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Hi everybody,
when listening to the old Mongo Santamaria classic "Afro Blue" (Fantasy records!) I tried to accompany it with 4 Congas. On this recording, the tune has a mysterious rhythm always beuatifully shimmering with the different rhythmic layers which are basically in 3/4 time, but still there must be some trick in it (apart from Mongo´s fantastic solo ;-).
Well, I tried to play along with the following pattern, every note an eighth (Sorry, can´t print sheet music):

Quinto O S | O S

Conga M O O O | O M

Conga O |

Tumba | O O

The pattern is not too difficult, sounds quite nice, though, especially if the drums are tuned "minor pentatonically" without the 5th tone, e.g. (lowest first):
e - g - a - b

CHeers!

Sorry, there was one open tone too much, it must be

Quinto O S | O S

Conga M O O | O M

Conga O |

Tumba | O O

Mike that's a great pattern and I like that pentatonic minor,it fits perfect with the arrangement. BTW there is no trick except that Mongo is ONLY playing 2 congas. Have you taught yourself his conga solo yet? It's great if you can cop it lick for lick, you can almost feel like the man himself.Also Mongo plays it totally in 6/8 possibly the horn section is in 3/4 at times,I'll listen to it again for the 15,000 time to see. Don't forget Mongo is an African from Cuba. with Peace and Congas/Vibes....JC JOHNNY CONGA...

Hey guys I'm having to go back and relearn somethings that I didnt get in the beginning. How would I count on the chart that you just gave.
Thanks
Carlitos

You have to hear Poncho Sanchez's version of "AFRO BLUE". His solo in the beginning of the track is awesome.

Hey Mike is it possible to put numbers above the notation for I can better understand it?

JC, how many versions of 6/8 are there? I know of two.

1) Using one drum.
2) Using two drums.

Folks,

The two drum version of AfroBlue in the Congabook on this site seems pretty accurate. Scroll down to the bottom of the AfroBlue rhythm page. The three drum version is great too, just not as true to some of the recordings that I have. You have to adapt either rhythm to match up with what Mongo's playing after the intro.

I've got so many recordings of afroblue that I can't always remember which one's which. Ray, which Pancho album is it on?

Zach

There are literally hundreds of 6/8 patterns from Africa. We in the west have what we have on record, by Africa, unless you go there or study with an African drummer from West Africa. You can make up patterns as long as you can count out the time. Also check out Bill Matthews book CongaJoy who has put out 2 Cd's with about 100 different afro-caribbean rhythms on it. Mongo's version of Afro-Blue(WHICH HE COMPOSED) on the Latino album by Cal Tjader is the best version. Poncho is a cloned version of it. There have been many recordings of the tune, it is considered a "Classic standard"....At Your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA....

120, I really don't know a friend of mine recorded it for me. I will look into it!

I much rather prefer 6/8 time rhythms... dont ask me why. Seems as if my heartbeat goes that way. I agree that Mongo's original version is IT! Everyone else not only imitates the original but imagine laying that track down for the FIRST time!?!?

I'd like to get my hands on that Bill Mathews book! I'm sure it would be an eye-opener.

Hi RayBoogie, here´s just my notation with numbers (hope it gets clearly visible) in 6/8 time for Santamaria-like AFRO BLUE

1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Quinto O S | O S

Conga M O O | O M

Conga O |

Tumba | O O

N.B.again : this pattern also works with 4/4 time in the way that two 6/8-bars are one bar 8 eights or are they called quavers ??

Anyway, hope this helps..

Mike wrote:N.B.again : this pattern also works with 4/4 time in the way that two 6/8-bars are one bar 8 eighths or are they called quavers ??

quarters = crotchets
eighths = quavers
sixteenths = semiquavers

I think it depends on where you are (geographically) and probably where you went to school or who you hang with, but it's all the same.