DIZZY GILLESPIE: BLOW YOUR HEAD

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Dizzy Gillespie: Manteca (America, 1974, The Source)

Dizzy first made “Manteca” famous back in the mid-1940s and it would become one of his most important recordings in terms of introducing Latin influences into American pop music (and obviously jazz).1 He’d go onto re-record the song many times throughout his career but if you’re looking for the funkiest one: here it is, recorded in France in ’73. Kenny Clarke is a beast on drums here but the whole rhythm section whips this into a jazz dance frenzy.

365 Days of Soul, #107

  1. Shout outs to Chano Pozo and Gil Fuller who co-wrote the song, alongside Diz.