CONGA CAMP - Study with Johnny Conga

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Postby Amber » Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:11 pm

Hi,

I second Conga Tick. Such instructional vids are very valuable and highly to appreciate. Thanks you JC and all of those who spend time on this.

:p Amber
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Postby Joseph » Sat Feb 02, 2008 8:54 pm

I also appreciate the instructional vids

Thanks

Are the gloves hand-savers or mufflers? ( or other?) ???

...I being one of those who has pillows shoved up inside my drum shells so as not to disturb the neighbors at night when practicing




Edited By Joseph on 1201997895
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Postby JohnnyConga » Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:22 pm

HI Joseph.....rather than tape my fingers up,im using gloves...I like the feel and sound and it doesnt hamper anything i do on the congas....instead of stuffing your congas just take a t-shirt and "drape" it over the conga..like its "wearing" it...that will automatically deaden the sound and you can still pracitice without being heard...Johnny Conga....
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Postby JohnnyConga » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:28 pm

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing as a reference for “Johnny Conga.” I met John in 2001 when he first moved to the Seattle area and watched him build a musical life around his teaching and performances. He is one of the most determined hard working musicians that I have encountered. At the time he auditioned for us he had relocated in Seattle from Miami where he taught as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Miami, one of the leading university music programs in the United States. Since 2001 John has become one of the prominent band leaders for Latin music performance and instruction in this region. He also is a fine band leader, vibraphone player, composer and arranger.

Music Works interviewed and hired him to teach private and group lessons on Latin percussion instruments in 2002. We were impressed with his confidence and organization. He auditioned by giving the interviewing committee a lesson. His approach engaged all of us including the classical pianists! The lesson demonstrated his amazing energy and commitment. He is one of the few Latin percussion teachers who have a structured approach to teaching.

I believe that the students who have contact with John benefit from his enthusiasm, experience and business expertise. He has a skill set that isn’t really taught in the academic world, resulting from years of experience as a performer and instructor. If you are looking for a good role model who works hard, knows his subject and delivers results John is worth a serious look. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. 425-644-0988 ext. 104.

Sincerely,



Scott A. Ketron
Artistic Director

scott@musicworksnw.org

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zqaHLhinvPo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6Uz9lKU89Y

Gracias a todos aqui!...Thank you all here at the forum .

For those that are interested in my "Conga-Camp/Intensive" please email me at johnnyconga@hotmail.com and NOT thru this forum.....Gracias/Thank you....Pearl Artist-Johnny Conga
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Postby JohnnyConga » Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:30 pm

To my friends at Congaboard:

I had the pleasure of meeting Johnny Conga and taking a private lesson from him a few weeks ago in Seattle and it was a great experience! He was nice enough to pick me up from the airport, and we had a nice chat about latin music/congueros/friends, etc. on the way back to his place. I told him a little of my background: drumkit player in high school, self taught on congas watching Bobby Sanabria videos, my practice time with Dr. Z., etc. We got to his place and I did a few exercises, and we immediately dug-in on technique (or for me, improper technique...ha) we went through hand placement, overall posture and went into some exercises playing side-by-side. He allowed me to video tape him doing the patterns as I wrote them down in my notepad (I highly recommend this) As most of you know, his technique is incredible and I did everything I could to soak it all in. We played for about 3 hours. I’ve really tried to utilize the correct technique over the last few weeks and it’s hard ..Any how, just wanted to drop a line and really encourage everyone to take advantage of his advanced knowledge, I’m sure he’s an excellent teacher for any level of player. I not only learned a lot that I will take with me forever, but I made a new friend...Thanks, JC. I’ll be back to see you and show-off my new skillz...Laters, Huero
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Postby JohnnyConga » Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:43 pm

http://youtube.com/watch?v=622Yy-bTm8Y

has anyone tried this on for size yet???....Johnny Conga
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Postby JohnnyConga » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:58 pm

Here I am with one of my current students from the Ukraine..Sergee as he likes to be called....

Ozzie Rivera,from Corpus Christi,Texas, starts on tuesday for my Conga Camp Intensive...

Johnny Conga.... :D


Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... and_Me.jpg
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Postby JohnnyConga » Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:25 am

here is something for the newbies to work on ....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=622Yy-bTm8Y


5 stroke exercise alternating hands to slaps and tone,and working for speed and clarity....Johnny Conga...

count it as 1 2 3 4 5 or 1+2+3 4+ 5+ 6
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Re: CONGA CAMP - Study with Johnny Conga

Postby JohnnyConga » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:33 pm

Here is a photo of my most recent "CC/I" attendee Ozzie Rivera from Puerto Rico/Corpus Christi,Texas.....my next attendee will be arriving on the 25th of this month and we will also be attending the World Rhythm Festival here in Seattle for 3 days of DRUMS!....with me...chek it out at WorldRhythmFestival.org. .....ooonpakeen!.....WE'RE BACK!!!.... :lol: Johnny Conga...
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Re: CONGA CAMP - Study with Johnny Conga

Postby JohnnyConga » Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:18 pm

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseacti ... d=23763648 try this exercise out for both hands....HT HT S HT HT TONE.....Johnny Conga... :D
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Re: CONGA CAMP - Study with Johnny Conga

Postby ozrivera » Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:24 pm

Johnny's Conga Camp review (March 2008)

Saludos Hermanos

My name is Ozzie Rivera a Native of Brooklyn New York, currently residing in south Texas. I have been around afro-Caribbean music all my all life and have been playing congas off and on for about 10 years. however out of the 10 years of playing congas I have only been playing seriously for just a little over two years. For the most part I have been self taught by watching others play and by watching instructional videos.
Over the past 2 years I have made good improvements in my playing, technique, speed and learning different rhythms. But, at the time I sort hit a plateau where my improvements became kind off stagnant.
So for the first time in my career I decided to get professional training as the videos where not doing it for me anymore.
I decided to attend to Johnny’s conga camp for several reasons.
1. Johnny is seasoned professional veteran with 40+ years of experience.
2. He has good understanding of the educational and practical training value. In other words the brother knows how to teach.
3. Weeklong camp as oppose to an hour a week type of training.
4. Johnny is also an accomplished percussionist and band leader who is recognized and by respected by his peers which include some of the best percussionists in the world.
5. Personality, not once has Johnny come to this board as an arrogant person who only thinks of himself. Always willing to give insightful input and share his knowledge.
6. Work ethics, I knew that Johnny’s camp was not going to be a fly by night type of camp. He will make you work but, he will also be right there working with you.
7. I am a firm believer in the mentor mind set, learn from the best, and I can honestly say that via research and spending time here on this board that Johnny is one of the old and new school percussionist in the world, and I honestly believe that. You don’t have to take my word for it. Ask anyone who has attended his camp.

Ok, so I made contact with Johnny agreed and scheduled a date for the camp. I had a budget but the flights from Corpus Christi, Texas to Seattle were putting me over the budget. Johnny took time from his personal time to help me find plane tickets and or move the camp schedule around to help find more economical flights to Seattle.
So, I leave Corpus Christi on a Monday and here is where all the fun starts, bad weather in Texas delayed my first flight to Dallas Ft worth where I was supposes to take a connecting flight to Seattle which I missed.
By this time is like 10 pm and American airlines tells that there no more flights to Seattle until the next morning. So they placed in a hotel and set me up to leave in the morning. I leave the hotel in the morning and it is raining cats and dogs. And I’m thinking to myself this is not good. To make a long story short, because it really is a long story. I didn’t end up leaving Texas till 9pm and after 4 flights either being cancelled or delayed due to the weather. Every time a flight got cancelled or delayed I had to call Johnny and let him know the new arrival times. By the time I arrived in Seattle I had gone through so much drama and called Johnny so many times that I actually felt as if I had known him all my life. LOL
Johnny picks me up at the airport and we had a few laughs about eventful day I had at the airport. we arrived at his home put my bags up and still had enough time to get about 2 hours worth of work in. we also discussed goals and expectations.
From there on till the day that I left was balls to walls nonstop work. I must say that Johnny was a better teacher than I had expected. He quickly recognized my strengths and weaknesses and tailored a training regime to help me overcome my weaknesses and reinforce my strengths. Most of all Johnny was very methodical and patient in understanding when I had to take a break from the burn out factor.
And also knew how to slowly build you up to difficult exercises I couldn’t perform prior to the camp.
We worked hard and diligently. But, above all it never felt like a drag and we had a lot of fun working together. Of course after the day was over the studio was available to do your homework and work on implementing some of the stuff I learned up to that point to my style of playing.
Johnny also took me out to some of the local clubs where friends of Johnny where playing and introduced me to them. Of course Johnny was asked to sit in as guest and even gave his friend the endorsement for me to sit in on a song. Johnny just told me one thing as I was getting ready to play the song "PLAY TIME" nothing else. LOL

In conclusion, I learned years worth solid playing that I wouldn’t have learned on my own or with videos. Johnny taught me how to practice the right way to maximize your time. Even though by the last day I was pretty burned out and in Johnny’s words "man, your left hand is shot" I was challenged at pace that I could handle. But what do you expect it’s called "intensive conga camp" and it was nothing short of that.
two weeks after arriving back in Corpus Christi I played a gig and I had purposely not told the band members that I had attended a camp just to see what their reaction would be. And as I had expected they were dumbfounded at how strong, timed and clear my sound was. One of my friends later told me that while we where playing he was saying to himself “this mf has been practicing" LOL he also mentioned that it’s as if I had turned to playing professional overnight. It was at that time that I told them that I had attended the Johnny’s camp and they all complemented the work he did with me. I also had many complements from other seasoned players that heard me play that night.
Overall I’m very pleased with the time spent with Johnny and plan on attending another one of Johnny’s camp in the future.
If you are serious about your playing and are willing to put in the work, then this camp is for you. I highly recommend it, not just beginners but for all levels. Johnny’s knowledge is so vast that he can Taylor training regime for anyone.
And last I must say that I met someone who I can honestly say is a friend. I have e-mailed Johnny several times to ask more questions and he has responded promptly. Completing the last phase of training with "follow through"
Well that’s all can say. If you wish it know more you’ll just have to attend camp.
Much thanks to Johnny and good luck to the rest you.

Sincerely

Ozzie

Follow the link below to check out some pics.

http://launch.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group ... rowse/5f54
Pa-tra ni-pa cojer impulso.
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Re: CONGA CAMP - Study with Johnny Conga

Postby JohnnyConga » Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:31 pm

Hi Congadelica .... yes I have taught them as young as Alejandro(10 years old) and as old as 70 years old.....anyone interested in my CC/I..?....Johnny Conga...ps READ THE REVIEWS OF MY CAMP ABOVE....
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Re: CONGA CAMP - Study with Johnny Conga

Postby ABAKUA » Wed Apr 30, 2008 8:54 am

Man, Id love to come study with you. Damn shame Im on the other side of the lake so to speak.
Id come over for a month or two though. Oh fo sho. 8)
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Re: CONGA CAMP - Study with Johnny Conga

Postby JohnnyConga » Sat May 03, 2008 5:26 pm

Alex Guzman from Puerto Rico via Orlando, Florida has just "successfully" completed my Conga Camp/Intensive here at my home in Seattle,WA...He will be critiqueing his experience with me....stay tuned!...Johnny Conga....
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Re: CONGA CAMP - Study with Johnny Conga

Postby JohnnyConga » Sat May 03, 2008 6:11 pm

See photo of my recent Conga Camp attendee Alex Guzman..... Johnny Conga...
Alex.jpg
My recent Conga Camp Attendee
Alex.jpg (13.26 KiB) Viewed 11862 times
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