by Berimbau » Thu Aug 10, 2006 7:38 pm
There's a report that Anga has passed....I hope this is not true>
It is my very sad duty to inform you all that the gifted Cuban
percussionist Miguel Díaz-"Angá" of Irakere fame passed away suddenly in Barcelona, Spain
on Wednesday night August 9th, he was only 45 years of age. Angá had been living in Barcelona since 2003. His latest group was a multi-nationality group playing a blend of Cuban, Brazilian, jazz and hip hop music.
They last performed on the 3rd and 4th of August in Barcelona in the Catalán province of Spain. No details of of his passing have been made public yet.
Miguel Díaz was part of the late 1980s and '90s edition of Irakere, check out his performance on Live At Ronnie Scott's for the Pacific Jazz/Blue Note label on the track Flute Notes where he and flutist "Maraca"-Orlando Valle trade fours repeating each others solos on congas and flute respectiviely.
Angá is considered along with Puerto Rican Giovanni Hidalgo-
"Mañenguito" as the 2 best congueros of the last 20 years. Díaz's latest album was for the
World Circuit label, Echu Mingua is the title, check out his
modernistic
renditions of A Love Supreme and Round Midnight. Miguel is featured prominently on the Grammy winning Roy Hargrove disc, "Crisol".Another fabulous album by Angá is Passport for Enja with his heroe, the veteran Tata Güines. Díaz also appears with Steve Coleman and the Afro Cubans recorded in Cuba, the late Ibrahim Ferrer's Buenos Hermanos, Ry Cooder's Mambo Sinuendo
and other solo recordings from the family of Buena Vista Social Club as well as many Irakere recordings and numerous guest appearances.
One of my favorite aspects of Angá is that he had all of the
traditional and fundamental tools at his disposal, an outstanding practioner of Afro-Cuban roots music, yet he had jazz chops and an open mind to incorporateworld
rhythms in a delightful fusion. His passing at 45 years of age is
difficult to accept, we will have to wait and see as Ricky Ricardo would've said, "whaappaned" that Miguel Aurelio Díaz-Angá has died so young.
Arturo Gómez
Music Director, jazz89KUVO
The Oasis In The City
Colorado's First HD FM Radio Station
Celebrating 10 Years of Live Performances!
2006 & 2005 Jazz Station of the Year!!
With Great Sadness,
Berimbau
.