Afro-Latin Groove

A Latin jazz classic penned by Cuban conguero Mongo Santamaría, the classic "Afro-Blue" illustrates the kind of bewitching grooves that result when you mix African rhythm with a Latin sensibility. Carlinhos Brown's highly symbolic "Omelete Man" depicts the Brazilian drummer as a walking "omelette man," a jarring mixture of musical influences.

From the colorful shenanigans of Carmen Miranda to the funky beat of axé queen Daniela Mercury and the melancholy lament of Milton Nascimento, the spirit of Africa permeates most genres of Brazilian music. With the propulsive "Irimo," Venezuelan singer Oscar D'León shows his love for the more African side of Cuban guarachas.

Even rock groups like Fabulosos Cadillacs and Bersuit Vergarabat have been influenced by Afro formats such as samba and candombe. We end the party with a real treat: tracks from the golden era of West African music, when artists like Grand Kallé and Orchestra Baobab fell passionately in love with Cuban music.

Where would Latin music be without the influence from Africa? From Dominican bachata and Brazilian samba to Cuban rumba and Afro-Peruvian folk, this eclectic compilation surveys the many manifestations of African rhythms and their fruitful marriage to indigenous Latin American formats. There's beauty to spare here, as we explore the musical ramifications of a violent meeting of cultures that would change the world forever.