Funny Thing Happened To Me Today

[congamyk]

Funny Thing Happened To Me Today.

We normally have rumba today, but after checking with everyone we decided it might rain so we called it off. One of the young guys that just started learning with us called me and asked me to meet him and go over some stuff. We decided on a different park than we normally play at. The place we chose is in a busy retail district because there was only going to be 2 of us.

After we started playing a bit a guy on a bike comes riding up and starts hitting the drums as we are playing them. I started to check the guy to find out what his intentions were. As I look at him I see that it's none other than Luis Conte! Even though he had a bike helmet on, as soon as I looked at him I knew it was him. Luis sat down and played with us for over 2 hours! The young guy with me didn't know who he was and had just started to learn congas but Luis took him under his wing and we were jamming in no time. Luis has so much knowledge, ability and is such a down-to-earth cat. It was an amazing experience.

Luis is on tour playing percussion with James Taylor, who performs tomorrow night at Starlight Theater in KC. He was riding his bike in the Plaza District where we were playing. His hotel was only a few blocks away. After we played he said he wanted to try some famous KC Bar-B-Que. He went to his hotel to freshen up and then we went to dinner. So Luis is getting in the car and calls Steve Gadd and asks him if he wants to go get some BBQ with us! Steve is on tour with James Taylor also. So we go to the BBQ joint get some ribs and fries and watch the Laker/Celtics game. Tomorrow night I have passes to go backstage and get some photos. I hope to post them here. Here are a few photos from the camera phone today.

Luis just arriving.... hasn't taken off his bike helmet yet


Now we're jamming


A local conga player at the BBQ place recognized Luis and asked me to take and email him a pic.


I had no idea this was going to happen today. What a surprise.

[Congadelica]

Cool story , thanks for sharing Mike .
and what a great thing for a newbie.

[ABAKUA]

Similar story with myself and the conguero from Los Van Van and their trombonist! They are the best encounters!
Thanks for sharing Mike!

[Derbeno]

Great experience and fantastic story
He just finished his stint as the Conguero with the live band in the show Dancing with the Stars

[Gallichio]

Very cool indeed. He is a great percussionist.

[afrocubarico]

That's a great story. Thanks for sharing that with us congamyk. Come to think of it, I did catch a glimpse of Luis Conte playing percussion with the Dancing with the Stars show one evening. Luis seems to have made some serious contacts/associations in the music business and I'm sure his talents speak volumes. That's awesome how spent time with you guys without even knowing you.

afrocubarico

[windhorse]

Good Stuff Mike!
Similar thing at camp Kosmos this weekend.
I was able to hang out and spend some time with a really great guy this weekend. Louis Romero. He was a great mentor. Helped me with a bunch of exercises and different rhythms, but also just hung out and chatted for hours. We ate together a few times, and I met a bunch of his mates from Bay area. His band Mazacote played night before last, and they were super tight! The crowd at Cazadero loved them!

[umannyt]

Awesome encounter, Mike! I'm envious!

I'm a fan of Luis Conte, especially for his tasteful contemporary rhythms and multi-percussion skills.

What a really cool, down-to-earth and personable guy Luis turns out to be! Now, I'm an even bigger fan of his!

[Sakuntu]

Myk....This was a Blessing from the LORD!!!! BBQ with Conte and Gad...WOW!

[congamyk]

Sakuntu, you are absolutely right about that in every way.

Tonight the concert was amazing. My friend Jesus went with me because he wanted to meet Luis.
We went backstage at intermission and met up with Luis and Steve Gadd.
Should have pics posted soon.

I'm learning more and more that it's not "what you know" but it's "who you KNOW"!

[Tonio]

I'm learning more and more that it's not "what you know" but it's "who you KNOW"!

Ain't that the truth.

T

[zumbi]

a blessing indeed...
and it's always so inspiring to see how most of the greats are also extremely humble and down to earth.
but after all, when a man is aware that music (just like everything else) is a gift from the Most High...
he cannot be anything but humble and down to heart.
peace & blessings.

[umannyt]

I'm a fan of Luis Conte, especially for his tasteful contemporary rhythms and multi-percussion skills.

And Steve Gadd, of course!

[congamyk]

.

[OLSONGO]

Good experience Mike, I had the chance to meet Luis when he was on tour with Phil Collins, also turned me on to a couple of tickets for the dress rehearsal show. He has Family here in Florida; they are neighbors of mine, I run into his niece here and there. Actually when I leaved in KC I met a lot of good musicians, the likes of Armando Peraza, Orestes Vilato and ran into Carlos Santana for the second time, Dixie Gillespie,Gato Barbieri, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Met Paquito De Rivera for the first time, Claudio Roditi, Ignacio Berroa, Omar Hakim, Minu Cinellu, Herbie Man, and all due to the concerts in the park series that KC offers in the summer, don't know if they still do.

Paz
Olsongo