Chano Pozo

Cuban musician and dancer

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July 20, 2026

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Chano Pozo was a Cuban percussionist, dancer, and composer who was instrumental in the development of Latin jazz. He collaborated with Dizzy Gillespie, a pioneer of bebop, to fuse Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, creating a style known as Afro-Cuban jazz or "Cubop". Their 1947 hit, "Manteca," became a jazz standard. Pozo's contributions, particularly his expertise in Afro-Cuban drumming, provided Latin jazz with a rich source of rhythmic patterns and styles. His influence helped shape the genre, which blends Cuban and Caribbean rhythms with jazz.1

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Latin jazz
…Cuban percussionist, dancer, and composer Chano Pozo. Gillespie and Pozo’s musical synthesis became known as Afro-Cuban jazz or, for a short period, “Cubop.” One of their collaborative efforts produced the 1947 hit “Manteca,” which quickly became a standard of the jazz repertoire.
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…Cuban percussionist, dancer, and composer Chano Pozo. Gillespie and Pozo’s musical synthesis became known as Afro-Cuban jazz or, for a short period, “Cubop.” One of their collaborative efforts produced the 1947 hit “Manteca,” which quickly became a standard of the jazz repertoire.
Read More