Les Baxter was an American musician and composer who specialized in an idiosyncratic genre known as exotica during the mid-20th century. He is often credited with pioneering the style, which combines elements of jazz, Latin, and orchestral music with unique sounds intended to evoke foreign, often tropical locales. Among Baxter's most significant works are the albums "Ritual of the Savage" and "Tamboo!", which are considered classics of the exotica genre. His innovative use of unconventional instruments and sounds had a significant influence on later artists and genres, including lounge and space age pop music.