Cubano Be

This groundbreaking arrangement was written by George Russell in 1947 for the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band. It was first recorded live at Carnegie Hall then recorded at one of the last sessions Dizzy Gillespie made for RCA Victor in 1947. The importance of Cubano Be is that it signaled to the music community that Afro-Cuban rhythms (and Latin influences in general) could be merged with jazz. Through these performances and recordings, Afro-Cuban arrangements found their way to the concert hall.