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Latin Jazz Pioneer Ray Barretto Dies at 76

Via Hispanic Business wire:

The Grammy-award winning percussionist was given a heart bypass in January and underwent further surgery two weeks later following complications with an artery.

Born to Puerto Rican immigrant parents in New York in 1929, Barretto was widely credited as the godfather of Latin jazz and was the first Hispanic to record a Latin song which became a "hit" in the American Billboard Charts.
You can listen to a sample of his music, check out pictures, and read the extensive list of musicians he played with at drummerworld.com. It's a sad day.

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