Willie Bobo - funky man

[rumbaman]

Hey i have been listening to willie bob recently and was wondering how everyone felt about his music . I like his style and swing very much . who played congas with his band ? He was right in the groove all the time . I got it off lime wire .

rumbaman

[JohnnyConga]

I met Willie in 1967 at Carnegie Hall. It was an incredible lineup, including Mongo's band, Dick Gregory, Nina Simone and the Bobby Timmons quartet....Then when I moved to Los Angeles-1976 , I knew also his conga drummer Victor Pantoja, who is still around playing and former creator of the band "Azteca" with Coke Escovedo.....I got to become good friends with Willie and got to work with him and Victor, in Los Angeles and we remained friends until his demise in 1983...Willie had "stomach cancer", his last gig was at the Hollywood bowl Playboy Jazz Festival, where he walked out on stage limping and walking with a cane, very very sad....He was a vibrant and very talented musician. I stole every type of lick and style I could from him on timbales and try to emulate his playing even to this day....He influenced me greatly and he is sorely missed.... "JC" Johnny Conga....

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... lie_Bobo_2

[zaragemca]

Saludos, yes the late Billy Bobo,was a disciple of Mongo Santamaria which took him under his wing,got him his first break playing with Tito Puente,(when Tito Puente's Bongo/player went out to play with Tito Rodriguez's Band),also took him to California to play with Cal Tjader's Band.,and later back to NY. when Mongo setup his Charanga/Type Orchestra..in New York..Dr. Zaragemca



Edited By zaragemca on 1133306283

[rumbaman]

Hey guys how you all doin' today good i hope . Man that is some great information on willie bobo . I like his style also . What a groove. Do you guys know any other musicians that have that similar groove that i can download songs from to listen to .

thanks again rumbaman

[Isaac]

One of my all time favorite recordings
has Willie Bobo with Herbie Hancock.
It was "Inventions & Dimensions", a very
nice and minimal approach to latin jazz
form the 60s. Also on it are Bassist - Paul Chambers
and another legendary Mongo Alumni -
Osvaldo "Chihuahua" Martinez whose guiro, bongo
and conga has an intelligent swing to it. ~ ISAAC

Check out :

http://www.amazon.com/exec....=glance

[mco]

Isaac-Thanks for the Willie Bobo/Herbie Hancock recommendation. My order arrived the other day from Amazon and I got to listen to the entire album last night.
It's a wonderful recording with sparse yet interesting arrangements. The recorded sound is very good, with nice analog cymbal tones and clear yet warm sounding percussion. Not surprising, as it is a Rudy Van Gelder production. I would love to get my hands on a vinyl copy. This album is becoming one of my favorites, as it has for you.

[JohnnyConga]

One of the BEST recorded timbale solos by Willie Bobo is on the "LATINO" album by Cal Tjader also with Mongo -"Cuban Fantasy" is the tune.....you will never be the same after hearing that....
he was an inspiration to me, besides being a friend..... 'JC" Johnny Conga....

[SkinDeep]

WILLIE BOBO was playin with PEREZ PRADO at the age of fifteen!!! he was also the first LP endorser.

[davidpenalosa]

Hi folks,
I'd like to add that Willie Bobo played superb bongos on Tito Puente's "In Percussion" on Tico (CD TRLP-1011). This record features Tito, Mongo, Patato and Willie Bobo playing band percussion (timbales, bongos and congas) in drum descargas that have the energy of a rumbon. Willie (bongos) and Tito (timbales) borrow some of Mongo's typical phrases as they trade solos. Their use of "Mongoisms" ties the jams together because you hear these rhythmic motifs repeated. The CD is a masterpiece; a "must-have".

-David