It’s 8:30 p.m. on a Sunday, and you’ve just finished dinner before heading to New York City’s Birdland Jazz Club to see the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. You take your seat on the balcony—best view in the house—as musicians trickle in, carrying a mix of instruments: trombones, trumpets, flutes, but also timbales, maracas, and guiros. Latine sounds meet classic jazz, and suddenly, “Latin Jazz” clicks. It’s not just a fusion of genres—it’s the meeting of spirits, a shared language of rhythm, melody, and cultural expression. And it’s making a comeback. At a time when cultural expression is just as important as ever, it’s no surprise that Latine jazz is having a resurgence. Societal influences ranging from political injustices, racial tensions, and cultural resistance have fueled the desire for self-expression among our Latine communities—and music has always been a way to do that.
“Jazz is the music born out of Mother Africa,” pianist and composer Arturo O’Farril says as he leads his orchestra into the next set. And he’s not wrong. During the transatlantic slave trade, enslaved peoples brought to Latin America could keep their drums, unlike most in North America. In New Orleans, LA, Congo Square became a rare exception, allowing African traditions, such as music, dance, and worship, to thrive, giving rise to jazz and blues. By the 1920s, New Orleans had become a major trade port, exchanging goods with traders from South America and the Caribbean, including those from Cuba. This facilitated the exchange of cultural and musical influences between the regions.
By the 1940s, Cuban musicians began migrating to New York City and collaborating with jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington. It was around this time that trumpeter Mario Bauzá recognized the rhythmic similarities between Afro-Cuban music and American jazz and joined percussionist Machito to co-foundMachito and His Afro-Cubans, one of the first jazz bands to proudly represent its African heritage.
Today, Afro-Latine jazz is experiencing a resurgence. With access to digital platforms, artists are reconnecting with their heritage and expanding their reach to global audiences. Whether through viral TikTok trends featuring Tito Puente’s “Oye Como Va” or curated YouTube playlists blending jazz and Latine rhythms, the genre is thriving. We’re highlighting the artists leading this revival while exploring the roots and modern resurgence of Afro-Latine jazz and honoring its deep cultural legacy.
First on the list, of course, is Hartford-born pianist and composer Zaccai Curtis. Co-founding the Curtis Brothers Band with his brother Luques, he creates compositions that balance improvisational freedom with percussive structures rooted in salsa, rumba, and other Afro-diasporic sounds. The band recently took home the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for their album Cubop Lives! His recordings highlight both tradition and innovation, keeping Afro-Latine jazz vibrant while being a guardian of heritage and a forward-thinking innovator.
Arturo O’Farril
Grammy-winning pianist and bandleader Arturo O’Farrill is the Founder of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance and Orchestra. His music fuses Afro-Cuban rhythms, contemporary jazz, and political storytelling to spotlight social justice, migration, and cultural identity. Through his work and presence on social media, O’Farril continues to prove that jazz can be a platform for dialogue and change.
Pedrito Martinez
Hailing from Havana, percussionist and vocalist Pedrito Martínez brings Afro-Cuban rhythms to jazz, funk, and rock. He leads the Pedrito Martínez Group, fusing Afro-Cuban folklore with jazz, funk, and rock influences. With over 4 million streams on Spotify, Pedrito combines rumba and batá traditions with contemporary genres, creating music that is deeply rooted yet modern. He actively shares his performances and behind-the-scenes content on social media, engaging with fans and promoting Afro-Cuban music globally.
Daymé Arocena
Singer and composer Daymé Arocena blends Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions with jazz improvisation. Her powerhouse vocals and magnetic stage presence have garnered a global following and have garnered up to 10 million streams on Spotify. Since her debut Nueva Era, she has emerged as a leading voice of a new wave of Cuban jazz, bridging tradition and modernity. Arocena actively engages with her audience on social media, sharing her music and cultural insights, which has helped her build a dedicated fanbase worldwide.
Chucho Valdez
Cuban pianist and composer Chucho Valdés is the founder of the groundbreaking ensemble Irakere. He introduced a daring mix of jazz, rock, classical, and traditional Cuban music to the world stage, with some tracks garnering up to five million streams on Spotify. His work has inspired generations of musicians and continues to influence the evolution of Afro-Cuban jazz.
Roberto Fonseca
Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca, formerly with the Buena Vista Social Club, blends classic Cuban son with modern jazz, funk, and global influences. Albums like Yo and Yesun highlight his fearless approach, merging tradition with experimentation. Fonseca’s solo work also showcases rhythmic innovation and storytelling, which can be seen and felt in his most recent Tiny Desk Performance.
Johnathan Suazo
Puerto Rican saxophonist and composer Johnathan Suazo blends jazz improvisation with bomba, plena, and other Afro-Caribbean traditions. His 2023 album Ricano showcases native horns, percussion, and rhythms reflecting his roots. Suazo uses music as a platform for identity, resilience, and community, pushing Afro-Caribbean jazz forward while honoring heritage. A rising voice in contemporary jazz, he represents a new generation of innovators keeping Latine jazz dynamic and evolving.
Caleb Arredondo
The one-man show that is Caleb Arredondo has carved a unique space in today’s contemporary jazz scene. His viral reels often feature an echo-filled stage (think empty parking lots and outdoor corridors), where the sounds of his saxophone are amplified enough to compel digital audiences of over one million viewers. Though Arredondo’s work doesn’t sit squarely within the Latine jazz niche, his musical style relies on feeling and emotion in a similar way to that of Latine jazz. It has quietly introduced a next-gen audience to the genre and has soundtracked more than 1.5 million posts, spanning everything from travel recaps on TikTok to fashion montages on Instagram.
