Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz Guitar 101 

Recently got placed into my college's Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble guitar. As a percussionist, I'd studied clave rhythms and montuno. I didn't realize just how structurally important they were for the rest of the instruments too!

It's ironic: I was born and raised in Cuba. I spent years studying guitar, with a special focus on rock and blues, and it wasn't until my last 3 or 4 years in Cuba that began to listen to Pat Metheny, Scott Henderson, John Scofield, and so on, that I started playing jazz, but never, ever felt any interest in playing Cuban rhythms. Years later I now live in the US, and now more than ever I had spent the last two years listening to Paquito, to Arturo Sandoval, Irakere, and all that music that reminds me of my home country, trying to recreate my "rediscovered" cultural background in my guitar playing... and thanks God I just found this channel with all these unique lessons. Thank you so much for this, sir

Very well layed out. Thanks for generosity.

Great lesson and speak good Spanish too

Great vid, and shining a light on something I've only heard peripherally before. Many thanks

Amazing work, congratulations

Tremenda leccion, Richie, algo muy necesitado - Gracias!

The best latin jazz guitar lesson ever, thanks for making this!

One of the best videos, I would love to see more.

Thank you so much for this lesson. It's really absolutly amazing

the bob ross of afro cuban

Fascinating stuff mate very important topic my brain is slowly learning cheers for that

Autumn Leaves ...wonderful technic...

Boy, that montuno in octaves has a ragtime feel... kinda!

Excellent lesson Ritchie. I have never seen this topic covered so well. Any chance you could do one on Calypso?

Good morning, I'm Vincenzo, an Italian Who lives in Nl . I always follow his channel, you play really good!!! I would like some advice maybe you know it : I would like to change the volume and tone potentiometers (which don't work properly), of my jazz guitar bought used (Ibanez AFJ81), with only one Seymour Duncan SH-2N pickup. I would like to buy 2 quality potentiometers that fit there. What do you advise me?

XCELLANT! Man, Richie what a GREAT lesson...perfectamudo!

Absolutely amazing lesson!!!! Ty so much for sharing your wisdom!

Essential and entertaining

This is the most extensive lesson I ever heard ❤

Hello Richie, is the Autumn Leaves comping at the end , is that in the Lesson package? Thanks

Excelente latín jazz Richie muy bien ejecutado .

Yes, i love those montunos!

Thank you Richie. ¡El jazz latino es increíble!🙌

Hi Richie thank you always for your beatifull video lesson can you tell me the name of tune you play on the beginy of video ?

Excellent lesson! Lots to absorb from this!

Loved it! Great lesson! Thanks

Hoping for more Afro Cuban style lessons! Thanks for posting!

wauw... this is great!

That subtle difference between son ckave abd rumba clave is such a nuanced feel thing. I think that's the most important part of this lesson for me

Great lesson !! Sexteto La Playa is also an excellent resource for latin jazz guitar..

Whoa man you are gooood. Congratulations.yore a great musician.🎸🎶🎸🎶🔥👍

Love it and always have. Di Meola has been playing this style since the mid 70’s

That was wonderful! Off to purchase.

Fantastic lesson

Fantastic lesson!! more please!!

More Latin Jazz Please!!! This is the stuff!

In the beginning, you were counting 4 in the space of the two bars shown, yet each bar had 4 beats per measure. What am I missing?