Conga Players

[echoofformless]

Out of these, who do you like best?

[zaragemca]

It is not really the best,each one have specific style which give a variety of approaches in to percussion,the same way that I have develop my personal Style into percussion with the resources that I always did play drum-set as well,also there are other percussionist like Los Papines which also develop the conga approach in to Rumba.Also you are missing Armando Peraza,Michael Carabello,Francisco Aguabella,we all are bringing something to percussion,and I'm still carry on the flag.

[echoofformless]

Nice post.....but i didn't ask "who is the best?" I asked, "Who do you LIKE best?"

And only out of those guys.....they're the most popular ones.


I don't believe in claiming that one musician is ever the best at anything....because like you said....everyone has their own relevent style.


So who do you listen to the most??

[zaragemca]

I have been for 6 years now Advancing many of the percussion structures which have been at a particular stage for some time, to put it on a new dimension, or higher stage with the particular resource that I come from where this percussionist which create this dimension come from which give me strong foundation for it.I'm working on Caribbean,Brazilian,Cuban,African,and Jazz Pattern and Teaching.

[JulianFC]

I am a big fan of Poncho Sanchez. In fact I keep playing the tune Moon pie from Soul of the conga over and over. I love Poncho's band and buy a cd by them whenever I can.
I also love the other guys with Giovanni at the top of the list.

[zaragemca]

They both are good conga players,but since I was in Cuba I been a Drumeplayer,Bata player,Timbal Player and have the percussion roots with have been tranfered to me from my ancestors and ground

[zaragemca]

They both are good conga players,but since I was in Cuba I been a Drum-player,Bata- player,Timbal- Player,conga- player and have the percussion roots with have been tranfered to me from my ancestors and ground - breakers-percussionists which I meet there,so what I'm doing in working in more sophisticated structures of percussion which involved multiple syncopation patterns,multiple time signatures and percussion structures and have done presentations at Festivals,Clubs, Corporate Events,Universities,Clinics,etc.Some of my students have been working with me on this for 6 years now.

[afrobeat]

Hi guys,
Just want to mention the father of songo : jose luis quintana (changuito), he should be added to the list.
and check out : jesus diaz!
dan

[zaragemca]

Yes,'Changito' is one of the creator of the Songo Movement which took place in Cuba in the 70's with the Grupo Los Van Van,but it was in the Drum-Set ( which was his instrument in that Group,the reference in this forum is in relation to direct Conga-Players.

[tamboricua]

Yes, "Changuito" along with Juan Formell created many of the songo movements for Los Van Van arrangements, but as credited by Chango, the creator of many of the songo movements for the tumbadoras was the late Raúl Cardenas, alias "El Yulo".

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

[zaragemca]

That's exactly the reason I point out that 'Changito' did it on the Drum-Set which is the instrument he was playing with Los Van Van.Now the conga pattern(since you touched that subject) was a variation of rumba which was known by the congeros in Cuba,what made an spice in this movement was the combination of both and the improvisation of 'Changito, which was' always up dating the pattern.

[tamboricua]

Of course "Changuito" did play drum-set paila combination with Van Van, but also he is an excellent tumbador. With an incredible and revolutionary hand technique that many try to emulate, "la mano secreta" y con un chequendeque del cará!

Echale limón,

Jorge Ginorio

[zaragemca]

I never observed him playing conga in Cuba,even when now he have some videos playing it, which is nothing wrong.The secrect-hand or secrect-beat might be new for the congeros out side Cuba, but 'we', the generation of new percussionists in Cuba new that stuff which was developed by Tata Guines in the late 60's to the early 70's. and also other rumberos, the same way that when I came in to the U.S I was amazed to see the groups playing 'Salsa' with Timbales, when over there every body was playing with full Drum-Set(Songo).like, Irakere,Los Van Van, La Ritmo Oriental,Los Reyes 73,Los Bocucos,Los Impactos,etc.

[tamboricua]

Zaragemca,

Can you please explain to me the "guatrapio" created by Juan Claro (Clarito), tumbador for La Ritmo Oriental? Looking forward to hear from you.


Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

[zaragemca]

It could be a variation of the Columbia or Yambu Pattern, as soon as I listen to the structure I will know the foundation of it.I been involved myself in the creation of Advanced Structures in Yoruba,Rumba,Caribbean ,Brazilian, Jazz Music which I have not even put name to it yet, also working in multiple combine time signature structures like, 7/ 4, 6/8, 5/4,etc.,and making top percussionists which are involved in this program with me.