picture thread

[KING CONGA]

Mongo's Vergaras are still around, a Japanese American conguero from California, Tommy Saito has them. They were originally his and he loaned them to Mongo in 1962/ when Mongo's Vergaras were stolen at the Black Hawk jazz club in San Francisco. Mongo had ordered the Vergaras for Saito in 1960, when he recorded "Our Man In Havana" for Fantasy records. Mongo and I shipped the Vergaras to Saito in Califa aound 2002, a few months befor he died.

Dario

Here are some Images of Tommy Playing the Vergaras.

[No.2-1820]

They look in amazing condition. What beauties.

Barrie

An interesting article about Mr. Saito :


Following the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the United States was gripped by war hysteria. This was especially prevalent along the Pacific coast of the U.S., where residents feared more Japanese attacks on their cities, homes, and businesses.

Leaders in the states of California, Oregon and Washington demanded that the residents of Japanese ancestry be removed from their homes and relocated to isolated inland areas. As a result of this pressure, on February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which resulted in the forcible internment of 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry. More than two-thirds of those interned under the Executive Order were citizens of the United States, and none had ever shown any disloyalty.

One of those people was Tommy Saito, a California-born Japanese-American. He lived in the Amache Relocation Center near Granada, Colorado, with his family from 1942 to 1945.

During the 1950s, there was a Latin music radio program in Los Angeles, on station KOWL, hosted by the pioneer Mexican-American disc-jockey/musician, Lionel "Chico" Sesma. One day, as Tommy Saito listened to the closing of the Joe Adams jazz show, another program started with a recording of Miguelito Valdés' "Harlem Special," Sesma's opening theme at that time. The percussion introduction of Sesma's theme intrigued Saito so much that he started listening to the program on a regular basis. He became an avid collector of Latin music records, starting with the New York-based groups of Tito Rodríguez, Machito, Tito Puente and the Cuban groups of Benny Moré, Orquesta Aragón and Sonora Matancera.

In 1954, Tito Rodríguez was in Los Angeles performing at the Zenda Ballroom (on 7th St. and Figueroa), a popular venue for Latin bands on Saturday nights. It was here that Tommy Saito saw Tito's group with Wilfredo "Chonguito" Vicente playing conga. The strong, steady tumbao laid down by Chonguito inspired Saito to learn the art of the conga drum. With his friend Kei Nomura, who knew Chonguito personally, they set out to become musicians.

At the Zenda, Saito also met Héctor Rivera, a vocalist, originally from Puerto Rico, who had sung with the Rafael Muñoz Orchestra and later with Enrique Madriguera in New York City. Rivera had a small conjunto that played Cuban stock charts that he brought back from a visit to Cuba, plus charts given to him by Tito Rodríguez and Payo Alicea of the La Playa Sextet. Héctor Rivera y Su Conjunto Siboney were playing at the Zenda and he offered Tommy a chance to play congas; something unheard of in those days. At first the latter felt self-conscious about playing in a Latin band, but Rivera and a timbalero friend, Richard Barrientos, encouraged him to play. Rivera schooled Saito on the Cuban "son" by introducing him to the music of such groups as Los Jovenes Del Cayo, Arsenio Rodríguez, Cojunto Modelo and Conjunto Casino.

Eventually, Tommy met Mongo Santamaría and Willie Bobo when they played with the Tito Puente Orchestra, "An awesome experience for me," said Saito. When Santamaría and Bobo moved to San Francisco to become members of the Cal Tjader Quintet, they would visit Saito's house whenever they played in Los Angeles. Mongo would talk to him about Cuba and bring old 78rpm records of Antonio Arcaño, Arsenio Rodríguez, Tata Gutierrez, René Alvarez and Felix Chappottín so that he could learn more about Cuban music. Mongo also had Cuban conga drums made by Gonzalo Vergara sent to him from Habana. Saito had the opportunity of visiting Mongo in Miami around early December of 2002. Mongo's daughter Nancy called Saito to inform him that Mongo had suffered a stroke. He spent a few days with him, talking about past experiences. The news of Santamaria's death saddened him greatly.

Tommy Saito also played in various Los Angeles groups such as the René Bloch Orchestra and the Bobby Móntez Quintet. He never dreamed that one day he would play with the Tito Rodríguez Orchestra in Los Angeles. This happened in October of 1962 at the Boom Boom and Virginia nightclubs when the regular conguero, Papi Torres, was temporarily unavailable.

Another great experience was to play in the New York-style big band of trumpeter/arranger/composer Paul López. López had many years of experience playing and arranging for the New York bands of Miguelito Valdés, Noro Morales, La Playa Sextet and many others. Some other members of Paul's band were Cascarita and Papi Torres (on vocals), Joe Torres (on bongó) and Richard Barrientos (on timbal).

Now retired and living in the city of Camarillo, Ventura County, California, Tommy Saito still keeps active by playing occasional gigs with two gentlemen he met: Raúl Rico Jr.--a musician and DJ on radio station KCLU 88.3 FM--and vibist Rubén Estrada (of the Estrada Brothers Group). He also plays bongó with a group called "Somos Son" in Santa Barbara, California and with the jazz group of trumpet player Rafael "Rafe" Hernández. "It's in my blood and I cannot live without being involved in the playing experience."

COPYRIGHT 2003 Latin Beat Magazine
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

[Omelenko1]

In Sept. 2002 Tommy Saito and his daughter came down to Miami to visit Mongo, after receiving a phono call from Nancy Anderson, Mongo's daughter, informing them that Mongo had suffered a stroke. Mongo called me and asked me to join him and Saito for dinner. I picked up Mongo, Saito, his daughter and Luis "El Pincho" and we went to "La Rosa" restaurant for "Paella". Saito told Mongo that since he had retired if he could have his Vergaras back, Mongo said yes but offered Saito 3 brand new Meinls, which Mongo was endorsing. Saito insisted on the Vergaras. The following morning Luis "El Pincho" and I boxed up the 3 Vergaras (one painted red for Chango") and shipped them to Saito's home in Califronia. Mongo died a few months after that on February 1, 2003.
Enclosed Mongo and I ( his last photo)

Dario

[vinnieL]

Interesting story Dario and a great picture you are truly blessed to have been so close to Mongo. There are so many of us that wish we could have just met him let alone the opportunity you had.

[Omelenko1]

Gracias mi hermanito. I'm sure Mongo is watching from above to all of us that loved him.

Abrazos,

Dario

[vinnieL]

Bendicion hermano! I'm glad this thread also brought back some memories for some on the board of obviously special times and great stories for us all to enjoy.

[peyo79]

old marathon woodcraft series
and set of other congas (changed skins , all congas have cow medium skin)
you can see how they sound on
http://meinlpercussion.com/no_cache/com ... eyo79.html
in my videos
i am not a professional player
enjoy

[Mike]

Wow, those Meinls look awesome, but I believe they weigh a ton, don´t they?

Cheers
Mike

[peyo79]

yes, each conga that i have weight something about 20 kg

[vinnieL]

Wow 20kg! thats like 44 pounds! wow i'd hate to lug those things around all the time i'd be spent before i got to playing LOL

[Mike]

Yes, heavy, Tank-like, but therefore they should sound great. Remember, a non-vibrating drumshell
leaves all the good resonance to the skin!

[congamyk]

standard black fiberglass LP Patatos

[vinnieL]

Love the Patatos brother

[akdom]

Hi all

Very nice thread.
Very nice drums.

I want to post a pic of my drums too. You will recognize a LP Patato quinto and you will not recognize the conga and tumba.

Let's make a quiz.

A few hints. These are top of the line quality drums, fiber and extremely good quality hardware (better than any well known brands). The perfectly fit the sound of the quinto.

[korman]

Wow, FP! I remember there was a thread about these drums some time ago. Are these the new ones?