by Firebrand » Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:10 pm
My father was the first person to introduce me to the conga, but his knowledge was very rudimentary. He's a guitarist and Cuatro player, mostly, though he started out as a rock drummer. The first teacher that really taught me the ways of Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican percussion was a percussionist in Western MA called Freddy Moreno. I was lucky to have met Giovanni Hidalgo at 14 years of age, and he taught me a few "Mano Secreta" techniques. From there on, I listened to a lot of records, watched enough instructional DVDs, and practiced enough American rudiments on Congas to get good on my own.
Currently, I'm taking Bata lessons with Victor Sterling and will be taking Conga/Bongo lessons with David "La Mole" Rodriguez in Puerto Rico this summer. Here's hoping my speed, complexity, and slap power improve under his tutelage!