At one time, Dizzy traveled with his LP® congas, to which he was very much attached, and which he played during his performances. He was so attached to them in fact, that he told me that he once remembered to bring his congas to a gig, but forgot to bring his horn!

Dizzy's interest in Cuban music helped introduce these musical forms to a world-wide audience. By hiring the great conguero, Chano Pozo, to play in his band, and by writing the composition Manteca with him, Dizzy became one of the first Jazz band leaders to integrate conga playing with the other, more traditional Jazz instruments. Because of this, he is partially responsible for the existence of a world-wide market for Latin Percussion instruments.

Like me, Dizzy loved gadgets, and though he may not have been a natural at operating the cameras and tape recorders he bought, we spent many interesting hours at his home in Englewood talking about their attributes.

I formed a musical group in 1979 that featured Tito Puente and Carlos "Patato" Valdez, which had the honor of appearing at the Bottom Line in New York City, with Dizzy. Soon after, Art Delugoff, the owner of The Village Gate, discovered the popularity of this brand of Latin Jazz. Two weeks later Salsa Meets Jazz opened there and ran successfully well into the 1990's. Sadly, at this historic music site, located on Bleeker street in Greenwich Village, stands as a CVS drug store.

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