congaplace.com

Hello,
can anyone here in the Bongosphere shed light on who the Bongocero for Los Compadres,( Faustino Repilado & Laurenzo hierrezuelo Combo), was? I only have a compilation that has no listings of Musicians at all, and I can't find it on the internet anywhere that I've looked. Who ever it is, i really dig his sound and feeling.

Also, I've been trying to figure out what he's doing on the tune, "Yo Domino"...is it a distinct rhythm or is a Changui accompianment he's puttin' down there?

Thanks!!

Andres Sotolongo was the bongocero.

Omelenko1 wrote:Andres Sotolongo was the bongocero.

Ok, thanks!
is he related to Oscar Sotolongo who, as I've read was the Bongocero with Septeto nacional?

Brothers or first cousins, one of the two.

For what it's worth, the liner notes to this CD compilation:

http://www.amazon.com/Yo-Domino/dp/B002ESNWL0

say that Pedro Mena appears on the recordings between 1949-1951.

This is not to say that Andrés Sotolongo does not appear on them, he's just not listed in the liner notes. A quick search though seems to link Mena with Los Compadres more that Sotolongo.

BTW Los Compadres were Francisco Repilado and Lorenzo Hierrezuelo.

saludos
Barry

You are correct Barry, I think Sotolongo was at the begining, Pedro Mena played with them for the duration.

Dario

Mi favorite Los Compadres tune, "Rita La Caimana".

Re: the Sotolongo's they were father and son.
You can see Andrés Sotolongo: (the son) playing with Sexteto Habanero 1930
Here: http://fidelseyeglasses.blogspot.com/2010/11/video-sexteto-habanero-1930.html

And hear Oscar Sotolongo (the father) playing bongó Sexteto Habanero Godinez 1920.
Here: http://fidelseyeglasses.blogspot.com/2010/01/sexteto-habanero-godinez-oscar.html

"Cuero na' ma'"
(no plastic)

Markito

This photo is the group in 1959, '60, but the band playing "Yo Domino" is from 1949,'51.

blavonski wrote:Hello,
can anyone here in the Bongosphere shed light on who the Bongocero for Los Compadres,( Faustino Repilado & Laurenzo hierrezuelo Combo), was? I only have a compilation that has no listings of Musicians at all, and I can't find it on the internet anywhere that I've looked. Who ever it is, i really dig his sound and feeling.

Also, I've been trying to figure out what he's doing on the tune, "Yo Domino"...is it a distinct rhythm or is a Changui accompianment he's puttin' down there?

Thanks!!

blavonski, what you hear the percussionist playing is a rhythmic form "derived" from Changüi.
It is not if you will, the more "orthodox" rhythmic Changüi pattern.
Additionally... I have just listened carefully to the song in question, to my ear, the player is not playing bongoes,
instead he is playing a low tuned/pitched Tumbadora ('Conga' to some folks) he is playing a rhythmic form "derived" from Changüi.

Markito

FidelsEyeglasses wrote:Re: the Sotolongo's they were father and son.
You can see Andrés Sotolongo: (the son) playing with Sexteto Habanero 1930
Here: http://fidelseyeglasses.blogspot.com/2010/11/video-sexteto-habanero-1930.html

And hear Oscar Sotolongo (the father) playing bongó Sexteto Habanero Godinez 1920.
Here: http://fidelseyeglasses.blogspot.com/2010/01/sexteto-habanero-godinez-oscar.html

"Cuero na' ma'"
(no plastic)

Markito

I believe the player in this photo to be the person blavonski asked about:

man that old cuban stuff is so cool, it's like listening to a bunch of ghosts, it's just got that mystical quality to it.

Hey, many thanks to all reply's...
the shared wisdom, tips and knowledge, as well musical artifacts are most appreciated!!

Pardon, that was a mental error on the name. I had previously ckecked out Leedy's Myspace and wrote his name by accisdent.

It pleases me to know that, based on my limited knowledge of the music, what the percusionist on "Yo Domino" is playing was something close to what I thought I was hearing. It certainly didn't sound like a Martillo to me.

Wow, FidelsEyeglasses, you believe it isn't a Bongo he's playing there? Maybe I'm playing the wrong instrument!
...on the liner notes that were so kindly pointed out to me, and which I really could'nt read too well, they mention only Bongo and on the tune, I hear only one percussionist. I will have to listen even closer today. BTW: I really dig your site!

Again, many thanks!!

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Here is the song in question, please feel free to give a listen and see if you think the player is playing
the rhythm on bongoes, or a low tuned/pitched tumbadora (conga to some).
To my ear... they are not bongoes.
The player keeps the same "rhythmic form" throughout the song "derived" from Changüí.
With no "riffing", and no "bramudo".

Markito

The song in question:
"Yo Domino"
http://www.divshare.com/download/15528995-f83

The more orthodox playing technique for Changüí which includes riffing and the "bramudo":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYMiuaOukNg

Hard to tell just by listening whether the long tube with a skin on one end is larger (conga) or smaller (long bongo). The part does maybe sound more like a conga part than a bongo part, but not definitive to my ear from that recording. It seems to me unlikely that Duo los Compadres would change their instrumentation from bongo to conga for that song. Has anyone ever seen a picture of Duo Los Compadres with a conga instead of bongo? Of course it is possible but unlikely that the bongo skin broke or got burned or the bongos got stolen or something just before the recording and they substituted a conga instead just for that recording. That might explain the very plain part with no floreos. But it seems most likely a bongo on that recording.

Additionally.... don't always believe information in "liner notes" as many can often be incorrect.
Especially Cuban liner notes on LP's and CD's... yes even CD's on the 'Tumbao' label.

M.

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