And he was productive: He first worked in the trumpet sections of big bands, until he stepped forward and led the small-group revolution, creating fast, intricate new music known as bebop and pioneering Afro-Cuban jazz.

NPR: Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, New York Voices In Concert

Well-known groups like Ketageta(ph) were mixing jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythms, so the government decided to host an annual jazz festival, which drew crowds from all over the world.

NPR: Pianist Returns to Cuba's Forbidden Music

Afro-Cuban percussion, loungy jazz textures, and rock psychedelia undulate together in a hypnotically soulful way.

NPR: The Sounds of Panama's Mixed Musical Heritage