Category: 1940s
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T-Bone Walker
About Aaron Thibeaux “T-Bone” Walker was an American blues musician, composer, songwriter and bandleader, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues, West Coast blues, and electric blues sounds. In 2018 Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 67 on its list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. Albums/Songs: Funky Town The…
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Toña la Negra
About Antonia del Carmen Peregrino Álvarez, known by her stage name Toña la Negra, was a Mexican singer and actress of partial Haitian ancestry, known for her interpretation of boleros and canciones written by Agustín Lara. Albums/Songs: Noche de ronda Toña la Negra Noche criolla México y su música Serie Platino 20 Exitos 40 temas…
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Trío Los Panchos
About Originally, Trio Los Panchos were a trío romántico formed in New York City in 1944 by Alfredo Gil, Chucho Navarro, and the Puerto Rican Hernando Avilés. The trio became one of the leading exporters of the bolero and the romantic ballad in Latin America. Albums/Songs: More Amor Otra época Me voy pa’l pueblo Esencia…
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Wendo Kolosoy
About Antoine Wendo Kolosoy, known as Papa Wendo, was a Congolese musician. He is considered the “doyen” of Congolese rumba, a musical style blending traditional Kongolese rhythm and son cubano. Albums/Songs: Marie Louise Amba On The Rumba River Nani Akolela Wendo Call to Action: What’s your favorite Wendo Kolosoy song? Share your thoughts in the…
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Chano Pozo
About Luciano Pozo González, known professionally as Chano Pozo, was a Cuban jazz percussionist, singer, dancer, and composer. Despite only living to the age of 33, he played a major role in the founding of Latin jazz. He co-wrote some of Dizzy Gillespie’s Latin-flavored compositions, such as “Manteca” and “Tin Tin Deo”, and was the…
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Bebo Valdés
About Dionisio Ramón Emilio Valdés Amaro, better known as Bebo Valdés, was a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger. He was a central figure in the golden age of Cuban music, especially due to his big band arrangements and compositions of mambo, chachachá and batanga, a genre he created in 1952. Albums/Songs: Blanco y Negro:…
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The Mills Brothers
About The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed The Four Mills Brothers and originally known as Four Boys and a Guitar, were an American jazz and traditional pop vocal quartet who made more than 2,000 recordings that sold more than 50 million copies and garnered at least three dozen gold records. Albums/Songs: The Best of The Mills…
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Tito Puente
About Ernest Anthony Puente Jr., commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and record producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. Albums/Songs: Cuban Carnival Top Percussion Revolving Bandstand Homenaje a Beny, vol. 2 Mambo Caravan Dance Mania El Rey Bravo Puente Now! La pareja Para los rumberos The…
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Carmen Miranda
About Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, known professionally as Carmen Miranda, was a Portuguese-born Brazilian singer, dancer, and actress. Nicknamed “The Brazilian Bombshell”, she was known for her signature fruit hat outfit that she wore in her American films. Albums/Songs: Original Recordings 1930 – 1950 Cocktail Hour Raízes do Samba O melhor de Carmen…
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Erskine Hawkins
About Erskine Ramsay Hawkins was an American trumpeter and big band leader from Birmingham, Alabama, dubbed “The 20th Century Gabriel”. He is best remembered for composing the jazz standard “Tuxedo Junction” (1939) with saxophonist and arranger Bill Johnson. The song became a hit during World War II, rising to No. 7 nationally and to No. 1 nationally.…
