Ray Barretto (1929–2006) heard “Manteca” as a GI in Germany and went on to play with Charlie Parker and Tito Puente, lead some of the defining bands of the Fania years and come back to jazz as an NEA Jazz Master.
Cándido Camero (1921–2020) was a Cuban conga player and jazz pioneer who played with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Tony Bennett, and by his own account was the first to play three congas at once.
