congaplace.com

I have been studying bongos now for a few months and I really love the instrument. My background is mainly congas in the Folkloric genre. So this world is less familiar to me. I play Mongo's "Unreleased and Unleashed" cd over and over. Why? I just love it, but as a new player it has a lot of slow songs to play with so I can work on technique and licks more accurately. I have Arsenio and Tito Puente...but I am looking for recommendations of specific cds that will help me learn and improve my skills...for just listening to, inspiration, and for practicing with. What is your # 1 and why? Thanks, Jacqui

Hi Jaqui,
Great question. Here is my favorite. When I was in college I played bongos in a salsa band and the best album I learned bongos from was Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco's album Celia and Johnny. It is still available on CD and is still one of my favorite CDs of all time. Ralph Marzan was the bongocero with Johnny Rodriguez on congas. Every single song on that album was great, you could just play through the whole side without having to change to a different song. Ralph Marzan's style on bongos and bell is great to learn from, he really plays well with the singers and other instruments. Unpretentious, but rock solid, tasty, with swing. Since there are no timbales in Pacheco's band, the bongo carries the clave more than in other bands, and Ralph Marzan does that really well. Plus his bell playing is impeccable. All the fundamentals for bongo are there.

Many years ago Orestes Vilato, who in my opinion is the best timbalero and one of the best bongoceros in the business, told me i"f you want to learn proper bongo rhythms (martillo and off beats with the left hand) listen to Arsenio". Try to get early Arsenio with Papa Kila on bongo'. Also a must is Sierra Maestra from Cuba, Septeto Habanero, Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñero. Another good source is Johnny Pacheco with Pete Conde and/or with Hector Casanova as the lead singers (either one). Pacheco's conjunto was very bongo' influenced, he didn't use timbales, only conga and bongo'. His bongoceros were Ralphie Marzan and/or Luis Mangual, both excellent (tipico) bongoceros. Also a must have, Baretto's "The Message" and "Que Viva La Mucica", featuring Johnny Dandy Rodriguez on bongo'. The tune "Te Traigo Mi Son" from The Massage has one of the best bongo solos of all time by Dandy. I think I have listened to it more than 100 times.

Dario

Thanks for the suggestions.....Anyone else? Jacqui

Two favorites of mine with some beautiful playing are:

Cuarteto Patria - A Una Coqueta

and

Eliades Ochoa (Y Cuarteto Patria) - Son De Santiago

Barrie

Check out a bongocero called dave pattman , he plays with snowboy and the latin section in the uk .He also played with anga and various people from the buena vista social club . Great player , very tasty .

Thanks Niallgregory......I will be in your country in Feb. by the way. I had a cousin who I loved very much recently pass. I am going to show my respects to him. He lived in Mitchelstown, County Cork. Again thanks for the recommendation.

Oh, yeah, I second the Eliades Ochoa / Cuarteto Patria suggestion. For cuban son it is one of the best contemporary music. Unlike the oldies it's well recorded, and in the cuarteto setting you always hear the bongo clearly and well.

Another thing I can suggest is Vieja Trova Santiaguera, because it has no bongo - just claves and maracas. So you can try playing bongo to it.

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

The risk of making a list is that often somebody is left out.
In this case, I did not see the late Manny Oquendo in the list.
Manny Oquenso belongs in any list of great bongo players.
Also the bongo player was Chino Pozo not Chano Pozo.

<<Great bongo players you can listen to
Johnny La Vaca Rodiguez
Johnny Danny Rodriguez
Ralphy Marzan
Junior Cruz
Jose Buyu Mangual
Luis Mangual
Jose Mangual Jr
Papi Andino
William Correa Willie Bobo
Celso Clemente
Ray Colon
Angel Luis Figueroa
Manolito Gonzalez
Papa Kila
Papi La Mona
Chano Pozo
Juan Mendez
Phil Newsome
Miguel Nieto
Roberto Roena
Ray Romero
Baby Serrano
Orestes Vilato
Marcello el Blanco
Narisco 'Papi' Torres
Pablo Rosario
Ramoncito "Mongo" Ramos
Mitchell Laboy
Vitín González
Jorge Gonzalez
Tony Fuentes
Tito Faberge
Papi Fuentes
Old Cuban bongo players good to listen, many of the new have no (Afinque) not tight to much show boating with many All want to be heard and what they are doing is solo though out the whole number.

And a few more that do not come to mind but all these bongo have achieved the highest standards in playing bongo all are great . They have defined playing Bongos to the max, open doors for you up and coming . They all have a style of there own great martillo , afinque and best of all none are show boaters.
leedy2 >>

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

Cuco,

You left out the best of the best:

Rogelio Iglesias (Yeyito)
Mongo Santamaria
Armando Peraza
Candido Camero

These guys were first and foremost bongoceros, later on tumbadores.

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

No Problem. Is All Good. Take Care Bro...

My two picks "For a new Bongo player":
# 1:
A mix of 23 tunes I put together in '08, most with superb bongo solos. Free download via Rapidshare (follow the "free" link).
http://fidelseyeglasses.blogspot.com/2008/06/fidels-eyeglasses-best-son-y-son.html

# 2:
"Clean" playing. "For a new Bongo player"
http://fidelseyeglasses.blogspot.com/2008/10/tribute-to-carlos-embale-cuba-humanidad.html