Edward Cano (June 6, 1927 – January 30, 1988) was an

Afro-Cuban jazz Afro-Cuban jazz is the earliest form of Latin jazz. It mixes Afro-Cuban clave-based rhythms with jazz harmonies and techniques of improvisation. Afro-Cuban music has deep roots in African ritual and rhythm.{{cite web, Cuba: Son and Afro-Cuban ...

and

Latin jazz Latin jazz is a genre of jazz with Latin American rhythms. The two main categories are Afro-Cuban jazz, rhythmically based on Cuban popular dance music, with a rhythm section employing ostinato patterns or a clave, and Afro-Brazilian jazz, which ...

pianist and composer.

Early life

Cano was born in Los Angeles on June 6, 1927. His mother was Mexican-American, and his father, a bass guitarist, was Mexican. Cano's grandfather played with the Mexico City Symphony. Cano had classical piano lessons from the age of five. He also had training for the bass led by his grandfather and others, as well as trombone lessons. He began working in local bands, playing in nightclubs, in 1943.

Later life and career

After two years in the Army from 1945, he played in a band led by

Miguelito Valdés Miguelito Valdés (September 6, 1912 – November 9, 1978), also known as Mr. Babalú, was a renowned Cuban singer. His performances were characterized by a strong voice and a particular sense of ''cubanismo''. Life Miguelito Valdés was born ...

. He soon met vocalist Herb Jeffries, with whom he collaborated periodically for the next decade. Cano led his own bands from 1948, in addition to sideman work. Cano led albums in the 1950s and 1960s for several labels, including

Atco Atco or ATCO may refer to: Businesses * ATCO, a Canadian diversified company involved in manufacturing, utilities, energy and technologies ** ATCO Electric, a subsidiary of the above company * Atco (British mower company), a mower manufacturing ...

Reprise In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any repe ...

, and

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

. He also used contemporary dance crazes to help promote himself. Cano composed a large number of pieces. "While many of his peers concentrated on the peerless thrust of Latin rhythms, Cano hardly ignored this component but seemed equally intent on emphasizing the kind of complex, provocative harmonic and melodic structures associated with modern jazz." Cano died in Los Angeles on Jan 30, 1988, apparently from a heart attack.''Los Angeles Times'' Obituary
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Playing style

Cano was influenced by Noro Morales and

Erroll Garner Erroll Louis Garner (June 15, 1921 – January 2, 1977) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads. His instrumental ballad " Misty", his best-known composition, has become a jazz standard. It was first re ...

. Within a performance, he often changed "styles from Latin (with Latin rhythm section) to straight jazz (accompanied by drum kit)".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cano, Eddie Afro-Cuban jazz pianists Atco Records artists RCA Records artists Reprise Records artists Dunhill Records artists Latin jazz pianists 1927 births 1988 deaths 20th-century pianists Musicians from Los Angeles