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Is this track a Cal Tjader original or is a cover from someone else. I absolutely love this track. It's one of my favorite!

Hi Ray ...it's a classic cover...I have about 90 Cal Tjader albums it's one of my favorite also......At your Service...JC JOHNNYC ONGA...

"Perdido" is a Duke Ellington composition, I'm pretty sure. Or possible Billy Strayhorn...
Chris

I have been to many Latin Jazz performances and I never, never hear anyone play this track. It's a #### shame! I would love to play "perdido" with the band I'm in, but They are not really into Latin Jazz. Maybe someday!

One of my all time favorites is the tune "Leyte" which has historical significance to me because of my first teacher Hank Fields who turned me onto Tjader at the very young age of 15 in the projects I grew up in called "Marble Hill", in the Bronx, where i learned from him and became his personal "band boy" lugging his drums so I can go to his gigs and watch how he played and studied his form and dynamics as a conga drummer. For survival reasons Hank having a wife and 2 kids dictated a life of being a Housing Authority Cop and forming his own "police member band" for weddings and socials in the greater New York area. His teacher was Armando Peraza, the first "style" that I learned ,"hand over hand" Armando's style, if you have ever seen him play. So he kinda passed me the torch for his spot in the "musical life". I often think about this man who opened a world of drumming to me freely,sincerly, and with Love. I have always been indebted to Hank and I carry his torch where ever I may go....there are many "Great Unknowns", we can only be blessed, if we come into contact with them, as was I. At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA....

Hi Johnny.

Can you say more about the Peraza 'hand over hand' style? (I have heard that he plays bongos with the whole or near whole hand on the skin - how does this translate to conga?)

Simon B

The "hand over hand" style of Peraza is kinda like I have been called affectionatly in Miami as "mano del trapo" or rag hand.it is in the way of turning one hand over the other as you strike the drum . If you can find an old (80's) video when Peraza was with Santana you would see his style of "hand over hand". It is kinda hard to describe it without seeing it done, I hope you can see it though .....At your Service....JC JOHNNY CONGA...

Hey JC, Leyte is another favorite of mine! Awesome track!! Another one is Tjader version of Serengeti!