During the 1940s, the mambo rage began, and Machito (Frank Grillo)'s band, the Afro-Cubans, was formed, brining together swing and Caribbean rhythmic and vocal styles. The mambo, which originated in Cuba, arrived in the United States with two distinct versions - a strongly Cuban musical style associated with New York, attributed to israel Lopez (Cachao), and a more "diluted" west coast style attributed to Perez Prado.

In the later 1940s, Latin jazz featured collaborations betwee Dizzy Gilespy and latino musicians, creating a fusion known as "Cubop", as featured by Machito's Afro Cubans. Jazz musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Kenton and Charlie Parker were influenced by this blend of sounds and styles.

By the 1950s, the mambo craze peaked among Anglo American audiences, only to be succeeded by the "chachacha". Latino musicians began using more traditional Caribbean ingredients in their works, including the Domincan merengues and Puerto Rican bombas and plenas. In 1950, Salsa legend Tito Puente released popular albums in jazz and Latino styles.

With the mambo, chachacha, Latin jazz, mergengue, plena and bomba now part of the familiar musical experience among Latino musicians in New York, the foundations for salsa music were in place.