congaplace.com

Hi all,
I just want to inform all my fellow percussionists about a nice Set of Agbe/Shekere being offered for a really good price on Ebay. These shekeres were made by Stan Corpus of Pacific Coast Percussion.
I've played most of Stan's shekeres and in my opinion are top notch, big time thumbs up....
producing incredible fat tones. Stan hand selects each gourd at a farm in Southern California.
Stan puts his heart and soul into his craft. Each gourd is specially prepared with Stan's unique preservation methods. I've seen his gourds hold water for hours and when emptied to my surprise the gourd's shell integrity and tone did not degrade.
Be the first to own this must have beautiful Agbe/Shekere Set.
Check out the link below.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Professional-Afro-C ... dZViewItem

oooh, nice Agbes !!

So Cal? must be from Wilburn farm? Been there a few times, biggest farm I ever encountered.

T

Stan Corpus of Pacific Coast Percussion, are one of the best custom made, FAMILY OWN Latino chekere makers.
Stan "Cachimbo" makes some of the best tone quality chekeres. Mario from Isla Percussions, plays Pacific Coast Percussion chekere's.

I have played them my self, with Mario, last time i took a trip over there. Tha malla is loose for that traditional Cuban Chekere sound. Not only Mario P., and his rumba brother's play them.
But also Marc Anthony's percussionist, on the last Poncho Sanchez (How to play latin pecussions/conga) DVD, Sal Vasquez, one of Poncho's bongo player's uses the Stan's chekeres.

I really enjoyed playing rumba with Mario, and also playing chekere. Mario is a great percussion teacher, his knowledge is very broad on percussions, from the history, roots, and tradition of the drums, to the correct technique, and execution it reminds of me of Knowledge of people like Boricua brother Bobby Sanabria . People don't say the Mario knows his craft for nothing.
Pilie! i hope to learn from you too, one of this days....i hope you and the baby are great.

When i saw Mario play Chekere he did it with so much passion! he plays from the Heart & Soul.
I hadn't seen someone play with so much love. His also very explosive, and dynamic. I tought for a second he was going to loose the Chekere off his hand, and land it on his car windshlield ... .....l.0.l !

I have played other chekere's, but they arent as good, Stan carves them really good for costumized tone ranges, he get's your hand size measurements, and get's the right gourd for you, i bought other company chekeres one's but they were too small, or the net wasnt right, for the traditional folkloric sound. Other companies make maraca size chekeres, and take pictures of them on top of a super quinto to make the optical effect to make the ckekere look bigger, but you get something that is not original to the tradition. With Pacific Coast Percussion, you are really happy with the unique instrument you get.
Like i said i have played those chekere's and they are top of the line!... i highly recomend them, Stan can do Puerto Rican flags, Cuban flags(The flag of your choice), sets,pattern designs, or somethin 1/1 just unique for you.
I am getting a few of them.

You ca reach him at: i am just recomending top of the line instruments (So that you guy's wont be dissapointed with other non original/traditional chekeres out there i am letting you know one of the Best)

Pacific Coast Percussion
Stan "Cachimbo" C
(714) 615-7010

pacificcoastpercussion.com Tell him you saw the post here from Mr. Conga, he will really do a great job for you fellow Percussionist Brothers out there.

God bless ya'll!.....Bendiciones!!! mi gente

Thanks for the info Yusef and Mr. Conga, I've been trying to locate 1 possibly 2 good quality shekeres for quite awhile and have been getting nothing but frustration. Could this be the one?

The set pictured is not what Cubans rumberos play around here (unless they must), nor will you find chekeres like these in Cuba. They look nice, but they will be too loud, for most of the rumberos i know. Perhaps this is what most Salseros use on the east coast, im not sure. - just too many big plastic beads for the true folkloric sound. they will work, but certainly not ideal.

Keep in mind, in a folkloic set, the tone needs to be able to stand up against the beads, not overwhelmed by them.

Looking for an actual folkloric set made by a well respected folklorist? There are not many sources out there, but Yaya Maldonado makes them for the rumbero's around here. Including John Santos and several of the heavy hitters.

By the way, Im sure Pili prefers Yaya's Chekere's, you can ask him yourself. I know Mario has not played Yaya's work.

http://congadr.blogspot.com/2008/07/mae ... s-for.html

Tony

"Thanks for the info Yusef and Mr. Conga, I've been trying to locate 1 possibly 2 good quality shekeres for quite awhile and have been getting nothing but frustration. Could this be the one?"
-Chupacabra

I know how you feel about the frustration Chupacabra . That's the reason i shared my experience with other Chekeres.
Some amateur companies have tried to put some out there just to make money, but Stan has a passion for music, you can tell by looking at his work.
Defenetly Stan is good at what he does, that is the only reason i recomended him. I am getting a few done by him.
The carving, and preparation of the gourd is as professional,as the malla work of the beads.

It also depends for what kind of music you want it for. You might want a versatile piece that you can use in a big band, but also for rumba. All you got to do is explain Stan, if you need less beads, or more he does costum work ,like i stated.

You might also want one just for Rumba with less beads, he does it. Or you want something to cut trough the band, like a salsa orchestra.
I in particular like versatile pieces, that you can use for solos, and also just mark the tempo.
Professional salsa bands order a lot from Stan, because is all quality work, and done to your specifications, other people prefer more simple, less bead chekere's, he does those too.
You should try him Chupacabra.

congaDR...Yaya's Chekere's, are very well done. Thank you for sharing.
Perhaps, you should directly post his contact information, for our fellow members to find easily.

Just like that great skin supplier list, we have going on.

Take care.

Im happy to hook you up with his fine work, I'm helping him sell them.

He is a humble priest of Ifa, and would rather make the instruments, as opposed to selling them. Fortunately, he knows how to make them like the elders.

For me, helping him is another way to contribute to this grand tradition - putting these instruments in the hands of players, and helping Yaya keep the traditional Chekere making tradition alive.

Did i mention he is one of the top rumba singers in the country, singing with John Santos, Armando Peraza, Fito Reinoso,, and many other heavies. He is also the founder and Akpwon of the La Pena Rumbas in Oakland, a legendary scene here for 12 years running.

Peace,

Tony

congadr@gmail.com