In the early 1960s the jazz world was swept by the sounds of bossa nova, the protagonists of which were Stan Getz, João Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim. This movement, which incorporated Brazilian elements into jazz music, echoed the Cuban-inspired jazz of the 1940s spearheaded by Machito; however the Latin presence in jazz can be traced further back to the music's very beginnings. Jelly Roll Morton declared that true jazz required what he referred to as 'the Spanish tinge' - an easily accessible musical trait in the multicultural blend of New Orleans. When W.C. Handy wrote his 'St Louis Blues' in 1914 he introduced the habañera rhythm that he had heard in Cuba. This classic Armstrong track, perhaps the most thrilling jazz record of all time, shows to full effect the Latin element that would continue to haunt jazz music intermittently through the decades.

Links

http://bluesnet.hub.org/readings/st.louis.blues.html
An essay discussing the many incarnations of Handy's 'St Louis Blues'.

http://redhotjazz.com
This site provides an invaluable resource on early jazz, with extensive biographies, essays and downloadable tracks.

http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/
International US-based mail order record catalogue, specializing in roots music.

http://www.jazznblues.co.uk/
UK-based jazz and blues record specialists.