Hi Yea I remember Eddie "Bongo" Brown out of the big Philly Music machine of the 70's. He was more of a studio percussionist. He did tour with some bands. Now Big Black,whew! that brother was and is the strangest hand drummer I ever witnessed,playing with the points of his fingers and odd type slaps. He was huge 6 feet 5 or 7. and he sometimes had these long over 5 feet long Ashiko style early Gon bops. You can hear him on the Old blue note records A night at the Cooker!.....he was atypical as a player and had his own definate style, it wasn't latin, or african, it was just him. As far as tuning goes it's ok to experiment, and that's why they make 5 different size congas. It still boils down to each his own. Like I said if it's latin music there is "tradicional" tuning,but for everything else it's open to the individual. I tune my 3 drums to Quinto-Middle C then middle I tune to Bflat and tumba to G below middle C, or as the song goes "it's cheaper to keep her"...but that's me!..
At your Service .....JC JOHNNY CONGA.....