26 Facts About Chano Pozo

Luciano Pozo Gonzalez, known professionally as Chano Pozo, was a Cuban jazz percussionist, singer, dancer, and composer.

Chano Pozo co-wrote some of Dizzy Gillespie's Latin-flavored compositions, such as "Manteca" and "Tin Tin Deo", and was the first Latin percussionist in Gillespie's band.

Luciano "Chano" Pozo Gonzalez was born in Havana to Cecelio Gonzalez and Carnacion Pozo.

Chano Pozo's mother died when Chano was aged 11, and Cecelio took his family to live with his long-time mistress, Natalia, who was Felix's mother.

Chano Pozo showed an early interest in playing drums, and performed ably in Afro-Cuban religious ceremonies in which drumming was a key element.

Chano Pozo dropped out of school after the third grade and earned a solid reputation as a rowdy tough guy, big for his age and exceptionally fit.

Chano Pozo spent his days playing drums, fighting, drinking, and engaging in petty criminal activities, the latter of which landed him a stint in a youth reformatory.

At the age of 13, Chano Pozo was sent to the reformatory in Guanajay, where he learned reading and writing, auto body repair, and honed his already exceptional skills playing a variety of drums.

Chano Pozo pledged allegiance to the Catholic Saint Barbara, identified widely with Shango, the Yoruba god of fire and thunder, and took him as his personal protector.

Chano Pozo was Abakwa and belonged to the Ekue Munanga Efo lodge.

Cecelio persuaded his son to practice his trade of bootblack, but Chano Pozo's temperament was not suited for this occupation and he quit after less than a year.

Chano Pozo was rumored to have performed duties as debt collector or "leg breaker" for Suarez.

Chano Pozo spent his free time dancing, singing, fighting, chasing women and playing his drums.

Chano Pozo's reputation grew among the people each year, not only because of his physical prowess as a dancer, drummer, and success with women, but for the compositions he wrote for Carnival, during the nightly celebrations of which neighborhoods formed highly competitive comparsas, or street troupes.

Chano Pozo elevated the status and reputation of rumbero to near mythic proportions with his swaggering attitude as he led his own comparsa through the streets and with increasing successes became a hero to Havana's poor people.

Cuba was by this time a popular tourist destination, with the biggest hotels, The Sevilla Biltmore, the Nacional, and El Presidente catering to rich Americans and Europeans, and Chano Pozo was determined to break the color barrier that restricted the employment of dark skinned people.

Chano Pozo befriended many musicians who worked there, playing his drum on the street to catch their attention as they arrived for work.

Chano Pozo found that opportunity with Armando Trinidad, owner of the radio station.

Chano Pozo first performed as a dancer in a Havana troupe known as The Dandy.

Once Chano Pozo became famous, he became renowned for his sense of fashion, including sometimes wearing an all-white top hat and tuxedo.

Chano Pozo was encouraged to do so by Mario Bauza and his childhood friend Miguelito Valdes.

Chano Pozo is one of a handful of Cuban percussionists who came to the United States in the 1940s and '50s.

Chano Pozo moved to New York City in early 1947 with the encouragement of Miguelito Valdes, and participated in a recording session with Valdes, the legendary band leader Arsenio Rodriguez, Carlos Vidal Bolado and Jose Mangual, Sr.

In 1947, Chano Pozo recorded what are considered the first commercial recordings of rumbas, cumbias, guaguancos and abakua in the album Afrocubano Rhythm 1,2,3 and 4.

Chano Pozo was shot and killed on December 2,1948, in the El Rio Bar at 111th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem.

Chano Pozo's killer was a local bookie named Eusebio "Cabito" Munoz.