The adaptation and
development of the electric guitar's role in Latin jazz from its
traditional beginnings in Latin music are truly undocumented or rarely
mentioned. Valuable recordings that display how the guitar forged its
voice in Latin jazz are scarce to come by. However, we wouldn't have had
the possibility nor the conditions to create a space for modern
guitarists if it wasn't for these earlier guitarists who paved the way.
To
many, the achievements of Carlos Santana established the guitar's role
in Latin Music. Carlos blended mainstream blues-rock, the over-driven
guitar sounds with Latin rhythms. However, even though his achievements
put the electric guitar on the Latin music map, other guitarists of
equal importance helped lay the necessary groundwork to establish its
role within the Latin jazz genre.