Starter Tunes

[burke]

Hi all,

I live far away and in the country bereft of any local music other than Blues, Country and Celtic. I know there are some relatively skilled musicians nearby but not in the Cuban, Latin Jazz, genre etc.

I want to play with humans and was thinking of trying to put together a “Latin garage band” just for fun (I have a career and am about to turn 50 so going on the road isn’t likely ... da wife would kill me).

I have some resource material (Uribe’s book has some basic info about piano muntuno’s and bass tumbaos that would be a jump off point ... I have one book of music ‘Hal Leonard Cuba - The Golden Age’).

I asked a friend who runs a salsa band about easier entry type music. He suggested Cha Cha right away. I expect we’d be sticking to the son side of things for a long time (or forever) and seeing that ‘Latin music in USA’, PBS thing, Latin Boogaloo might be something else (although I’m not familiar with it).

So any suggestions of either types or specific tunes (ie : ‘Oya coma va’) and if you know where to find free sheet music that would be a bonus.

Thanks

Darrell

[bongosnotbombs]

There are scanned copies of the Latin Real Book on the web. Bootleg of course, so your personal ethics apply.

[burke]

ethics?

Hmmmmm ... must look that word up.

[congamyk]

You can also put a free musicians wanted ad on craigslist.
Don't get too detailed - basically just mention you want to meet other musicians interested in playing Latin music.
You could also try alternative/entertainment newspapers/mags in your area that have a free online classifieds.

[burke]

Thanks Mike,

I did try kijiji a while back but may try again. The local village has a pop of 2000 and the nearest town only 22,000.00 so word of mouth may work better ... but I think I will go craigslist and kijiji again nonetheless.

[cdldrum]

Darrell....

I could spend a lifetime of learning just on this album.....



Peace, Chas


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbE7jf_Hp5w

[burke]

Hey Chas,

Thanks man. I have lots of hard material on albums and CD ... I looking for the easier entry level 'latin' (I know that is a very general somewhat silly term) ... ie: "baby's first tunes" - The twinkle, twinkle little star type stuff for new players. I've been playing a long (ish) time so the basic language is not new to me even if I live more in the theory world then playing world ... but if I can find say a bass player, a piano player etc., who may have heard (and liked) cha, salsa, bolaro, Guajira, son montuno etc.without knowing what exactly they were listening to I want to start with something not to strucurally complex.

Heres a thought: If you were a grade 10 band teacher (and I think we may have some on the forum) what tunes would you start them with?

[JohnnyConga]

Morning
Killer Joe
Song for my Father
Green Dolphin St.
Sidewinder
Night in Tunisia
Mambo Diablo
The Continental
Milestones these are all good and easily available on ITunes as well.....Johnny Conga

[roberthelpus]

Song for my father is one that I have wound up playing a few times at odd jams. Now I play clave at the beginning of it and sometimes that helps get it out of shuffle mode. Seems like quite a few rock and blues folks know it for some reason.

[burke]

That Robert & Johnny, some I know of (most I don't) I'll look these up today.

Cheers

[roberthelpus]

If you have Rock and Rollers you can always start with Santana tunes, although they will wanna play Oye Como Va (Tito who?) as a blues shuffle too.

[Dangler]

Hi burke,been following your thread and would be interested in the artists for those tunes JC mentioned.Please post your list when you figure it out.

[congamyk]

One place to start might be to use a few of these play-a-longs that have the sheet music for all instruments.
It also has a play-a-long CD to hear the melody and accompaniment.
You can make copies for bass, piano, guitar, etc and upload the tracks for others to listen to/rip for practicing.

Antonio Carlos Jobim http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=843001&lid=8&seriesfeature=JZPLYA&

INCLUDES: Desafinado (Slightly Out of Tune) • The Girl from Ipanema (Garota De Ipanema) • Jazz 'N' Samba (So Danco Samba) • How Insensitive (Insensatez) • Meditation (Meditacao) • Once I Loved (Amor Em Paz) (Love in Peace) • One Note Samba (Samba De Uma Nota So) • Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado) • Triste • Wave.

Latin Jazz http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=843016&lid=23&seriesfeature=JZPLYA&

Songs: Agua De Beber (Water to Drink) • Chega De Saudade (No More Blues) • The Gift! (Recado Bossa Nova) • Invitation • Manha De Carnaval (A Day in the Life of a Fool) • Mas Que Nada • Ran Kan Kan • So Nice (Summer Samba) • Sweet Happy Life (Samba de Orpheo) • Watch What Happens.

Bossa Nova http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=843036&lid=40&seriesfeature=JZPLYA&

INCLUDES: Black Orpheus • Call Me • Dindi • Little Boat • A Man and a Woman (Un Homme Et Une Femme) • Only Trust Your Heart • The Shadow of Your Smile • Song of the Jet (Samba do Aviao) • Watch What Happens • Wave.

Mongo Santamaria http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=843062&lid=61&seriesfeature=JZPLYA&

8 songs: Afro Blue • Come Candellia • Federico • Las Guajiras • Linda Guajira • Manila • Sabroso • Watermelon Man.

Bossa Nova Classics http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=843105&lid=84&seriesfeature=JZPLYA&

Includes 10 Latin favorites: Bim-Bom • Bossa Antigua • Estate • A Felicidade • Flamingo • Frenesi • Ho-Ba-La-La • Menina Flor • O Pato (The Duck) • Petite Fleur (Little Flower).

Latin Jazz Standards http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=843145&lid=96&seriesfeature=JZPLYA&

10 songs: Adios • Baia (Bahía) • Bésame Mucho (Kiss Me Much) • Brazil • The Breeze and I • Poinciana (Song of the Tree) • Quizás, Quizás, Quizás (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps) • Tico Tico (Tico Tico No Fuba) • What Now My Love • You Belong to My Heart (Solamente Una Vez).

Antonio Carlos Jobim - More Hits http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=843166&lid=115&seriesfeature=JZPLYA&

10 songs: Águas De Março (Waters of March) • If You Never Come to Me (Inutil paisagem) • Look to the Sky • O Grande Amor • O Morro Nao Tem Vez (Favela) (Somewhere in the Hills) • Outra Vez • She's a Carioca • Someone to Light up My Life (Se Todos Fossem Iguais a Voce) • Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer) • Retrato Em Branco E Preto.

[burke]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the great replies and sorry it took so long to get back (work got crazy then broadband went south for about a week).

Thanks Congamyk for those awsome books - I will pick up the Mongo one for sure.

Lots of Latin Jazz which is great but not so much what I was after. However from JC's list the tunes I wasn't familiar with that I think will make the list are:

Morning (Clare Fischer)
Killer Joe (Quincy Jones)
Song for my Father (Horace Silver ...and now I know where 'Rikki don't lose that number' actually came from!)
Monde Diablo [maybe] (Tito Puente)

The rest I knew already and frankly don't care for. Just taste not putting them down.

Thanks again

[PRDRconguero]

You can't go wrong with some slow boleros....the pattern is simple and the music is easy to keep up with.