is 3 drums needed? - technique, Rhythms and Exercise

[tamboricua]

Another underrated two drum player that comes to mind is Mr. Eddie Montalvo. Veteran of many seminals groups like Héctor Lavoe, Los Kimbos de Orestes Vilató, Son del Solar, etc., plus a bunch of sessions. Talking about solid time and "afinque".

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio



Edited By tamboricua on June 18 2003 at 19:43

[JohnnyConga]

Also I would like to mention a few more congueros that were on the New York Scene beside myself. My twin-the late great Frankie Rodriguez-Latin Joe Colon(Ralph Robles)-Lorenzo"chino"Galan(Joe Bataan) and the late great Luis Bonilla(first Harlow album,La Differente) These guys were all smokin conga drummers, unfortunatly they had a death date with drugs. I knew them all personally and would follow them around when I wasn't gigging. In some cases I actually sat in for them when they were down and out. ...........my history.....they were many good drummers back then as there are now, some went on with a career(like myself) and others just went by the wayside.......At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA...

[KingKongas]

I started out playing on a single drum and had to improvise playing "other drums" by hitting a different area on my one drum. However, I now have 3 drums and have "played around" with 4 and 5 drums and have to admit to being hooked on the incredible melodies one can get out of the most basic of rhythms. I mean... every tone you can get out of a single drum is different than on another drum. Has anyone ever practiced even the paradiddles on at least 3 drums and not been amazed at the possibilities? If you listen carefully, even the slaps are different for each drum.... especially the open slaps. I believe there is a certain balance that happens when you play multiple drums. If you are equally adept at playing right-handed or left-handed then the possible rhythm patterns that can be accomplished at any one moment are limitless. Anybody have a clue as to what I'm trying to say? It's almost like playing in a mirror. Whatever you can play on the right you can play on the left. So if you have a quinto in the middle and a tumba and conga on the right and a tumba and conga on the left.... and you are equal with both hands... wow. I'd like to get more hand independence in my playing to be able to explore that area of multiple drum playing.

By the way... all the congueros mentioned are some of my favorites as I too grew up in NYC and heard them in my younger years. But it is SO true that there are many excellent congueros that we have never heard of and there are SO many that have left this world prematurely.

[RitmoBoricua]

Also I would like to mention a few more congueros that were on the New York Scene beside myself. My twin-the late great Frankie Rodriguez-Latin Joe Colon(Ralph Robles)-Lorenzo"chino"Galan(Joe Bataan) and the late great Luis Bonilla(first Harlow album,La Differente) These guys were all smokin conga drummers, unfortunatly they had a death date with drugs. I knew them all personally and would follow them around when I wasn't gigging. In some cases I actually sat in for them when they were down and out. ...........my history.....they were many good drummers back then as there are now, some went on with a career(like myself) and others just went by the wayside.......At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA...

Hi. Thanks Mr. JC for not letting us forget about those people specially Frankie Rodriguez.

[RitmoBoricua]

Another underrated two drum player that comes to mind is Mr. Eddie Montalvo. Veteran of many seminals groups like Héctor Lavoe, Los Kimbos de Orestes Vilató, Son del Solar, etc., plus a bunch of sessions. Talking about solid time and "afinque".

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

Hi. Yes, he is another master of the "Afinque". A veteran of so many groups.

[JohnnyConga]

I can tell you from my travels around this planet that some of the baddest conga drummers are not even known and never will be. That is not including the ones I knew growing up in NYC that just never wanted to make it a career but could play their butts off. My first teacher Hank Fields was one of them. At your service.....JC JOHNNY CONGA....PS I could name another 50 conga drummers from NYC that never made it, or were just content in playing on weekends.

[KingKongas]

I just so happen to be listening to "Les Percussiones de Guinee"... Ever heard of them? I was extremely fortunate to sit with them and particpate in a workshop they conducted in the DC area. An experience I will never forget. They are some incredible percussionists. You will hear alot of rhythms in their playing. Nothing against the NYC players, but, there IS a planet of people out there that play and we've never heard of... I like to hear of different viewpoints on this forum especially from outside the US. I grew up back in the day in NYC but listen to as much as I can nowadays and also RE-listen to the yesteryear (is that a word???) players. My favorite music is that OLD-club music from the 30's, 40's, and 50's... but understand that all the music comes from certain basic African rhythms.

[KingKongas]

Forgot... to stay on point to the original post... these guys hit for the most part a single drum, and you should have seen/heard ALL the different tones coming out of a single drum!, and mostly djembes and other drums (I was the only one in the group with a LP conga... but I had great spirit!!!), but the overall playing of several different drums by different drummers was incredible! But I'm sure that the more experienced soloist drummers out there can adapt the rhythms to multiple drums.