GOODBYE MONGO - REMEMBER MONGO

[muddy323]

Thanks Mongo, for all the great music, solo's, concerts. I got most of my chops from Mongo. His records were the 1st solos i tried to copy, I remember seeing Mongo,Bobo & Tjader at latin jazz concerts at the Concert By The Sea in Redondo Beach, Ca and The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach in the late 60's or early 70's. I was still in High school, sneakin in clubs, that when I discovered percussions and put bass clarinet on the back burner. I'm still playing those same drums that i brought in 1976 and those Gonbop's have given me so much pleasure, still today! I still remember those shows at The Playboy Jazz Festivals Mongo with Elrey and Poncho. My all time favorite song by Mongo is Las Guajiras on Via Mongo.....Thanks Mongo



Edited By muddy323 on Feb. 05 2003 at 17:20

[mangorockfish]

Mongo is still "TH' MAN"!! :laugh:

[whammy]

I just bought "¡arriba!" by Mongo. Pretty cool stuff.

[Johnny Conga]

Mongo put out 2 records with his "Charanga", Arriba is one of them and the other is "Mas Sabroso" . Mongo is still the "MAN" to me and always will be.....I do miss him greatly, but I can listen to him everyday if I want with 80 of his albums that I have......JC JOHNNY CONGA.... :;):

[franc]

j.c, i envey you for all that collection of mongo you have. can you please assist me in some of them albums where he do solos a lot.i like to buy some cd of mongos where he do '' descarga on congas'' which do you recomend?? thanks conguerro mayor!!!! peace and rumba!!! franc:D

[stlouieray]

J.C., I ordered 2 CD's from Mongo's collection. They are 2 live recordings, which sounded pretty good, from the samplers. I used to practice to Mongo's music, many years ago - as well as Olatungi.

Just wondered what productions you'd recommend, from Mongo.

Ray

P.S. Forgot to mention I picked up an "Intro To Latin Jazz 101", that has Ray Barreto & New World, Ancestral Messages; Poncho Sanchez, Cold Duck Time; Samuels/Valentin/Khan, A Night in Tunisia; Tito Puente, Oye Como Va; Pete Escovedo (luv his stuff), Esta Noche; Cal Tjader, Reggae Later & Guachi Guara; and Mongo of course, with Manteca. Nice sampler.



Edited By stlouieray on 1075465255

[Johnny Conga]

Well the first one I would recommend is Mongo's "Drums and Chants" it's a classic and 'smokin"!. Then there is Mongo introduces La Lupe. "Latino" by Cal Tjader with Mongo and Willie Bobo on it, another classsic with great solos from Mongo and Willie on timbs-to me one of the best recorded timbale solos ever on Cuban Fantasy, from the album. MY personal favorite is "El Bravo" on Columbia. It is loaded with different rhythms and it is very "tipico" at the same time too. Start with those you can never go wrong with the Master-Mongo Santamaria........At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA... :;):

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[TonyTumbador]

JC Thanks for the memories; I just went through your album,
Great pictures

[Johnny Conga]

Your welcome Tony....BTW starting on August 14th I will be starting my own radio program online at KBCS.org 91.3 FM at 6pm PCTto 8pm. Anyone that has a finished CD and would like me to play it on my show "A Lado Latino-On the Latin Side", please email me at johnnyconga@hotmail.com . I will be playing-Latin Rock -Latin Soul-Mambo Jazz-Latin Jazz-Afro-Cuban Jazz-Musica Cubana and Afro Caribbean rhythms...most of the music will be coming from my own personal collection of over 2,000 albums and Cd's....en paz...JC JOHNNY CONGA... :;):

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[ABAKUA]

A sad day it was.

Big respect to Mongo. He was one of my earliest influences in my playing, he will be sadly missed by rumberos and music fans the world over.


.RIP.



Edited By ABAKUA on 1101782741

[Tamborim]

Hello. My respects to you all.

Mongo.
Mongo is like a dream to me. From the first moment I heard Our man in Havana, I knew I'd found something very very special. His African roots album is now released in conjunction with OMIH. On a French label so I believe. I never had opportunity to see the great man in action. I have not even seen footage of him. Every time I see a release he is on, I buy it right away. He is without a doubt my greatest inspiration on conga drums. I place Mongo up in the realms of stellar drummers like Tony Williams, Buddy Rich, Tito Puente, Changuito, Elvin Jones and the like. I can only feel respect and admiration.

[steady freddy]

Hey guys,
a bit late but better late then never! I chatted with my mate Abakua yesterday and we were mentioning Mongo Santamaria. So this is a way to pay my respects to the late Mongo as well. I was lucky at the age of 14/15 to see Mongo live twice in the late 70's in Holland and I attended one of his workshops. I will never forget his hands, his sound and his smile. At the workshop we basicely did guaguancó most of the time and I was happy to keep the clave going!
Rest in Peace!
Here are the 2 albums that I got my hands on those days and



Edited By steady freddy on 1120526273

[JohnnyConga]

Mongo will always be "alive" within us...he is with me..as my former "mentor" and friend....I have collected about 80 albums and 10 Cd's of Mongos including his "demo" from 1952 on SMC label with his first "folklore" group...he was inspirational and everytime I listen to "Baila Cinderella" and all my other favorites, just give me chills.....

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[ABAKUA]

I was just listening to his CD "MONGO RETURNS" where my old friends JohnnyAlmendra and Louis Bauzo recorded with him.


RIP.

[Isaac]

I was lucky to see Mongo play about 7 or 8 times in
New York. First in 1979 till he went into
retirement. Once I saw him on a very slow night at
Fat Tuesday's, with Steve Berrios on timbales.
I sat right in front of his congas( he was on a low riser). My brother and I spoke to Mongo & Steve before the set began and I mentioned that I came down from Canada to see them. There were 15 people tops in the club, but Mongo played his heart out and smiled at me the whole time. I felt he was playing for me personally. Maybe that's how we all feel when we listen to Mongo. His pure sound is still new and fresh. His powerful slap is still in my mind today.
~ ISAAC