congaplace.com

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2006 12:17 pm**

Hi Guys!

Raul is now married to a Danish girl called Gitte, and is currently living in Copenhagen. He just came off another world tour with Santana, and from what I have heard Carlos S will be taking the next two years off writing new material etc. In the meantime Raul is touring with a Danish band called "Savage Rose" as well as playing with "Mikkel Nordsø Band" side by side with my old teacher Jacob Andersen! The Mikkel Nordsø Band is a Latin fusion band that has existed for over 20 years, with the excellent guitarist Mikkel N as frontman + bass, drums, keys and now 3 percussionists! They were obviously inspired by Santana to begin with, but have developed their own sound over the years.

I'm really exited that a capacity like Raul has decided to have a base in Copenhagen - Denmark, and furthermore tour and record with my all time favorite Danish Latin fusion band, featuring also the man that taught me how to play!

I would love to meet Raul, which could pretty easily be arranged, but on the other hand I'm also a bit...you know...Well, I'm 38 years old and have been playing for 23 years. Still I would love to take a couple of lessons with a guy like Raul, and not for free of course. Is this too awkward to ask a guy of this status, or should I just stick to "Nice to meet you - love your work!" :;): I would like to arrange this through other channels than my old teacher - wouldn't want to put him on the spot.

Happy New Year to all at the CongaBoard!

Troels

Edited By troels on 1167416905

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:54 pm**

You have nothing to lose by straight up asking Raul, "Hey do you teach?"

the worse that could happen is him saying no...

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:53 pm**

Troels,

Raul Rekow is one of the most humble cats I had ever met in the music scene.

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

Posted: **Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:00 pm**

I think that I said before that I meet them,when they came to Guitar Center in Houston for a clinic,since I was doing a clinic there before,they called me to check it out,I was in a corner,(also several of my percussion students were there),and to start, they said a famouse Carabali/ phrase,,I didn't move from where I was,but I did answer it,(I which you guys could see as the whole room turned my way,(since I was the only one possibly who understood what they said),and it was like they were sorprised too,so we exchange a few words and they find out that I was from Cuba,their show was pretty good,and after the show we talk for a little bit...The next time they came, I couldn't go,but one of my student told me that they brought Armando Peraza with them..Dr. Zaragemca

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:03 am**

Aloha Gang,

I hope this Holiday season has been good to all, and hope you all got your "goddies" under the Xmas tree too! This past January I had the pleasure of meeting my "Idol" Raul Rekow at the NAMM Show. I was a bit nervous about approaching a Conguero of his caliber, but with the urging of my wife, I built up the courage and introduced myself to him.
I can attest that Raul is a very humble and approachable person. I humbled myself to him, and asked if I could take a photo with him. After he agreed, Raul asked me, "Are you Pinoy"?(Filipino). I looked at him in amazement and replied, "Yes"! He started telling me that he was Filipino also, and started telling me of his ancestry traced back to the Philipines.
I was floored! My idol for all these years, and i'm having a conversation with him and we share the same nationality. I will cherish that brief moment I shared with Raul, and hope to meet him again and have him sign my pic with him.
I wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year, and....
Keep on Poundin'......

Aloha, maSSivdrums

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2006 7:52 am**

Hey Troels,
Lucky you to have him in your city. Raul Rekow is a great guy and very humble too. I always wanted to meet him and was lucky enough to do so when he was here playing with Santana in Australia in 2003. We chatted for a while and the last thing he said to me was, "Keep on playing!"

As for asking about lessons, well, you can only ask, and he can only say, 'Yes' or 'No'. A friend of mine (and housemate at the time) had some lessons with him around 10 years ago.

cheers and Happy New Year to everyone!
Pavlo

Edited By pavloconga on 1167551641

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2006 3:00 pm**

Raul is a great guy,very humble,very smart,very artistic. Aside from percussion he likes poetry. Orestes Vilato, my good friend,intoduced me to him here in Miami about 15 yrs. ago. Just say hello and you'll see.

Posted: **Sun Dec 31, 2006 4:19 pm**

Wow, I am surprised that Savage Rose is still in the business! I am 52 years old, and I know the band from the time when I was about 17! I guess Alex Riel played drums with them, and he was very good, although he is better known as a Jazz drummer.

TA

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm**

DO IT!!!

You only live once!

Good luck. I really hope you can study with him. What an inspiration it would be.

You've nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Posted: **Mon Jan 01, 2007 8:10 pm**

Thomas Altmann wrote:Wow, I am surprised that Savage Rose is still in the business! I am 52 years old, and I know the band from the time when I was about 17! I guess Alex Riel played drums with them, and he was very good, although he is better known as a Jazz drummer.

TA

Well, Thomas Koppel the piano player and main writer/composer died earlier this year at age 61. Annisette (the singer, married to Thomas) decided to carry on with the band and got Raul on board.

Yes Alex Riel played with Savage Rose in the late 60's early 70's. Fantastic jazz drummer!

Troels

Posted: **Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:02 pm**

Raul is a really nice person. You won't have any trouble talking to him. I have found the best players in the world are also super nice people. When you see him tell him Mike Gallichio said hello.
Thanks

Edited By Gallichio on 1200316607

Posted: **Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:56 pm**

maSSivdrums wrote:Aloha Gang,

...After he agreed, Raul asked me, "Are you Pinoy"?(Filipino). I looked at him in amazement and replied, "Yes"! He started telling me that he was Filipino also, and started telling me of his ancestry traced back to the Philipines.

I was floored! My idol for all these years, and i'm having a conversation with him and we share the same nationality...

Keep on Poundin'......

Aloha, maSSivdrums

Aloha maSSivedrums,

Raul Rekow is one of my idols too. In fact, I have 2 of his instructional videos (with Karl Perazo) that have helped me a lot in doing conga covers of some Santana songs with some of my cover bands. (Karl Perazo, too, in the area of timbales.)

I've always meant to get back with you on this subject of Raul having (part?) Filipino ancestry, which I have myself. Actually, I'm part (Castillian) Spanish, part Chinese and part Malay.

My great grandfather (from my paternal grandmother's side) was supposedly a Spanish military man from Malaga, Spain who was assigned to the Philippines, met and married a local girl, settled there and together bore children. My grandmother's maiden surname is Crespo and she definitely looked "mestiza" (Euro-Asian mix). So do my uncles and aunts.

In fact, one of my 1st-degree cousins, who traced our family tree, personally traveled to Malaga and was able to meet some distant cousins most of whom bore the surname of Fernandez. This 1st-degree cousin of mine also narrated a very interesting story that some of our distant cousins still maintain their centuries-old family crest or "coat of arms".

This cousin further relates that my surname, Tuazon or Tuason (which he personally uses), originated from an area somewhere in Northern Spain near the French border. Thus, the Frenchy-sounding surname.

My great grandfather (from my mother's side), meanwhile, came from the Chinese mainland. He also met and married a local girl, settled in the Philippines and bore their own children.

I've always thought that Raul is at least part Hispanic (Mexican?) but that he evidently has features characteristic of Pacific Islanders (Hawaiian, Filipino, etc.), too.

Do you still recall exactly how Raul is as you said "Filipino also"? Are either one of his parents Filipino? Or, is he a descendant of Filipinos who settled in Mexico or vice-versa (Mexicans who settled in the Philippines) centuries ago by virtue of the so-called "galleon trade" between Mexico (mainly via Acapulco) and the Philippines (mainly via Manila)? (We even have a city in the province of Pampanga that's named "Mexico" and which is interestingly pronounced by the locals as "Me-chi-co".)

I'm very curious!

Mahalo brother,

Edited By umannyt on 1200346365

Posted: **Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:26 pm**

I met Raul briefly and the whole percussion crew back stage in the early 80's , I started to talk to him in spanish , but he assured me that he didn't speak it. At that time my attention was more on Armando Peraza and Orestes Vilato, who at that time where in their prime, if you saw that show you know what I mean .... fortunally I had a great conversation with them . In those years on congas the guys the where taking it to another level where Daniel Ponce and El Ni~o with Iraquere.

Paz ,
Olsongo

Posted: **Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:52 pm**

OLSONGO wrote:I met Raul briefly and the whole percussion crew back stage in the early 80's , I started to talk to him in spanish , but he assured me that he didn't speak it. At that time my attention was more on Armando Peraza and Orestes Vilato, who at that time where in their prime, if you saw that show you know what I mean .... fortunally I had a great conversation with them . In those years on congas the guys the where taking it to another level where Daniel Ponce and El Ni~o with Iraquere.

Paz ,
Olsongo

Olsongo,

Thanks so much sharing your anecdote re: Raul Rekow.

I've always assumed that Raul was fluent in Spanish. I never would have suspected that Raul wasn't. In one of his videos that I have, I even heard him sing some folkloric lines in Spanish while he was demonstrating the Guaguanco on congas with Karl Perazo on timbales. Also, in one of his solo performances with "Santana" on YouTube, he was singing in Spanish.

I realize, though, that being able to sing in Spanish doesn't necessarily mean that you're fluent in it. For example, I often sing Mana's song with "Santana", "Corazon Espinado". I believe that my lyrics are accurate and that I pronounce my Spanish correctly 'cause I often get OK or thumbs up signs from the Hispanic waiters and waitresses at big private party gigs held in big hotels whenever I sing this song.

I was required to have Spanish language classes in the Catholic school (which was owned by Spanish Franciscan friars) I went to from 4th grade in elementary all the way through senior year in high school. But, because I didn't speak Spanish every day, I didn't become fluent. Some of my uncles and aunts are fluent, though.

Si paz,

Posted: **Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:36 pm**

Hi Troels,

You should definately meet with Raul - I had a couple of lessons with him in Copenhagen about 2 years ago. He is really nice and a great teacher.

Magnus

congaplace.com

Raul Rekow is now living in Denmark! - Should I give him a call?