Daniel Ponce

[JohnnyConga]

Yea I know Richie Bravo ...he is No2 percussionist after Edwim Bonilla in Miami...and yes I do have the album "New York Now" by Puntilla....with Ponce on it and others...."JC" Johnny Conga..

[Ecuarumba]

wow Rumba on 6... JC..those videos bring back memories....seein Luisito n Julio n you playin there...that was a great joint while it lasted...it went thru many "phases" but the first few were definately the best.



Edited By Ecuarumba on 1149797604

[jorge]

This is a great forum, I just found it and this is my first post.

I was sad to hear about Daniel Ponce's stroke, although I am glad he is playing again, and I wish him a complete recovery.

The first time I heard him play, with Puntilla and others at SoundScape in NYC around 1982, I was blown away by his tumbao style. He was the first conguero to bring to the U.S. the influences of La Ritmo Oriental, Joel Driggs (early songo with Los Van Van), Changuito, and others who were playing 3 or more congas in Cuba. At that time, no one in NYC could play like that, although many people tried. I think Daniel Ponce really kicked off the trend of playing 4 or 5 drums outside of Cuba.

I got to play with Daniel one time in the rumba at Central Park about 20 years ago. He had a quinto style that was unique at that time. In the rumba, his quinto was so complex (some would say overplayed) you might think he was out of clave if you were not singing, playing or dancing, but I did not hear him cross the clave once that day. Personally, I prefer the old school cleaner quinto styles like ChaCha, Giraldo Rodriguez, Regalao, Titi, Tata Guines, Alejandro Pujols (Clave y Guaguanco), Chori, or Aspirina, but a lot of people like Daniel's really complex style and have tried to emulate it.

Anyone looking for Daniel Ponce's out of print records New York Now or Arawe, a CD including both of them has just been re-released as Rumba Pa' Gozar. Check descarga.com

http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/21895.10

Daniel, te deseo mucha salud y mucho ache.

Jorge

[afrocubarico]

Jorge,
Thanks for sharing your Ponce story with us here in the CongaBoard. Also, a BIG thanks for mentioning the new CD from Daniel Ponce. I have been looking for New York Now for some time and have not been able to find it. I just checked with Casa Latina here in NYC and they have the new Ponce CD in stock. I'm on my way to go pick it up. Laterz!

afrocubarico



Edited By afrocubarico on 1151697282

[Doctorumba]

Hola Afrocubarico,

I'm the one that wrote the article on Daniel Ponce playing at Mongo's grave on the April 2003 Latin Beat.
Daniel,known as "El Paisa" in La Habana, was a comparsero (qiunto player) for a comparsa group.Daniel live in Jesus Maria in la Habana Vieja,the same neighborhood where Mongo,Machito,Carlos Embale,Pello El Afrokan and Virgilio Marti were born (barrio de timberos mayor).If Mongo would have died in his beloved Manhattan,I know that thousands would have paid their respect to the most influential conguero in Latin music,but he died here in Miami,the craddel of the Cuban exlile population,but a population that has turned their backs in Afro-Cuban music.Daniel and his rumba group paid tribute to Don Ramon and played some mean rumbas on Mongo's grave that day.Eddie Guagua,Mongo's longtime bass player,caught it all on video.Daniel these days is mostly playing religiuos bembes.Certainly one of the best quinto players on planet Earth. Saludos, Dario

[afrocubarico]

Dario,
I very much enjoyed reading your article in Latin Beat magazine about Mongo and Daniel. It was because of your article that I found out about Daniel Ponce and his music and became a big fan of his. I sure would love to get my hands on that video you mentioned. Thanks again!

afrocubarico