bongo and conga - how do they fit?

[blavonski]

Greetings Omelenko1,

Thanks for your thoughtful reflections and recomendations! I have listened to and greatly enjoyed some things from Arsenio with Papa Kila on Fidels Eyeglasses. But not yet anything from Cachao with Yeyito Iglesias.
It's rather difficult finding such records here, and downloading from the Net is really not my bag. I like to have a physical CD or LP, you know, but I continue to scour the shops as well as flee markets. I don't know if it's possible to download music from Markitos site...I'm really not so technically computer savvy, I'll have to ask him.
At any rate, I hear what you're saying about conga players approach to bongos. I experienced that with a cuban conga player a while ago. His bongo technique was a Conga one and he wanted to show me the Afro rhythm on his Bongos and it was the way it's played on Congas. I thought it was correct until I discovered the Bongo technique for that rhythm. I agree also that, a lot of Bongoceros neglect the Hembra and focus on slaps and rolls. I like rolls too but I like executing them also on hembra. It's not easy, to say the least knowing when to play the Hembra on the off beats or to accent the melody.
Additional thoughts: That's another reason I enjoy listening the older Music; The bongoceros play the whole range of the instrument and It's full of surprises and interesting dialogues between the other instruments. For example I like the Bongocero, ( can't think of his or the name of the one present on the following recording at the moment ), from Conjunto Tipico Cubano . He plays, among other things, lots of tasty Hembra on "Dulce Habanera" and "Nieves de Enero" as well as many other records that I like a lot from them. It's s blast trying to follow those cats and pick up what they're doing...like trying to catch a jack rabbit...when he's on the Hembra I'm on the Macho and vise versa. But, it's fun and I love the challenge of the chase if you will. It's not at all discouraging that I get lost in the sauce, those Bongoceros are the masters and innovators on the Instrument and I'm just learning to walk with it.

Good Vibrations,
Blavonski

[Derbeno]

It was a pleasure reading this old thread right from the beginning.

Brought back the joy when I first discovered this forum when the music/technique/playing/patterns was actively discussed.

Unfortunately the forum seems to have lost it's zest, as all we seem to discuss now a days is the hardware, brand and makers of the instrument.

[blavonski]

Keep hope alive!

I just checked out Yeyito with Cachao on Markitos site.
Smokin'! is all I can say. I've read about the Cachao Descarga sessions, but til now haven't heard anything of it.
Thanks Fidels Eyeglasses!! In Yeyitos playing I can hear the evolution of Bongo playing in this Modern setting and instrumentation from most notably the playing of Agustín Gutiérrez and others such as the Boncero from Sexteto Occidente from an earlier era of trios and Sextetos y Septetos Cubanos.
I love the sound of of the earlier Tackhead Bongos from the masters such as Gutierez. Below is a link to an example of this type of bongo and playing of Gutierrez.
It sounds like poetry to me! http://www.divshare.com/download/13196319-142

That leads me to a question I have for specifically Markito, but others may have an answer to it as well.
Just yesterday I baought a CD titled Sextetos y Septetos Cubanos. It's a collection of various formations from that era where the there's plenty of Hembra work and wonderful exemples of Gutierez emplimenting his Glissando, (Leopard call). It also includes an original version of Septeto Nacional's "Bardo", til now I new only the version from the mid Ninties formation of the Septeto.
Ok, My questions:
1. Is Agustín Gutiérrez also, possibly the Bongocera with, Bolona, Machin as well as Habenero?
I ask, because on these recordings from the above groups, although the Glissando is not always present, the sound and playing style of the Bongcero is very similar.
2. Who is the Bongocero with Sexteto Occidente, their playing really touches me too, and where I hear some slight differences in style from A. Gutierrez and no Glissando, but the elements of dialogue and the supple, sensual sound is present. Below is an example from Sexteto Occidente: http://www.divshare.com/download/17038959-03b
Thanks!

Good Vibrations,
Blavonski