by Paqui » Wed May 09, 2007 5:49 pm
@bingobongo,
We're on the same boat ??? . In the currently second most recent post under this same section, I commented pretty much what you just posted.
I emailed Tomasito and Kevin from Timba.com.
Here is an excerpt from Kevin's response:
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That's fantastic that the conga method is helping you! It makes it all worthwhile to get an email like this.
Tomasito is a great bongocero (also very good at timbales). There's no immediate plan to write a book, but if you're in the United States, you might want to meet up with for a lesson and have him do a custom bongó video for you.
That's how the whole Tomás Cruz Conga Method idea started, actually. I was just trying to figure out the conga parts to Con la conciencia, so I paid Tomás to play along with the record while I videotaped it. It came out incredibly well and I got excited and sent it to my friend in Hawaii. That guy sent it to HIS friend in Canada, who is the very same guy who wrote the bongó books for Mel Bay. He called Tomasito and said "hey - Mel Bay is looking for some conga books - why don't you write some?". And then Tomasito called me (I had some experience writing method books on the computer) and I told him if he'd take the time to explain everything to me I'd write the book. I took a LOT longer than I thought and I learned more from that project than almost anything I've ever done.
So .... if you're anywhere near Miami it will be very easy, but even if you're not, Tomasito is on tour a lot with Arturo Sandoval who plays almost everywhere, so you could hook up with him when he comes near your town.
Hope that helps,
Kevin
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I mentioned to Kevin that I also bought the DVD from Trevor Sallum, but it was not exactly what I was expecting. Once you start learning with Tomasito's method, it's hard to learn from simple strokes and seeing someone else just playing...
Paqui :laugh: