Amongst the wide field of Duke Ellington-composed masterpieces, Conga Brava (1940) stands near the top of the ranks. One of the earliest examples of a crossover of jazz and Afro-Cuban music, the performance features all of the trademark mannerisms of the Ellington sound - unique melodies, use of plunger-muted brass, and a heavy emphasis on the personalities of his sidemen - operating at their peak creativity.