congaplace.com

Posted: **Thu Sep 08, 2005 2:43 pm**

Hey All, In light of all the kaos we are all witnessing down in the Southeast I wanted to share a wonderful opportunity...

This past labor day weekend (a holiday celebrated here in the US) Seattle held their annual Bubershoot Festival. This festival is full of music, arts and much much more. On Sunday a group I am a member of http://www.igualesmusic.com was one of the opening acts. As I just finshed setting up my equipment and killing time with warm up excercises on congas an older man approached me. As soon as he began talking I could tell he was definatley not from Seattle. After some B.S talking he finally asks.. "what are you doing around 4:30 today?" I told him I would just be hanging around the festival as musicians get back stage passes to all the stages and free food, drink, etc... He says "we need a conga player" at this time I had no idea who he was other than he was not from around Seattle and apparently he is performing with a group... I asked what type of music do you play? He says have you ever heard of Joe Batan? I says, yeah cause my pops, JC and others spoke of him and his Boogalu styles from the 60's.

Before you know it, unrehearsed I was performing with Joe Batan's band at Bumbershoot playing music from the 60's.

For those of you that don't know much about Joe Batan he is originally from Harlem, NY and wrote classics like "Gypsy Woman" and "Cloud". For being in their mid sixties these guys had a lot of energy. In the end, I now have work in NY and work if they come back to Seattle.

Thanks for listening to my story.

Ivan

Posted: **Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:00 pm**

hehehe Love the last minute gigs at big festivals! Ive had it happen to me a few times here also.

Joe Batan, now there's a name I hadnt heard in a while!
Cool story dude.

Congrats Ivan.

Posted: **Fri Sep 09, 2005 1:26 pm**

Fantastic opportunity there Ivan - I'm a big fan of Joe Bataan and the whole latin-soul-boogaloo type thing.

Bataan may be coming to London to play the Jazz Cafe early next year...

Posted: **Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:54 pm**

Alafia Abures!
I really enjoyed reading your chance meeting/giggin experience! I was living it in my mind!
I have one to offer, back in the mid 80's, out here in AZ, Tucson to be exact. Tito Puente Ibaye!, came out to perform and I traveled down there to see him. I had learned from some fellow drummers that he would be conducting a free clinic prior to the show, at a local Guitar City music store, so I naturally went to catch this too! Well, I was there, the shop was full of folks and there in the middle area, was the master himself, accompanied by some local Tucson drummers. We'll I happened to know the drummers that were accompanying him. They ran through a couple of rythms, cha cha cha, mambo, with Puente demonstrating various techniques, until they came to the part where he wanted to "speed it up," the conga player began playing a rythm when all of sudden, Tito stopped it and told him to play something that he could hold for a prolonged period of time. The poor guy panicked, and began looking into the audience, embarrassed, but saw me and invited me up. An opportunity to play alongside of the master? Hey I'm no fool, I acted as though I didn't want to, but then Tito himself waved me up, so how could I refuse. When I got up there, the conga player had four LP Classics, so I rearranged them and layed down a rumba columbia pattern which I had picked up listening to Patato on four congas. Man I was as happy as a faggot in boystown to be playing up there with Tito.

Moments in time.....................

Suave!
Tony

Posted: **Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:16 pm**

Someone I knew took this picture of this great moment...
Yup... tha's me; the ugly lookin monkey on congas...

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... -ivan1.jpg

Posted: **Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:18 pm**

Here's the other one...
Joe on the left playing keyboards and his wife on my right playing maracas and directly to the right of me is Chookie; great dude...

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... -ivan2.jpg

Posted: **Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:26 pm**

Ivan!

I'll get some Batan's music fast to hear what were you groovin'!

Great man! So beautiful experience!

Groovin' Man, you're riding the wave!!! YihAAA!

Primozz

Posted: **Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:12 am**

That's awesome!
Good stories!

Posted: **Wed Apr 12, 2006 3:47 am**

Wow, great to hear the dreams do come true. By chance and hard work. great work guys.

Pidoca
http://www.cabritamusic.com

Posted: **Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:47 am**

As my wife would say, "Cool beans". That is great. What kind of rhythyms did you play, tumbaos, boleros, etc.?

Edited By mangorockfish on 1144977708

Posted: **Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:26 am**

Hey all, its been a while since I been on the board.

Ivan that is Fantastic, the opportunity to play with a legend like Joe Bataan come once in a blue moon. Kudo's to you bro. If your ever in NY performing, drop me a note.

RayBoogie@hotmail.com

Posted: **Wed Apr 19, 2006 3:19 pm**

mangorockfish wrote:As my wife would say, "Cool beans". That is great. What kind of rhythyms did you play, tumbaos, boleros, etc.?

Yup, yup... Boogaloo tunes... It was fun...
Thanks for your comments!
Ivan

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Just by Chance... - One for my memory book...