Kenton and Dizzy Gillespie to further explore the integration of Afro-Cuban dance rhythms with jazz styles.12