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Orlando Puntilla Rios, Ibae !
Without a doubt! I used to go to toques in the bronx , too peoples homes I did not know , just to watch and learn from him.
He taught me that you can do it all , and Perdrito Martinez continues to follow in that vein till this day.

Two of the greatest drummers who ever walked this earth! And lets not forget GIO

I heard and saw Olatunji in Nyork 1964, I was 8. Changed my life. Growing up in DC I heard drummers in the park on weekends. Later I saw Juno Lewis w/ Freddie Hubbard,and he during his solo ,he played toys,very musically.That changed my life too. But I was pursuing blues guitar until someone set a Valje conga in front of me in 75,I still have it.

Hello Samba you may have seen me back in 64 at the New York Worlds fair African pavilion , where I did my very first gig and it was with Baba Olatunji...Mongo was my first inspiration on Conga drum(jimbe was Ladji Camara and Yomi Awolowo/John Robinson) as I have mentioned before here, and was also a friend of mine over many years... this photo was taken after a mini concert that we put on at Los Angeles city college back in 1980..

well i really like to tell u this..i loved drums but my master just introduced me the conga and now we are so in love!(me and conga not the master!LOL):D

First inspiration is my dad singing or playing Hispanic music on long road trips.

Among the many great congaceros, currently I am listening to the work of Rolando Niño Salgado. Check out this video : http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Wa7AAYx64