MB96005BCD$17.95
By trevor salloum
IG IT A U A U D IO
* . r - ' fOBlTfii) * i t 1 * u *; M^lf BAY PUBLICATIONS, INC. , ; ,#4.INDUSTRIAL DRIVE
PACIFIC, MO 63069-0066.
mel bay presents
the bongo bookby tre vo r sa lloum
CO Contentsm Son Clave, Rumba Clave (Page 8), Cascara, Clave 6/8, Bell (Page 9), HE Bomba, Plena, Merengue, Cumbia, Beguine 1 i t 2 (Page 25) [1:23]
Martillo (Page 11) [ 1:11 ] \m One-Bar Fills 1-12 (Page 27) [2:09]m Manoteo Variation (Page 13), Martillo: Basic, Variations 1-4 (Page 14) B E One-Bar Fills 13-23 (Page 27) [1:56]
[1:23] EE One-Bar Fills 1-8 (Page 28) [1:24]m Martillo Variations 1-10 (Page 15) [1:43] HE One-Bar Fills 9-16 (Page 28) [1:22]m Martillo Variations 1-11 (Page 16) [1:58] n u Two-Bar Fills 1-10 (Page 29) [2:04]
Martillo Variations 1-12 (Page 17) [2:16] HE Fills Derived from Bata Rhythms 1-6 (Page 30) [1:05]E Martillo Variations 1-12 (Page 18) [2:15] HE Fills Derived from Bata Rhythms 1-10 (Page 31) [1:48]m Martillo Variations 1-12 (Page 19) [2:14] HU Fills Derived from Bata Rhythms 1-4 (Page 32) [:47]
Martillo Variations 13-24 (Page 19) [2:13] HE Bongo Solo (Page 33) [:25]s Bolero, Bolero Variation, Bongo Bell Patterns 1 & 2 (Page 20) [:55] HE Single Stroke Roll, Double Stroke Roll, Triplets (Page 34) [:35]Qo] Jazz Rhythms 1-9 (Page 21) [1:35] HU Flams, Paradiddle, Flam-Triplets, Sixteenth, Paradiddle, Sixteenth NoteHU Rock Rhythms 1-4 (Page 22) [:47] Triplet Combo (Page 35) [1:18]QI] Brazilian: Bossa Nova & Samba (Page 22) [: 19] HE Sixteenth, Gapped Triplet, Eighth Roll, Eighth/Sixteenth Note Triplet:01 Afro, Danzon. Mozambique (Page 23) [:32] Son & Rumba Clave (Page 36) [1:26]03 Songo 1 & 2 (Page 23) [: 19] HE Cascara, Manoteo with Accents: Son Clave, Rumba Clave, CascaraE E Pa ca Clave, Bongos 1 & 2, Conga Adaptation & Variation (Page 24) (Page 37) [1:05]
[1:05] HE Polyrhythms 1-12 (Page 38) [2:22]
1997 BY MEL BAY PUBLICATIONS, INC., PACIFIC, MO 63069.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT SECURED. B.M.I. MADE AND PRINTED IN U.S.A.
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I would like to thank all the people who helped me com pile the information to write this book:
In particular the great bongoseros: Armando Peraza, Candido Camero, Jack Costanzo and Jose Mangual for permitting me to interview them and share their stories and vast experiences with others.
M artin Cohen (President of LP M usic Group) for providing the photo o f Jose M angual, phone contacts and general information. Gene Okamoto (Pearl Corporation) for the photo of Armando Peraza and other contacts. Charlie Rooney for information on Jack Costanzo. David Grierson (CBC Radio) for general information.
John Santos provided insight into the son music style. Tomas E. Cruz (Havana, Cuba) for teaching me the subtleties and beauty o f the bongos.
Those who assisted in preparing the m anuscript: M ary Bellingham for typing, Ann Raghavan and M elanie Bachm ann for proofreading, Bob Duplessis who helped in editing and Billy M iller for working through the drum patterns.
My close friend, m usician and naturopathic physician Nathan Ehrlich who is a source of inspiration.
Drum m ing buddy Lonnie Burma for constant feedback and support.
Stan Rule for his friendship and legal advice.
Robin Jarm an for providing his musical writing experience and support throughout the project.
My deepest gratitude to Nancy Wise who shared her wealth o f knowledge as a publisher in the various stages o f the books development.
My brother Jayce Salloum (New York) and sister Kelly Salloum (Los Angeles) who located some of the musicians for interviews.
And above all, to my parents who instilled in their children the immense value of music.
2
The Bongo Book is a guide to the art o f bongo drumming, dem onstrating the wide range o f application that the bongos allow.
Currently no listing appears in Books in Print devoted solely to bongos. M oreover, few percussion books discuss bongos and those that do devote, at best, only a few pages. Consequently, after discovering this lack of inform ation on the bongos, I became inspired to write this text. It is also disconcerting that the great bongo players (bongoseros) o f the world have not been given the recognition they deserve. Indeed the bongoseros have played a pivotal role in m any musical situations, yet are often misnamed, unspecified, or simply ignored.
My interest in both writing a book and playing Afro-Cuban music stems not only from the sparse historical information, but also my musical education. In Toronto I studied percussion with Jim Blackley, M emo Acevedo, Bob Becker, and at York University. After playing jazz for several years I becam e interested in the doumbec (m iddle-eastern drum) and Latin percussion.
Eventually I becam e disenchanted with the life-style o f a professional m usician and decided to return to college to study naturopathic medicine. W hile attending m edical school in Portland, Oregon, I organized jam sessions with other players o f Latin music. Once in practice in Canada I felt a lack of m usical outlets. Thus, I formed a rumba ensemble, teaching others the various com ponents o f the music.
To further my education I m ade several trips to Cuba to study with some of C ubas finest musicians, including members of Irakere, Roberto Vizcaino (Gonzaldo Rubalcaba), and subsequently Los M unequitos. In addition to teaching privately, I have conducted workshops on Afro-Cuban percussion for schools and colleges in Canada and the United States.
W riting The Bongo Book became a passion, at times an obsession. The most exciting aspect was the interaction with the great personalities of Jack Costanzo, Arm ando Peraza, Jose Mangual, and Candido Camero. These men are not only great drum mers, but truly wonderful human beings who offered their valuable tim e and recollections.
I hope that this guide will assist in developing the creative art of bongo drum m ing and enhance enjoym ent for all who play and listen. Further comm ents for future editions are invited.
Trevor Salloum Kelowna, B.C. 1996
3
ACKNOW LEDGM ENTS
PR EFA C E...........................2
3H IST O R Y .................................................................................................................... 5
ADVANTAGES ...................................................................................................... 5
D E S C R IP T IO N ........................... 6
P O S IT IO N .................................................................................................................. 7
C L A V E ......................................................................................................................... 8
STROKES ................................................................................................................ 10
M a n o teo ........................................................................................... 10
R H Y TH M S............................................................................................. 11
M a r ti l lo ........................................................................................... 11
M anoteo V aria tio n ........................................................................ 13
M artillo V ariations........................................................................... 14
B olero .............................................. 20
Bongo B e l l .........................................................................................20
Traditional/Non-Traditional R h y th m s ........................................20
F IL L S ............................................................................ 26
E X E R C ISE S..............................................................................................................34
Poly rh y th m s.......................................................................................38
O R N A M E N T A T IO N .................................. 39
M A IN TEN A N C E.......................................................................... 41
Head R ep lacem ent...........................................................................41
A C C E S S O R IE S .......................................................................................................43
IN T E R V IE W S ......................................................................................................... 44
Jack C ostanzo.................................................................................... 44
Armando P eraza ................................................................................48
Jose M a n g u a l.................................................................................... 51
Candido C a m e ro ............................................................................. 53
G L O S SA R Y ..............................................................................................................56
R E SO U R C E S............................................................................................................59
BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................. 61
IN D E X ....................................................................................................................... 624
Bongos, as we know them today, were first used in the Cuban music called the son (pronounced sone). The son evolved around 1900 from Oriente province in eastern Cuba. This early rural style included vocals, guitars (tres), bass (botija or marimbula), and percussion. Later the son migrated to the more urban centers and trumpet or cornet was added. By the 1920s the son had become the most popular dance craze in Havana and soon spread to the United States.
The son initially featured the bongos as the only drums. Some of the best recordings that exemplify this style are by the groups Sexteto Habanero, Sexteto Bolona and Septeto Nacional. Later the son montuno, guaracha, bolero, mambo, guajira, and other styles developed, often adding the conga drum and timbales in addition to the bongos.
As the music evolved so did the drums themselves. Initially bongo heads were tacked on to wood shells and tightened by the heat of the sun or over a flame. However, the natural skin heads presented tension problems with the change in humidity so that drummers were constantly needing to tune the drums. During the 1930-40s metal tuning rods were utilized to circumvent the inconvenience of heating the heads. The development of the original bongos to the present day has been preserved with an extensive collection of bongos in the National Museum of Music in Havana, Cuba.
Bongos are perhaps one of the most underrated instruments in modern music. The portability of bongos is one of their greatest attributes. Their compact size and light weight allows easy transport; they require almost no servicing and they are very durable. Other than replacing heads occasionally, most parts last for years.
Moreover, bongos are adaptable to many styles of music and have been incorporated in Latin, jazz, rock, folk, flamenco, and symphony. The greater pitch of the bongos also allows greater clarity when performing with other percussion instruments, and because of their virtuosity the bongosero in Latin music is given considerable license to improvise throughout the music, perhaps more than any other musician in the group.
The use of bongos'gained great popularity in the 40s and 50s with the advent of the beat generation: bongos were used as primary accompaniment to singers and poets like Kenneth Rexroth. The tonal qualities of the bongos blend well with the voice, as evident in Johnny Hartmans 1964 recording of Joey, Joey, Joey (The voice that is - GRP Records).
5
Bongo drums consist of two hollow, wooden (sometimes fiberglass) shells joined with a center piece (bridge). The shells are single headed and about 6 V2 in height. The smaller drum is called the macho (male) and the larger the hembra (female). The macho is about 7 in diameter and the hembra about 8 - 9" in diameter. The shells of the wooden bongos are usually made from oak, walnut, cedar, wild cherry or mahogany staves that are glued and clamped together. Some shells are constructed from one piece of wood and produce a deeper texture to the sound. In Cuba these drums are referred to as enterizo. The heads of the bongos are usually thinner than conga drums, thus providing a higher pitch and sensitivity. In general, more extensive finger work is utilized on bongos as compared to congas.
Traditionally, heads were made from mule, goat, and cowhide. Now other skins, including kangaroo, are also being used. In addition, used X-ray film is commonly used on the macho head because of its strength and high pitch when tightened. Generally the macho head is thinner than the hembra and usually tuned to a fourth or fifth above the hembra, although tuning is best determined by personal choice and the style of music. For example, in the early son music bongoseros would often tune the hembra very low to produce the moose call or glissando technique (see ORNAMENTATION p. 39). The macho is usually tightened very tight to produce a sharp rim shot.
Various companies manufacture excellent bongo drums in both beginner and professional models. Some popular makes include Latin Percussion, Afro, Toca, MOPERC, Gon Bop, JCR, Skin on Skin, and Juniors.
6
Bongos are traditionally played in a seated position with the drums held between the legs. Usually the macho is on the drum m ers left and the hembra is on the right.1 Both feet can be placed flat on the floor with the right oriented perpendicular to the left (see photo below). Alternatively, one foot can be slightly raised off the floor at the heel. This position may facilitate raising the macho slightly higher than the hembra.
Remember: comfort is the key. The body should be positioned with the back kept straight. W rists are placed close to the thighs. In some musical situations bongos may be placed on a stand to allow faster m ovem ent between various percussion settings.
BONGO POSITIONING
. Photo by T. Salloum 1995
W hen learning, try not to hold your breath since many problem s in muscle tension develop from incorrect breathing. Keep arms, shoulders, back, and neck relaxed.
1 This positioning may be reversed when playing the musical style known as changui.7
The clave is a rhythm that forms the foundation to m ost Afro-Cuban music. It is a point of reference for all instruments throughout the song. The specific clave pattern is constantly played or im plied throughout the music; it is usually played on an instrument known as claves: two hardw ood sticks which are held in a specific way to allow m axim um resonance.
There are two main forms of clave in A fro-Cuban music. Son clave is the oldest and most common. This is played in the m ajority o f Afro-Cuban music styles including son, cha-cha-cha, mambo, guaracha, guajira, etc. The other m ain clave is known as rumba clave. Although son clave was originally played in rumba (prior to 1950), the rumba clave is now the preferred clave by the rumberos (players o f rumba).1
SON CLAVEbombo
t m m *I I \ * --------------.1. T - . i ----------------' t------------------* ..........* ............
RUMBA CLAVEbombo
BE
The second note o f the clave is known as the bombo. This note is often accentuated by certain drummers in Afro-Cuban music. In Cuba, clave is usually written as a one-bar phrase; however in North A m erica most musicians write clave as a two-bar phrase:
SON CLAVE (Cuban Style)
x rS
RUM BA CLAVE
KJ ' ^M * m r m m
1 In writing the musical notation please note that I have used an unconventional methodology, but a very concise and logical approach. This method is used by instructors at the Escuela Nacional de Artes, Cubas premier musical institution. Although usually applied to congas, I have adapted this notation to the bongos.
8
Since the tw o-bar notation is more familiar to most North Am erican m usicians, this text will conform to the two-bar form at.2
The m elody of the music can begin on the first bar or the second bar of the clave pattern. W hen the m elody starts on the first bar, North American musicians refer to this as forward clave or 3-2. A lternately when the melody begins on the second bar, they refer to this as reverse clave or 2-3. Cuban m usicians typically do not use this terminology, but play the m elody the way they feel it best fits the clave.
Two other rhythm s that are common in Afro-Cuban music include the cascara and the 6/8 bell pattern. The cascara is a rhythm usually played with a stick on a shell o f a drum or a piece of bamboo called a gua gua. Usually the pattern is played with two hands.
CASCARA
5 ~3 q h m * 911 4R L R L R L R R L L
Note that the right hand is actually playing rumba clave while the left plays the remaining notes o f the cascara. The 6/8 bell pattern is a rhythm that is used in rumba Columbia, bembe, and other rhythms indigenous to West Africa. It is usually played on a hoe blade or cowbell:
BELL PATTERN
Clave 6/8
Note the relation o f the clave to the 6/8 bell in the above example. The clave represents the accented notes o f the bell pattern.
The three patterns: clave, cascara, and 6/8 bell can be utilized in bongo drum m ing to develop greater poly rhythms. The chapter on exercises will elaborate further on the topic of polyrhythms.
2 For a more complete discussion on clave, see Salsa Guide Book by Rebeca Mauleon or Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drum Set by Frank Malabe and Bob Weiner.
9
A variety of strokes are incorporated in bongo drumming. Although no standard notation exists, I have, as previously explained, utilized notation that is sim ilar to that which is used at the Escuela Nacional de Arte de Cuba.
1) Open - Usually played with the index finger, m iddle or first three digits simultaneously. Finger strikes the edge of the drum and rebounds off the head. Stroke is executed with the distal1 V3 to 2h of digit. Strokes placed closer to the edge of rim produce the higher pitch rim shot.
J 2) Muff - played by striking the head with the first three fingers and trapping the air between fingers and head without rebounding. Stroke is executed with the distal V2 o f digits while maintaining hand in the flat position.3) Slap - Closed: played by striking the edge o f the drum with
the cupped hand without rebounding (like grabbing the head of the drum). Open: played by striking the head with a
X cupped hand and allowing the fingers to rebound, but theheel remains in contact with the edge of the drum. Open and closed slaps can be used interchangeably.
4) Muted stroke - played by lightly pressing the left thumb and thenar eminence against the head while striking with the right index finger.
MANOTEO (heel toe movement)
J (i) Thumb Strike (heel) - played by striking simultaneously the left thumb and thenar eminence against the drum head. W hen playing the martillo, the thumb rem ains on the head until the next stroke is completed.(ii) Finger Strike (toe) - played by sweeping the palm of the
left hand across the drum head towards your right leg. This stroke is executed almost parallel to the axis o f the bongos by rotating the left wrist.
1 Throughout the text I have chosen to use anatomical names of reference (e.g. distal, proximal, thenar eminence). Although these words may not be familiar to most readers, they are very specific terms which should clarify the correct position being discussed. Please refer to the glossary for further definitions. y 10
Perhaps the m ost important rhythm on the bongos is the martillo (meaning hammer). The martillo functions much like the ride cymbal in jazz drum ming or the tumbao o f the congas. It creates a groove upon which im provisation can be explored. The martillo also complements the conga pattern by reinforcing the left hand of the conguero (conga drum mer). The martillo is a rhythm pattern that can be used in many styles of music and is not confined to Latin music. The rhythmical feel o f the tune will dictate whether the martillo is appropriate. (See HAND POSITIONSp. 12.)
MARTILLO1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
II 4 - * 1R L R L R L R L
J l R finger strike L thumb press machoJ + L finger strike machoJB 2 R finger strike macho
+ L thumb strike macho
J 3 R finger strike L thumb press machoJ + L finger strike machoJ 4 R finger strike hembra%J + L thumb strike macho
11
Hand Positions for Martillo
Position No. 1 - Muted stroke Beat 1
Position No. 3 - (^ fin g er strike
Position No. 5 - M uted stroke Beat 3
Position No. 7 - (R) fin ger strike on hembra Beat 4
Photos by AlSalloum 1995
Position No. 2 - (L) Finger Strike Beat 1 +
Position No. 4 - (Q Thumb Strike Beat 2+
Position No. 8 - (QThumb Strike Beat 412
Position No. 6 - (fifiFinger Strike Beat 3+
The Manoteo VariationW hen playing the manoteo, two main styles can be employed. An alternative to the basic
pattern (see M ANOTEO p. 10) is to emphasize the fingers instead of the wrist. This m ethod accentuates the upbeats o f one and three, as in the following example.
---------ybII 4 * - 1
R L R L R L R L
Finger strike (toe) variation: manoteoInstead of rotating the left wrist, flex and extend the fingers with slight extension of the
wrist. W hen executing this m ovement, the fingers strike the distal side o f the head, moving across the head towards the proximal edge of the drum. This stroke finishes a few inches off the proximal edge o f the drum. This movement is perpendicular to the axis o f the bongos whereas the previous m ethod moves parallel to the axis.
Manoteo:Basic
Hembra
Axis
Variation
Axis
13
MARTILLO VARIATIONS
SON CLAVE
.. i a a i m 7 ah i JII
BASIC/
i s ft ~ x m & 't G 't & 't (X 511 K if t _______ ____ m 1
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
VARIATIONSl>4 - - =-(I I k ~
i a iR L R L R L R ( C ) L R L R L R L
2 4 'b > -- II g .. . # # . #
R L R L R L R R L R L R L R L
3 iJ , 1 I fir 't x # & 't x * 4 m " 53 T 09 #5 I4 . I# . . . tf
R L R L R L R ( L ) R L R L R L R L
T - a a -t a
ac- J st *
R ( L ) R L R L R ( E ) R L R L R L R L
Note: (R) or (L) indicates rim shot
The martillo can be played with the rim shot on the 4+ in the 3 or 2 bar o f the clave. The bongosero will interpret the phrasing of the music and place accents and variations where most appropriate w ithin the context o f the music.
W hen playing the martillo a m uted stroke is usually preceded by a left thumb strike. W hen a muted stroke is not preceded by a thumb strike, the bongosero can either interpret the muted stroke as a rest or quickly place the left thumb against the macho before executing the muted stroke.
14
MARTILLO VARIATIONSOn Upbeat of Three (3+)
7
9
IIR L R L R L R L
q -
M A R TILLO V A R IA T IO N
On Downbeat of Three (3)
16
M A RTILLO V A R IA T IO N S
On Downbeat of Three (3)
rMARTILLO VARIATIONSOn Downbeat of Three (3)
18
MARTILLO VARIATIONSOn Upbeat of Two (2)
II
F r fR
BER
mR
be
II \R
7BE
R
IIR
IIR
10II
n_f t
S t
R L R R R R R L
S t
R R R R
R R R R
iR R R
m *R L R L R L R L
s t
R R R
st m
R R R
i s=zi
R R~ R
R R R R
Z8L IS
R L R R R R R L
st
R L R R R R L R
13ft
R
14BE
R
15
16
5 = 1
17
IE
18ft
19_II
20_
BE
21BE
22f t
23_
ft
JS.
R
s t
L R R R
R L L R R L
s t
R L R L R R L L
R L R L R L R
szren eiz*R L R L R L R L R
R L R R L R L
* *
R L R R L R L3 3
0 S t
R L R L R L L R L L R L> 3 > 3
* J
R L R L R L R L R L R L3
m 0
R L R L L R L R L3 3
0~ 0 SBR L L R L(R ) L R L(R) L
1
0 0
THE BOLEROProbably the slowest style o f Latin music is the bolero. It is sim ilar in tem po to ballads in
jazz. In the bolero the bongosero can utilize the martillo or play com m on variations as outlined below. This first variation adds the left-hand fingers utilizing the 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd digits and striking consecutively.
i iR
J 7 T . (3
R R
The second variation incorporates a rhythm similar to the rhumba. Please note this is not the Cuban rumba, but refers to the music/dance craze that was popular in the United States in the 1950s.
ii IR R L R
BONGO BELLAs noted previously, many musical styles
traditionally utilize the bongo drums. These styles include son, son montuno, guajira, guaracha, mambo, bolero, and salsa. In these styles the bongosero plays the martillo, variations, and fills. During the montuno section (call and response) or sections of greater volume, the bongosero will often put down the bongos and play the cowbell (also known as campana and cencerro), playing one of two primary patterns.
Bongo Bell - Pattern 1
R R
C - closed end or edge of cowbell
O - open
tnJ f j1 J (V |J [ J1
(3-2) Bongo Bell - Pattern 2
| | y e X X . --------- r ------ r -X X X 1 4 o x *
1 = 1 1X
------------- *---------- !-------- 1 1
Traditional / Non-Traditional RhythmsIn many other styles of music, the bongos have been adapted although not traditionally
used. Some examples of these include rumba, danzon, songo, 6 / 8 (Cuba), plena, bomba (Puerto Rico), merengue (Dominican Republic), bossa nova, samba (Brazil), rock, and jazz. In the following exam ples the rhythms for the bongos can be used when the bongosero is the only percussion instrum ent or to complem ent other percussion instruments in the group. These rhythms may also be used as exercises to improve dexterity and provide further ideas for soloing.
20
JAZZW hen playing jazz rhythms on the bongos the eighth notes although written as even ( J J )
are actually played with a triplet feel ( J T 3 )
This is sim ilar to drum -set notation in jazz. The following variations can be utilized when
playing jazz. Also, try to create your own variations using combinations o f these examples.
L L R
2tf q
L L R
L L R
ii % s t
L L R
6 H & M ti
7M fe~
9 | | f a x t '
\----- ---------57----- mJ----. 4 ---------f ----- *L R R
= , m
L R R
w 1r ' * 'fc 7 *
m~ . 4------L R R
L R
W 1 ft -fc * ML L R R L R
L L R R L R R
L L R R L R R
d d d d
L L R R L R R
d d
L L R R L R L
21
ROCK> >
r0000000!i II * - ~":"6c * 'i V . II 7 sI 4 . . - - * iR L R L R R R L R L
i i \ r ma -a - -d
R L R L R L R L R L
HEE|eR L R L R R L R L
4 H fE> > > j
R L R L L L R L
BRAZILIAN
Bossa Nova> > > >
WL j i * m ds * 4 fa w m X M ft * 4 m 1* i L IA 4 h 1
R L L R L L R L L L R L L R L L
Samba> > >
Jt .5- .. m
R L R L R L R L
22
AFRO-CUBANAFRO
L -m ------ i
R L (g) R L L (R)
DANZON
ma - B
R R L L R R R
MOZAMBIQUEK n--4-5 h -*
T 7 / iR L R L R L R L R L R L R
SONGOn n nr *
II r ---------- - * - 4
iL L R R L R R L R L R L R R
>K1 v 1. -| | f - . .. ^ M --- m m s
R L R R L R L R R L L R L
23
PACAThe pa ca is a Creole rhythm that has been popularized by Changuito, form erly of Los Van
Van, and Anga, o f Irakere. Although there are specific bongo patterns to this rhythm, when the conga drum is absent the bongosero can play the conga pattern on the bongos.
PA CA - Clave
In t
Bongos
___________ __________ S m -7 ^ 7 ^ . m x :ii
R L R L R
-J-R L R L R R L R R L R
W hen playing the conga pattern a stick is held in the left hand and strikes the shell o f the drum. Occasionally the drum m er will strike the drum head with the stick when improvising on the rhythm. The right hand plays on the drums as indicated.
PA CA: Conga adaptation to Bongos
n j , n * 4 4 Shelli 1nr m acho I*-------------------------------------- j ) hem hra 1
Variation:
H %j l n
-H -H 0a i
j - LH stroke with stick, all other strokes RH
24
PUERTO RICO
Bomba
*
R R L L R R L L R L R
Plena
atR L R L R L L R
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Merengue
T i " ~ 4 ----- * - . iSI r . .. R R L R L R L R L R L
COLOMBIA
Cumbia
II I m ma n tL (R) R L L R R L R L
MARTINIQUE
(1) Beguine
_ . r l
f l - r -
R R L R L R L R L
Fills on the bongos can be used at the discretion o f the bongosero.They should be tasteful, not over played, and always congruent with the clave. Fills can be created from listening to rhythmic phrasing of the other instruments in the band, vocalists, or the rhythm o f the melody.
W hen practicing fills, initially play the fill alone. Then practice playing in four-bar phrases to develop fluidity in m oving to and from martillo to fills. For example, when playing a one-bar fill, play three bars of martillo and one bar o f fill. For two-bar fills play two bars o f martillo and two bars o f fill. This transition should occur while m aintaining the correct pulse and clave. Once you have mastered the martillo with fills, try com bining various fills together to create a solo.
In solos the bongosero is given considerable liberty to create. Solos are m ade interesting by starting with simple patterns, then increasing their complexity. Also, melodic pattern and conversation betw een two drums will enhance the solo. The bongosero functions sim ilar to the quinto (solo drum) in rumba, playing a variety o f tones to create color and texture to the music.
One-Bar Fillsl iTl- #--- * ---------- -----r ?---------in J J -
R R L R R3 3
11 1^ i ' d d d d d d d d d d d ~ uR L R L R L R L R L R L
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R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
4A ^ ------n------------------i , --------- -my i 7--------------------- -------------------j ----------- ^
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i
L R L
R R R L R 0
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R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
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R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
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II % d - - ----------------- "1R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
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R L R L R R R
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R L R L R L R L
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L R L L R R
15
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19
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R L R3
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21
I HiR R L R R L
22
i m m m * * m m R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
n * - - - - .............
R R R
27
One-Bar Fills1 *11 4 *' if) " 1 i a a . 11 4 S'a / i# - / . ' .
2
r " R L F I* R L R
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5
L R L R L3
R L R L R L
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Two-Bar Fills
n i l n i i ^4 J J- ~a*~ J-----L R R R L R R R L R R R
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10b e 7 Q i i j i
9 e l _g!L R R L R R L R L R L R R L R
29
Fills Derived From Bata Rhythms
__________KI I | V *
Inle
1
Fills Derived From Bata Rhythms
8
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R L R LR
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Osun
L R L L L R L R L L
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Yewa
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Orulai i 4 a 4 - -------E-
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31
Fills Derived From Bata RhythmsOddudua
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L L L L L L R L R R R R
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L L L L L L L R R R R R
Shango
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Ibbaloque
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32
BONGO SOLO
(2-3)I 3 -
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R L R R L R R L R L R L R L
- 3 -----1 i-----3 ----- 1 i-----3 ----- 1 ,-----3 ----- 1 i-----3 ----- 1
L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R
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R R L R R L R R L R R L R
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33
Exercises will help warm up muscles o f the arms and hands before playing and assist in developing greater speed, strength, and dexterity. Try to spend at least five minutes practicing any of these exercises before playing bongo rhythms or fills. Frequent practice over shorter periods is more beneficial than infrequent practice for longer periods.
The use of a metronome while practicing will help establish steady time. Practice each pattern slowly at first then gradually increase the tem pos at higher settings on the metronome. M ost o f these exercises can be practiced on the macho, the hembra, or by breaking up the pattern between the two drums.
Single stroke roll
mi i j w m
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
Double stroke roll
1 mR R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L
Triplets
II ....................................... ~ ~ ~ \R L R L R L R L R L R L
34
Flams
iniR^ L R L
Paradiddle> >
a a a a--- a a - ' '
R L R R L R L L
Flam combinations:Triplets 3 3 3 3
---P-m ---H t *R L R L R L R L R L R L
Sixteenth
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
Paradiddle (flamadiddle)> >
11 | ^R L R R L R L L
Sixteen note triplet combinations: Basic3 3 3 3 3_________ 3 3_________ 3
4 1 $6 & ~5C 'M & oc M & 6C M 0 06 m 0 frt m 0 00It / ' ..................
^ ................... ..R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L
r L R R L R R L R R L R R L R R L R R L R R L R R
35
Sixteenth3
in fR L L R L R L L R L R L L R L R L L R L
Gapped triplet3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
d d d Zj d d d d d ^ d d ^ ^ d ^ d d & L d &
R L L R L R L L R L R L L R L R L L R L
Eighth note roll3 3 3 3
R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R
Eighth note to sixteenth note triplet with accents: Son clave
> > > >
BE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
H J J J J J JR L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
Rumba clave> > > > >
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
11R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
36
Cascara> > > > > > > > > >
H A. M. m -im_MI I * _jg_-
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
Manoteo with accents: Son clave
> __ 3_________ 3 3 > 3 3_________ 3___ > 3_________ 3
* X A ft X A ft X A ft1 A ft X A ft X A ft A ft x* I K4 . _____ ____ - -
R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L
3 3___ > 3_________ 3___ > 3_________ 3___ 3_________ 3
n NI I 1 ft 3 3_________ 3___ 3 > 3
J'IT 4 i ft X # ft X ft X ft X A ft X ft X 4 ft X 4 ft (X
4R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L
3_________ 3___ > 3_________ 3 > 3_________ 3___ 3_________ 3 =
II f ft X J ft X A Mft M & m af t X A ft X A ft X 4 ft XIIR L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L
Cascara> 3_________ 3 > 3 > 3 3 > 3 3 > 3
ri Jii 4 i & X A ft X J ft X J ft X 4 ft X 4 ft X 4 ft X A ft Xi i r ____ __________ ____4 . -.... - _______ ___
R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L
> 3_________ 3__ > 3_________ 3___ > 3 > 3 3 > 3
II X J ft X 4 ft X 4 ft X J ft X A ft X 4 ft X ft XII .......... ..R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L L
37
POLYRHYTHMSPractice playing one hand (A) on the macho with the other hand (B) on the hembra, then
switch.
A B
1 son clave pulse*
2 rumba clave pulse
3 cascara pulse
4 cascara son clave
5 cascara rumba clave
6 6/8 bell pulse (2)
7 6/8 bell quarter (4)
8 6/8 bell eighth (8)
9 manoteo (quarter) cascara
10 manoteo (eighth) cascara
11 manoteo (sixteenth) cascara
12 manoteo (quarter note triplets) cascara
* As an alternate exercise try replacing upbeats for the pulse.
For further exercises see Stick Control fo r the Snare Drummer by George Lawrence Stone. This text can be easily applied to the bongos to build coordination, endurance, and strength. As well, m any other texts written for drum set can be applied to the bongos. Substitute the bass drum line for the hembra and snare for the macho. This practice will increase your repertoire of ideas and facilitate greater creativity.
38
Several form s o f ornam entation, such as the moose call, are used with the bongo drum s m uch like the conga drums. These sounds provide a variety of tones to add color to the music. The moose call was developed with the advent of the son, although this technique may be traced to other styles o f African drum ming. The bongosero slides a wetted middle finger, supported by the thumb of the same hand, across a slackened hembra head. The friction o f rubbing against the head produces a sound sim ilar to a moose call, hence its name. Some refer to this technique as the glissando.
POSITION FOR MOOSE CALL
Photo by A1 Salloum 1995
Another popular sound is achieved by pressing and m oving the left thumb and heel of the hand from the distal edge of the drum to the center, while striking the proxim al edge o f the drum with the right index finger. A similar technique is used with the elbow in conga drumming. This technique produces an ascending pitch or descending pitch, if done in reverse, and can be executed on either the hembra or macho.
PITCH TECHNIQUE
Photo by A1 Salloum 1995
One technique described by Humberto Morales in his text, Latin-American Rhythm Instruction, involves playing the bongo bell pattern on the shells o f the bongos. The bongos are held upright on the knee, while striking the shells with a stick: the small shell plays the closed tone of the bell, while the hembra shell simulates the open tone o f the cow bell. Although this technique is rarely used, it demonstrates the variety of application and the unlim ited potential for creating sounds on the bongos.
BELL PATTERN ON BONGOS
Photo by A1 Salloum 1995
Instead o f striking the bongos with the hands, occasionally, sticks are used. This technique can be em ployed for greater volume, especially when a more non-traditional approach is desired, i.e. in a rock setting or when the bongos are on stands. Sticks can also be used in sim ulating other percussion patterns where a stick is commonly utilized (e.g. merengue, p a ca).
In Cuba m any bongoseros will play a maraca and/or cowbell with their right hand while playing the bongos with their left. This is especially useful when extra percussionists are not available. The bongosero will often place the cowbell on a chair with a towel that limits m ovement and dam pens the sound. Sometimes the cowbell is hit with a beater or a maraca.
MARACA/BELL TECHNIQUE
Photo by A1 Salloum 1995
As m entioned previously, the bongo requires very little care and m aintenance. As w ith any wooden instrument, try to avoid exposing bongos to rapid change in temperature. W hen m oving from a cold to a heated environment allow time for the drums to adjust to the temperature change before playing. Rapid contraction and expansion of the wood may cause cracking betw een the wood staves. Occasional application of lug lubricant can prevent rust and facilitate easier adjusting of tension screws. Heads can be kept clean w ith a m oist cloth.
The heads should always be loosened with a wrench when one is finished playing. This will preserve the life o f the heads and prevent over stretching. The macho heads will require replacement more often than most hand drum s because o f their extremely high tension. The head can be replaced easily or a m ounted head can usually be purchased from a music store.
HEAD REPLACEMENTTo change bongo heads you will need a few tools: long nose pliers,
sharp knife, scissors, replacem ent skin with diameter o f at least 4" greater than the shell, and skin wire about V16" larger than the outside diam eter o f the crown.
BONGOS
1) Separate macho and hembra at the bridge to perm it easier rotation o f the shell during head replacement.
2) Soak the new skin in lukew arm water until pliable; usually this will take about 1-2 hours for a thin head ( 1/ 32"-1/ i6n)
41
3) Place skin over top of the shell. Determine the top side o f the skin by lightly scraping your fingernail on skin. If it leaves a mark, this is the bottom of the skin. The top is more shiny and resistant to marking.
4) The next procedure is perhaps the most challenging. First place the skin wire on top of the skin, then gather the skin edges towards the center, placing the crown on top.
5) Attach the lugs to the nuts very loosely to allow movement o f the skin.
6 ) Carefully pull the skin with pliers around the skin wire and under the crown, to rest between crown and shell o f drum. The edges need to be pulled taut and uniformly around the circumference to rem ove wrinkles. A curved appearance to the underside o f the skin is normal.
7) Once all the skin is pulled through, the lugs can be tightened ju st enough to bring the top of the crown about 1" from top of the head or about 1/4" above the desired playing position. As the head dries it will contract slightly.
8 ) The next step is trim m ing the excess skin. Caution should be exercised to avoid cutting the new head while trimming. Use the top o f the crown as a guide. I usually trim with scissors or knife in one hand and pliers holding the skin in the other hand. Placing a flat piece of stiff cardboard betw een the cutting tool and the skin will help protect against nicking the new head.
9) Once m ounted, the head is left to dry. This usually takes 1-2 days but will depend on hum idity, thickness o f the skin, etc. M ake sure it is completely dry before tightening. Tighten clockwise, gradually, m aking sure the crown is parallel to the top o f the shell. Use the same num ber o f turns per screw to allow even tension. It is safer to wait for a few days of playing before tightening the head fully. Remember to slacken off tension o f the screws after playing. This preserves the life and quality of the head.
42
Some bongo accessories that are useful include salve, finger tape, case, 1/2" wrench and pouch, extra skins, lug lube, m etronome, drum machine and recordings o f great bongoseros (see RESOURCES p.59).
Calendula salve is one of the most natural and beneficial substances for the skin o f the hands. It acts as a lubricant, prevents cracking and enhances healing. It is available at most health food stores or pharmacies.
Sometimes tape m ay be necessary when playing for long periods or when hands have becom e too dry. Standard 1 V2 cm waterproof adhesive tape works well and is available at most pharmacies.
Bongo cases help protect the drums and facilitate carrying of drums and accessories. Special cases are available from the major drum com panies or other suitable canvas cases are available from army surplus stores that can be adapted for use.
Most bongos use V2 " bolts with corresponding tension screws. For convenience a leather pouch can easily be constructed from a few pieces of leather and lace to hold a V2" wrench. This can be tied to the bongos and allows easy access when playing or transporting.
LEATHER POUCH FOR WRENCH
Photo by T. Salloum 1995
Try to have a couple of extra skins for the macho which breaks more frequently. Skins are available from most drum stores or leather shops.
A metronome is a valuable tool to develop steady time for any m usician. Moreover, a drum machine can be program m ed to play clave or other percussion pattern. Practicing with a drum machine can allow you to hear how the martillo or variation fits with the other percussion instruments.
JA C K C O STA N ZOInterview
M arch 5 and 26, 1995
T.S. W here w ere you born and when?
J.C. Y ou ll never get w hen, but w here y o u re w elco m e to (laughs) -Chicago, Illinois (north side).
T .S. W ho were your parents?
J.C. Martin C ostanzo, V irginia Jean Sances.
T .S. W hy did you ch oose the bongos?
J.C. I w as a dancer before I w as a bongo drummer. Marda, one o f my w ives, w as m y dancing partner; then she w as a singer in m y first band. Later she changed her nam e to Marda Saxon as a stage name. W e used bongos in our act.
T .S. Y o u re Italian, right?
J.C. Right, originally from C hicago. M y fam ily is from S icily .
T .S. Can you talk a little about som e o f your early influences regarding bongos?
J.C. There w ere none around C hicago.
T .S. There were no contemporaries?
J.C. N o , I w as fortunate to be the first one to get som e exposure w hen I w as in Stan K entons band in 47. Thats w hen w e introduced bongos into jazz.
T.S. So you grew up in Chicago.
J.C. W ell, I left C hicago very early. W hen I m et m y w ife-to -b e and w e becam e aprofessional dance team and w e toured all over the m id-w est. So I left C hicago when I w as 15 or 16 years old.
T .S. W here did you go from there?
J.C. After touring for a year or tw o w e w ent to N ew York...
T .S . W hat kinds o f drums do you prefer?
J.C. Eventually I becam e a very w ell-know n m usician and I endorsed a pair o fbongos call C ostanzo b ongos w ith a com pany called V alje. T hats all I use. I w as in at the beginning o f that com pany. Eventually I w ithdrew from that endorsem ent.
T .S. D o you have a preference for any type o f skins?
J.C. A m ule skin when I can get it. T hey call them kip gut.
T .S. D o you have any idea when the first tunable bongos cam e on the scene?
Jack Costanzo, 1959, from the Leant to Play Bongo LP.
J.C. The first pair I ever saw I bought from som eone in 1946, but I think I sold them , because I was still heating them in 1947 w ith Kenton and when I was with N at K ing C ole in 4 9 and 50.
T.S. W hen w ere you w ith Nat C ole?
J.C. I w as w ith Nat C ole for alm ost five years from the end o f 1949.
T.S. H ow did that work out, adapting the martillo with the sw ing style o f jazz?
J.C. The problem w as that you played eighth noteswithout adjusting som e o f the feelings. Y ou were playing eighth notes against a guy playing jazz, playing a dotted eighth and a sixteenth on the hi-hat and it w as a terrible contrast, friction. W hen the bongos finally did b ecom e used a lot in jazz, drummers and bass players w ere going crazy over the Latin guys playing eighth notes.
T.S. D id you have congas, too?
J.C. W ith N at C ole I p layed m ostly conga drums. Iplayed bongo w ith Nat on a lot o f records like Go B on go . E ighty percent o f the tim e I played conga drums w ith Nat. It w as used m ore as a sw ing instrument because w e didnt use a regular drummer.
T.S. Can you recom m end a specific album that w ould best exem plify your style w ith Nat?
J.C. There is a title o f an album that I m on called The Best of the Nat King Cole Trio (Capital). On it is asong called B op K ick. It is a good exam ple o f m y style at that tim e, but through the years I ve changed com pletely . I ve learned an aw ful lot. N o w I play better Latin than I did.
T.S. Can you g iv e m e an exam ple o f how your style has changed?
J.C. The style o f p laying rhythm hasnt changed. M y tim e is the same. The broken rhythm parts o f Latinplaying - I ve been able to do more w ith that than I did. W ith Kenton and Nat C ole I cou ldnt do that as w ell. I did so lo s but th eyre not the sam e kind o f so los I w ould do now .
T.S. W ere these good experiences - playing w ith Kenton and C ole?
J.C. Fantastic! B efore that I had just worked with Latin bands. The L ecuona Cuban B oys, R ene Touzet,B obby R am os. That w as from the beginning o f 1946.
T.S. I understand you played w ith Frank Sinatra?
J.C. I recorded w ith Sinatra and I w as on his TV show s. I did a recording w ith Sinatra called I m gonna livetill I d ie . Y ou have probably heard o f it. It was a single.
T.S. W ere there other peop le you played with?
J.C. Sure, y o u ll recogn ize a lot o f them. A fter N at C ole I worked w ith P eggy Lee. Then I w orked with afrantic entertainer w h ose name w as Frances Faye.
T.S. I heard an album o f hers that you played on.
J.C. W as that called Caught in the Act. Thats the one you should hear. Its on Cresendo or GNP. Its thesam e ow ner. T hats a record I w as really pleased with.
Jack Costanzo with the Nat King Cole trio in 1949.
45
T.S. I understand that you worked w ith Armando Peraza or Jose M angual.
J.C. I p layed w ith them , but didnt work with them. Armando and I are very good friends. W hen I was withKenton, w e recorded a song called Peanut Vendor which becam e very big. W e used part o f M achitos rhythm section on this record. Jose M angual was on cow bell, M achito played maracas, Carlos Vidal played con ga drums, and I was laying down bongos. Armando and I have never p layed in the sam e group, but I rem em ber having a fabulous jam session w ith just he and I in San Francisco when I was w ith N at C ole. In fact I still remem ber - 1 had such a ball! H es a m arvellous player! Arm ando, besides being a great conga drummer, is a great bongo player. You should talk to Armando and M anny O quendo. H es a typical m arvellous bongo player o f the last decade or so. Y ou should know that M ongo Santamaria plays great bongos. One o f the best that w as ever around died som e years back and he worked w ith Paul Anka for eight to nine years. H is name was Chino P ozo. Chino w as a great bongo drummer. I rem em ber w hen I w as in Cuba there w as a bongo player named Ram oncito. I w ent to Cuba in 51, 53, and 55.
T.S. I heard you w ere initiated into the Nanigo.
J.C. N o, thats not true. I w as at a cult get-together with batas being played and they put the cross on myforehead. I never becam e a m em ber o f Nanigo. Ive played som e o f the Santo m usic. Ive recorded things in 6/8 like Lu cu mi and Nanigo style. They all cam e from Africa.
T.S. One article I read felt the bongos w ere derived from the bata. D o you think there is any correspondencebetw een the bata and the bongo?
J.C. I hadnt thought about it until I saw a library book w hich I dont remember, but it w as an African culturebook w ith a background in instruments and I saw a picture o f very crude bongos. Y ou look at those drums and say, M y G od, I w ould love to hit them .
T.S. C ould I ask you a question about the m oose call or glissando techniques used on the he mb ra ? Theslide technique used on the early son recordings.
J.C. That cam e from Haiti, I b elieve. Its easy to do on their drums because they have p igskin w hich is roughand you get the traction. Its more com m on on congas than bongos. W here the surface is slippery its difficult.
T .S. Can I ask you about your recordings with C rescendo/G N P records?
J.C. I put out tw o albums. One w ith each label. I put out one called Mr. Bongo. That w as 1956. Its a prettygood album , too. Im quite sure its G NP. The other one w as Viva Tirado (1971) and thats on Crescendo. V iva Tirado is a song that w as made popular by a group called El C hicano.
T.S. There is one called B o n g o Fever, also.
J.C. Thats m ine on Liberty label. I did about six albums for Liberty. I w as in a contract w ith that com pany.B o n g o Fever w as done live at the fam ous Garden o f A llah in Los A n geles, a club popular even in the days o f R udolph V alentino. T hey had little bungalow s in the back. In the front there w as a hang-out for m ovie stars, hookers, and the general public. There w as a long bar and a seating area and dow n som e steps to a round dance floor. Thats where w e worked. T hey rejuvenated it and instituted m usic again. That w as around 1958-59. That w as one o f m y m ost fam ous engagem ents in L .A . I loved it!
T .S. W hat about a recording you did called Dancing on the Sunset Strip?
J.C. G oodness, what album is that? Is that w ith Tony Martinez?
T.S. I d on t know , a friend just told m e that you played on this album.
J.C. T h ey ve been putting out com pilations albums. There have been three or four w ith son gs o f m ine onthem . I f p eop le dont tell m e about them I dont know th eyre out. I dont rem em ber any album called Dancing on the Sunset Strip, that I have in m y m em ory now. There are several album s o f m ine that thecom pany w ent out o f business and masters w ere sold to other com panies. H ave you ever heard o f Tops?
46
I made the original w ith them called Mr. B o n g o Cha-Cha-Cha. S ince then three other com panies have released it through the years - one on Clarion.
T.S.
J.C.
In 1994 som e guy in Spain cam e out w ith that album on CD. That album has been released three or four tim es w ith different com panies. That may be the reason for that title, Dancing on the Sunset Strip. N one o f m y original records w ere named that. [ed. note - w e later discovered it was an album with Tony Martinez on G N P as Jack h a d originally thought]
H ow old w ere you w hen you started playing bongos, Jack?
Six!
T.S. S ix years old?
J.C. N o, Im kidding [laughs]. I w as a dancer and w as going to a ballroom in C hicago called Mary GardenB allroom ...around 1938. It had tw o ballroom s, one was an annex. The regular ballroom w as where everyone danced straight dancing. The annex is where all the people w ho wanted to do Y olanda and V elez sty le danced. T hey allow ed you to dance any w ay you wanted to, open dancing, h igh lifts and the w hole bit. T he ow ner o f the dance hall, Mr. R ice, imported a Puerto Rican band to play in the annex for about tw o w eek s and that w as the first tim e any o f us ever heard Latin m usic in the flesh. It w as a band called M ario D um ont. In that band was a guy playing drums called Sapito; it m eans little frog. H e was a hunch back. On one o f the numbers he cam e out on the floor and p layed bongos. M y eyes w ent out o f my head. I w as about 1 3 - 1 4 years old.
T.S. I w ould like to ask you about your future projects.
J.C. I recorded tw o records o f m ainstream dance things that Im very enthused about. I think th eyre verygood and have a chart potential. O ne is called Conguero w hich is an original that I wrote. The other is a record that w as originally recorded by Joe Cuba. Joe Cubas Push. Push. Push. I m ade a modern arrangement o f it. Its kind o f a cooking record. N ow Im trying to get a com pany to take it over and release it.
T.S. H ow w ould you sum m arize the role o f the bongosero in the group? First in the Afro-Cuban group, then in jazz.
J.C. The b ongos have alw ays been the salt and pepper o f the rhythm section, as far as I w as concerned. Theyadded the sp ice and the little accents and things. W ere talking Latin m usic now . In the old days (4 0 s) bongos w ere p layed m uch differently than they are played now (in Latin bands). In those days there were less offbeat rhythms. In the old days they hinged more on the martillo throughout, then accents with the martillo itse lf and alw ays back to the martillo. Today thats changed. Y ou d ont hear very much martillo and the sound is even flatter. In the old days the bongos had m ore o f a m elod ic sound. There was a tonal quality to it. N o w they are getting a real flat sound that I d ont like as w ell...
T.S. What about w ith jazz?
J.C. With jazz y o u ve got to be m ore cautious. Y ou cant be as adventuresom e. ... you can t get away with too many offbeats in an established jazz rhythm. If you build a w all betw een what y o u re doing and what the drummer and bass player is doing then y o u re not helping, y o u re not enhancing the rhythm at all...if you are playing the martillo w hich y o u re doing m ostly in jazz (I can t v isua lize anything else). Unless y o u re doing a free form thing which Ive done. If y o u re going to play straight be-bop jazz or straight tim e, there is very little room or reason to do many offbeats. O therw ise, y o u re going to get in the way o f the drummer w h o s going to be hitting different things w ith the bass drum. H es going to be the main person in jazz, not the bongos. I have alw ays m ade the point w hen playing straight jazz to play very little offbeat things. Sure an accent here and there - otherw ise theres no point in your being there. Y oud be surprised how [by] playing the straight martillo in jazz you can cook a rhythm section. U nless you realize w hen y o u re playing that y o u re adjusting what are eighth notes into a feeling o f jazz, people dont know it; they think y o u re still playing eighth notes, because th ey re hearing eight beats. There is a feeling thats go ing on that you know y o u re doing to jazz. Other than the straight dicky .. dicky., d icky-
47
docky.. so you can fit into w hats happening. Thats a feeling. If you d ont get that, y o u re hurting the rhythm section. ...This must be m y literary year [laughs], A book cam e out w ith M arlon Brando that Im in, in a few spots. I used to play a lot w ith Marlon many years ago. W e used to jam quite a bit.
T.S. W hat does he play?
J.C. M arlon is a con ga player, he loves congas. H e was addicted to them in those days. W e used to take themon the set and play in the dressing room betw een takes on Guys a n d Dolls. I did som e o f the sound takes. ...H e w ou ldn t go anywhere w ithout his drums. H e used to call m e from Europe. Send m e som e sk ins. H e w as a fanatic! A lso , he played w ell for a non- professional.
A R M A N D O PERAZAInterview
M arch 11, 1995
T.S. W hen w ere you bom ?
A.P. I w as born M ay 31 ,1 9 2 4 in Havana, Cuba, man. (One city calledLawton Batista, a suburb o f Havana)
T.S. W ho w ere your parents?
A.P. M y father w as an architect; he built that city called Lawton. Hisnam e w as Jose Peraza and m y mother w as Francisca.
T.S. D o you have any children?
A.P. Y es, I have one daughter.
T .S. Is it true that you are a cousin to M ongo Santamaria?
A.P. N o , no, no, M ongo is a friend. W hen I started m y career, M ongo,he had already been playing. M ongo w as one o f m y favorites. I w as a dancer and I used to go to all these places called the academ y, w atching M ongo play. I never expected to be a bongo player; m y thing was athletics. I w as a runner and I w as a good baseball player. I w ould hang around and they w ould ask m e to play. One w as Conjunto Los D andies (C hino P o zo s Conjunto) where M ongo w as the bongo player. Conjunto Kubavana w as where I really established m y se lf around 1 9 4 4 -4 7 .1 used to go and play for the cabarets.
T.S. W hen did you com e to the U .S .?
A.P. I cam e to the U .S . in 1 9 4 9 .1 w ent to see M ongo in M exico , because he w as sick. Then w e jo ined agroup called The Cuban Diam ond and w e went to N ew York. W e played in a place called the Latin Theatre. It w as located at M adison A venue and 125th Street at that time. W e did a te lev ision show with M ilton B erle at the W aldorf-Astoria. Then w e played at one club called H avana Madrid. T he owner was the manager: a boxer named Kid Gavilan. H e w as the cham pion o f the world. W hen I arrived in N ewYork I w ent to the Palladium with M achitos band. That night... M achito let m e sit in and play. CharlieParker w as there. That w as 1949. M achito had a record date. The drummer w as Buddy R ich with Charlie Parker and Flip Phillips. The arranger w as C hico O Farrill. W e recorded that album w hich was very su ccessfu l. It w as eventually a Latin/Jazz album. The name o f the album, I forget it. [ed. note - probably Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite] I dont know if m y name is there. A s a matter o f fact in that session there w as Jose M angual, too. I think also there was Louis Miranda. I p layed b ongos and congas. In that year, 1 9 4 7 ,1 p layed w ith D izzy G illesp ie at the B lue N ote in Chicago. I sat in w ith D izzy , but I decided to go w ith S lim Gaillard not w ith D izzy . That was 1949 or 1950.
T.S. W here did you go from there?
A.P. W e played at the A ppollo Theatre. I had the privilege to travel w ith S lim Gaillard all over the UnitedStates. T his is w hen I arrived in California.
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Armando Peraza, 1995 Photo by John Walker
T.S. W hy did you ch oose California versus N ew York?
A.P. I liked San Francisco you know . I played with quite a few people. A s a matter o f fact I p layed in thebeginning w ith D ave Brubeck and Cal Tjader. I was the one w ho introduced Cal Tjader to playing Latin jazz.
T.S. W hat year did you play with Cal Tjader, Armando?
A.P. I think it w as in the 6 0 s. I m ade one album called Ritmo Caliente. Then I played w ith Cal Tjader quite afew years, c lo se to eight or nine years. I made an album with Cal Tjader then, but I w asn t playing withCal then. G eorge Shearing arrived from N ew York and his bass player w as A1 M cK ibbon. A1 M cKibbon played w ith D izzy G illesp ie. W hen G eorge Shearing arrived in California A1 M cK ibbon told him theres a guy called Armando Peraza, because Candido made a few records w ith G eorge Shearing. M cKibbon told him theres a guy in California. H e can play. I stayed with G eorge Shearing tw elve years. Then when I cam e back to California I started with Cal Tjader.
T.S. W hat years did you play w ith Shearing?
A.P. In the 5 0 s man.
T.S. 6 0 s also?
A.P. Y es. Then I put in quite a few years with Santana. I started with Santana, I think it w as the 7 0 s.
T.S. Did you play at W oodstock?
A.P. N o, no, I d idnt play at W oodstock.
T.S. On som e o f the albums?
A.P. On a lot o f album s. Caravanserai and Boboleta, all very successfu l album s. For m e and T om Coster thekeyboard player, w e brought a different evolution to the band. I put in quite a few years w ith Carlos. Then I retired in 1992.
T.S. Can I ask, go ing back to when you were young, what attracted you to the bongos?
A.P. ...I used to like it but deeply I never wanted to be a m usician, for the reason all the m usicians w ho workafter hours, they all get very sick. But I had a natural ability. N obody taught m e anything. I learned on m y ow n from listening to records you know , in Cuba, in that environment.
T.S. W ho did you listen to? Sexteto Habanero?
A.P. Oh, o f course! A ll those guys and M ongo, you know . Oh, there w as a lot o f people. One guy calledFeliberto and Y eyito .
T.S. D o you know Andres Sotolongo?
A.P. I d idnt know him w ell, but I heard o f him. There w as Antoli... God! Its too m any people to remember now.
T.S. Y es, its a long tim e ago.
A.P. 4 0 -5 0 years.
T.S. So you learned on your ow n, no teacher?
A.P. N o teacher. I created m y ow n technique. A lot o f people right now play tw o or three congas. I used to do that... I used to play three congas and bongos at the sam e time. Find the album called George Shearingon Stage you can see that, on Capital records. I wrote a lot o f songs w ith G eorge Shearing.
T.S. Can you g iv e m e som e nam es o f som e recordings with your style?
A.P. ...m ostly Cal Tjader and G eorge Shearing. Y ou have to find G eorge Shearing Latin Affair, Latin Escapade, M o o d Latin. That w ay you see m y contribution to G eorge Shearings m usic. T hese are in the 5 0 s and 6 0 s. Then Cal Tjader Ritmo Caliente. There are quite a few albums I dont rem em ber now .
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T.S. D id they ever m ake any film s you m ight have been in?
A.P. One w ith Cal Tjader, thats all. I d ont remem ber the name.
T.S. W ho are your favorite bongoseros?
A.P. Its hard to say, man, because there are too many good ones. There w as one guy called Chino he used toplay w ith Perez Prado. Y ey ito w as fantastic! Chino P ozo w as fantastic! T oo many, its hard to say. W ehad one guy in Cuba he never had the recognition. H e w as a master. H is name w as M ario. H e used to play w ith a Conjunto called B olero . In that environm ent I w as surviving. I have recognition in Cuba for m y contribution on bongos. Then Patato V aldez played w ith m e. H e played congas w ith m e in the Conjunto Kubavana. Patato V aldez w as one o f the creators. Very m elodic. H e played w ith M achito. A lot o f people learned a lot o f things from Patato. D o n t let anybody fool you.
T .S. D id anyone do a story on you?
A.P. I w as selected by the Sm ithsonian Institute for the Center for Jazz H istory because o f all the different jazz m usicians I p layed with.
T.S. W hat about the slide technique, the glissando that sounds like a grow l? W hen they slide the finger across the he m b r a ?
A.P. Its hard to describe it because everybody has a different technique. I used to use fingers, slap andcom binations, g iv ing a different characteristic to the bongos. W hat happens is, for different m ovem ents m usically , you have to have a disciplinary approach to play. Bolero is p layed differently. Son montuno is played differently, guaracha is p layed differently. Each has a different conception ...
T oday b ongos have a lot o f freedom . Today the m usic w e play, esp ecia lly jazz, has a lot o f different influences. European influence, Brazil influence, Afro-Cuban influence. It is no longer ja zz that you used to see w ith Count B asie , B enny Goodm an. You understand what I mean? Jazz today is different.
T.S. H ow do you feel the role o f the bongosero has changed from the 3 0 s or 4 0 s to now ?
A.P. N ot too m uch because I see all these people play a lot o f things I used to play .... you put m e with them usic, I play w ith the m usic. I m ove my m usicality according to the m usic that I am interpreting. If its Cuban m usic, I play the Cuban style. If it is Am erican m usic I try to fit m y se lf to the A m erican music. T oo m any people stay traditional. I can play traditional, but m ostly what I try to do is m ove according to the m usic I am playing.
T.S. I understand you wrote som e songs?
A.P. Oh, a lot o f songs, man. M ongo recorded for m e, Santana... I made a lot o f m usic w ith Santana.
T.S. W hat kind o f drums do you like to use and what skins?
A.P. ...the natural skin is the real thing, but I want to explain to you som ething. A lot o f people say to you thisconga is no good , this bongo is no good. The problem is you control the bongos, the b ongos dont control you . I can play on a p iece o f w ood , right... People expect the bongo w ill play for them . You have to play the instrument. I d ont care what it is. I have to m ake a sound. I find a w ay to make a sound.
T.S. W hen did you have your first tunable bongo?
A.P. Oh, a long tim e ago. I was one o f the first to have that.
T .S. W hat year did you have a tunable bongo?
A.P. Probably around 1945. It was made for this guy, he was a drummer: Serevino - in H avana, you know . I brought it here to the United States.
T.S. So w hen you cam e to the U .S ., you were not heating up your drum heads.
A.P. N o, not here; in Cuba, yes. I used to use a special lamp that w e created w ith kerosene and then w e tunedit. W e used to use a skin called pengamino. Came from like a very young cow . A ll the bongos in
Cuba w ere m ahogany and they still are. There was a guy in m y country that M ongo used, right there in my neighborhood called V elgada. H e made all these Cuban congas and bongos. One solid p iece and I still have it! ...
T.S. Armando, I d on t want to take up a lot o f your time.
A.P.
T.S.
T.S.
J.M.
T.S.
J.M.
T.S. Can I ask you about the equipm ent you use? D o you have any preferences for the drums or skins?
J.M. I like the w ooden bongos and the skins have to be high pitched, not too thick (m edium ). On the islandw e used goat, but here w e use calf.
T.S. D o you like m ahogany or oak bongos?
J.M. Oak is the best one. Its a little heavier but lasts a long tim e and better sound.
T.S. Y ou p layed w ith A rsenio R odriguez I understand?
J.M. I recorded w ith him - just recorded with him.
T.S. And M achito?
J.M. That w as really the first professional band I worked w ith here in this country (U .S .). Starting in 1942, the spring o f 1942.
T.S. W hen did you first start using the tunable bongo?
J.M. I started doing that, since I first began playing. On the island they d idnt use sterno because the clim ateover there is very damp. The drums, you cou ldnt get them to a high pitch w ith sterno.
T.S. W hat year did you start playing?
J.M. I started playing professionally in 1939.
T .S. And you w ere using the tunable bongos?
J.M. Y es! Im pretty sure, its because o f the clim ate. Y ou know the damper it is, the low er they get and youhave trouble tuning them . The easiest w ay w as to have tunables.
W ho w ere your earliest influences?
N o, no, its a pleasure, man. Its a pleasure.
Thank you. Thank you very much!
JO S E M A N G U A LInterview
M arch 19, 1995
Isaac O lviedo was a tres player in Cuba. W hen I w as a kid about nine years old I heard a record that w as playing in the street. I w as listen ing to this fabulous tres player. That opened the door for m e to play Cuban m usic...
D o you know w h o the bongo player was?
I dont know because w e d idnt have too much o f the Cuban players com in g to Puerto R ico to play. They w ould com e in sporadically. I used to hear a program from San Juan every day from 12-1. Septeto Puerto R ico w as the name o f the group and they had a bongo player. Thats how I becam e interested in playing the bongos.
Jose Mangual Photo by Martin Cohen
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T.S. H ow long did you stay w ith M achito?
J.M. S ixteen years (194 2 -5 9 )... then I left M achito to go with Herbie M ann for about 6-7 m onths. Then I freelanced and did som e recordings in the city, and jin gles. Then I w ent to the country to the Concord H otel. Its a b ig hotel, very w ell known. I worked with an Italian fe llo w - Sonny R ossi. I worked with him for about three years. Then I left and worked freelance with som e singers. One w ho used to sing with Cugat. I can t rem em ber her name.
T.S. You also worked w ith Erroll Garner?
J.M. I worked w ith him from 1967 til he died in 1977.
T .S. D id you play bongos w ith him as w ell as congas?
J.M. I used to play both. On a trip to Canada I forgot them in the cab [laughs] and I played congas. It wasbetter because you can groove more and add more body to it. The bongos are a little too thin. W ith thebongos you alw ays need a conga player next to you.
T.S. Y ou played w ith D izzy [G illespie]?
J.M. I p layed concerts w ith D izzy . W e played quite a few Carnegie concerts.
T .S. B asie also? [Count B asie]
J.M. I recorded w ith B asie , I d idnt play with B asie. '
T .S. Cal Tjader?
J.M. I m ade a recording with Cal Tjader playing timbales [laughs], I never heard it, but I d idnt think itturned out too good.
T .S. Can you nam e som e records that provide an exam ple o f your style? I have one called B u y u put out byLP, but perhaps you can nam e others?
J.M. For D izzy I made one o f the M anteca versions, that made a good solo . There is one w ith a good soloon Charlie Parkers album called South of the Border and there are quite a few w ith W illie B o b o s group (the Latin jazz group). I p layed on all those recordings on bongos.
T .S. D o you use much ornamentation in your playing like the m oose ca ll, etc?
J.M. N o , I ve got my style. Its an awkward style [laughs]... w hen I w as young w e d idnt have a lot o f peopleplaying... now you have a m illion players. You can listen to this one, then to another and more or less create your ow n style.
T.S. H ow w ould you define the role o f the bongosero p laying jazz versus Latin?
J.M. The thing that really fits in there is the conga drum. The bongo d oesn t fit unless you have a congadrummer next to you. Y ou could do it, but it d oesn t sound as good. Y ou can play things like Masacote.I m ade som e concerts w ith L ionel Hampton, Patato and I. Then w e could do som ething that sounded a little better, you know. In jazz the martillo d oesn t fit that w ell. Y ou have to im provise. Y ou play a lot o f so lo s/fills .
T .S. Are you working on any projects now?
J.M. M y sons and I are going to make an album. Im writing som e m usic. I never wrote m uch in the past.
T .S. Y o u ve lived in N ew York many years?
J.M. I ve lived in N ew York since I migrated to this country. I cam e in 1 9 3 9 .1 alw ays lived over here inH arlem . It w as a different life. Its been very good to me. I have no regrets. P eople alw ays say, Oh, you liv e in H arlem with all those p eop le. N othing ever happens here. I think it happens to all the guys doing the w rong things. That happens everywhere.
T .S. I understand y o u re good friends with Armando Peraza. D id you ever play w ith Arm ando Peraza?
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J.M. Peraza, I played w ith him since he first cam e over here to this country. W e played a show over here ineast Harlem (Spanish Harlem ). W e played at a theatre called The H ispanic Theatre (Theatro Hispano). I played also at H avana Madrid Club in 1942 w ith M achito. W e used to play Sunday m atinee. It was 51st and Broadw ay. It w as a basem ent.
T.S. I understand y o u ve played more bongos than congas.
J.M. I never played congas until I cam e to this country, because i f you know the black history against thewhite history. A ll those privileges w ere taken away from us. There were p laces that w ere too big and too many slaves that they let them play drums. They would revolt you know . But the sm all little islands that they could control a little better they didnt let you play. The first conga drum that I saw w as when Icam e over here. I w as 14 years old. Then after that I never played the conga drum, just bongos.
T.S. W ho are som e o f your favorite bongoseros?
J.M. M y favorite bongosero is Peraza. I think h es thegreatest bongo player I ve heard.
C A N D ID O C A M E R OInterview
M arch 29, 1995
T.S. W hy did you start to play the bongos and congadrums?
C.C. It w as inspiration from m y uncle on m y m others- side, w hen I w as four years old.
T.S. I understand you w ere from Havana.
C.C. Y es, Havana, Cuba. I w as born in El Cerro district.
T.S. W as that in the 3 0 s or 2 0 s?
C.C. That w as the late 2 0 s.
T.S. At that tim e they d idnt have tunable bongos, didthey?
C.C. W e used to tune it w ith...ah
T.S. Sterno?
C.C. N o , not even sterno. Sterno w as over here in the U nited States. W hen I cam e over here in 1946, thatsw hen I started using s te rn o .... som etim es w e used newspaper with m atches, and w e light the newspaper and w e use the flam e. M ost o f the tim e w e burn the skins because it w as too hot.
T.S. W ho w as your first influence?
C.C. M y uncle... h is nam e w as Andres Guerra. That was m y grandfathers last name.
T.S. D id you used to listen to a lot o f groups w hen you were a little boy?
C.C. Y es, he used to take m e every tim e they w ould have rehearsals. H e used to take m e with him all over,everyw here they have rehearsals.
T .S. W ere you fam iliar w ith groups like Septeto Habanero?
C.C. Oh, yeah. Sexteto Habanero, Septeto N acional and B olona. T hese were the pioneers.
T .S. D o you know about the chanqiii style?
C.C. N o , that m ight be a different era.
candido
A l l V IMKIH I SNHIX160 IWmonf Avenue. Garftelct. N.| 07026
Candido Camero Photo by Martin Cohen
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T.S. Can you tell m e what kind o f bongo you like to use?
C.C. R ight now Im using the Latin Percussion.
T.S. D o you like the oak?
C.C. Y es, I have the b ig ones....m ust be the original m odel because th eyre big.
T .S. W hat kind o f skin?
C.C. The ones that com e w ith the bongos.
T .S. W hat are som e good recordings o f your style on the bongos?
C.C. I have so many.
T .S. W hich w ould be the best?
C.C. Every one has a bongo so lo or conga solo, every one o f m y records....They are all good. I never recom m end one because they are all good.
T .S. W hich records do you have on your own?
C.C. On m y ow n I have about 50. The people I record with, the people on m y list I have recorded with, I have 100 different nam es.
T .S. W ere you in any m ovies or film s?
C.C. Oh yes, a couple o f them.
T.S. D o you rem em ber any names?
C.C. W ell, I did a coup le in Cuba w ith Sonora Mantancera (later 4 0 s or 5 0 s). A lso , I did m ov ies at theTropicana night club where I used to work in Cuba with the fam ous Argentinian singer Liberty Dem arco. I did other m ovies, too.
T.S. I w ould like to ask you the nam es o f your C D s w ith the m ost drumming?
C.C. The ones on m y ow n, every one o f them. There are tw o that cam e out now on CD. O ne called Brujeriasde Candido (T ico).
T .S. W hat does that mean?
C.C. Its ju st a name. In Spanish its like African vood oo . The album has nothing to do w ith voodoo. Thats the producers idea. H e s the one that g ives the name [laughs]. The other one that cam e out recently is Candido Beautiful (B lue N ote). A lot o f bongos and congas there. Candido Beautiful just cam e out on CD .
T.S. I w ant to ask you about the m usicians. I know you played w ith D izzy G illespie.
C.C. W ait til you see the list1 I m going to send you. The list on the jazz field and the list on the Latin field.
T .S. W hen you play jazz on bongos, what is your approach?
C.C. Its a different style altogether betw een Latin and jazz. D ifferent feeling. Y ou have to play w ith the feel o f the m usic. I approach it by listening to w hats going on with the m usic... the arrangement and the type o f rhythm.
1 Candidos bio is extensive, listing numerous performances including Birdland with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. He is pictured in The World Book Encyclopedia (1960) in the listing under Drums and is featured in Herman Leonards book The Eye o f Jazz (Viking Press). Candido has over 100 recording credits: Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Art Blakey, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Clarke, Ray Charles, George Shearing, Kenny Burrell, Tony Bennet, Erroll Garner, Dinah Washington, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Elvin Jones, Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, and Mongo Santamaria.
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T.S. Do you think the sty le o f playing has changed in the last 30 to 4 0 years?
C.C. No.
T.S. Still lots o f martillo?
C.C. Oh, yes. T hats the foundation o f the w hole thing.
T.S. D id you ever play w ith bongos and congas all together at one time?
C.C. At the sam e tim e I play bongos and congas....conga and quinto....three congas, cow b ell, giiiro. A lltogether at the sam e tim e by m yself. The three congas, the cow bell and the giiiro at the sam e time, while singing too. Som etim e I play the bongo and the conga at the sam e time. Som e tim e I play the bongo and the quinto at the sam e time.
T.S. W ho are som e o f your favorite bongoseros?
C.C. They are all good. E veryone has their ow n style. Thats what m akes the m usic so interesting.
T.S. D o you still practice?
C.C. N o, no, because Im so busy recording, playing concerts. I m travelling all the time.
T.S. D o you have som e new projects com ing up?
C.C. W ell, I m w orking now on a recording. Another solo album.
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6/8 - C om m on tim e signature in Afro-Cuban m usic, indicating six eighth notes to the bar.
B A T A - D ouble headed drums o f an hour glass shape derived from m usic o f theYorubas o f N igeria. U sually in sets o f three, used in both secular and sacred m usic.
B E M B E - African derived rhythm, predom inantly 6/8, p layed at special gatherings.A lso refers to drums used at these special cerem onies.
B O L E R O - S low Afro-Cuban rhythm and dance sim ilar to a ballad.
B O M B A - Puerto Rican rhythm and dance usually containing lyrics on social struggle.
B O N G O S E R O - Player o f the bongo drums.
B O S S A N O V A - A rhythm integrating jazz and Brazilian influences; popularized in the 1950s.
B O T I J A -A clay o il jug used as a wind instrument to provide the bass in early son.
C A L E N D U L A SA L V E - A herbal agent used historically for prom oting healing o f the skin.
C A M P A N A - C ow bell
C A S C A R A - Pattern played on sides o f the timbales/congas/gua gua also referred to as paila or palito pattern.
C E N C E R R O - cow bell
C H A C H A C H A - D ance derived from the m a m b o , but slow er, sw eeter and less syn copated. First written evidence by Enrique Jorrin, 1951.
C H A N G U I - Rural style o f eastern Cuban m usic that developed in the late 1800s.
C L A V E - Rhythm that forms the basis o f m ost Afro-Cuban m usic. A five-note pattern. U sually con ceived in North A m erica as a two-bar phrase with three beats in the first and tw o in the second.
C LA V ES - T w o p ieces o f resonant w ood that play the clave pattern.\
C O N G A - (drum) Afro-Cuban single headed, barrel shaped drum, three m ain sizes, sm allest to largest: quinto, conga, tumbadora.
C O N G A - (rhythm) Carnival rhythm and dance with both Santiago and H avana styles.
C O N J U N T O - An ensem ble o f specific instruments com bining vocal, guitars, maracas, clave, trumpets and later adding congas, bongos and piano.
CR O W N - M etal circular collar that sits on top o f the drum and holds the drum head in position.
D A N Z O N - Ballroom style dance that developed in the late 1800s, contain ing European influences.
D IST A L - A position farthest from the center o f the body, the opposite o f proximal.56
E N T E R I Z O - Drums constructed from one p iece o f w ood as opposed to w ood staves glued together.
FLAM - A flam consists o f p laying a grace note with the opposite hand just slightly before the main note. Both notes have the sam e count.
GLISSANDO - A slide or grow l technique performed on the drum head for special effects (A K A - m oose call).
G U A G U A - Instrument constructed from a p iece o f bam boo placed on a stand and struck with two sticks. The cascara pattern is p layed on the gua gua when playing the rumba.
G U A G U A N C O - A m edium tem po rumba, played on three conga drums w ith other percussion and vocals. An Afro-Cuban rhythm and coup le dance.
G U A J I R A - A slow rural sty le m usic with Spanish influence originally played on the tres (guitar) with vocals and percussion.
G U A R A C H A - A quick rhythm and dance o f rural Cuban origin, originally having satirical lyrics.
H E M B R A (fem ale in Spanish) - The largest o f the tw o bongo drums.
INDEX FING ER - First finger after the thumb.
LUG - M etal tuning rod (screw ) o f the b ongo/conga drums.
M A C H O (m ale in Spanish) - Sm allest o f the tw o bongo drums.
M A M B O (chant in C on golese) - D ance influenced by C ongolese religious cults. D eveloped in the 1940s and popularized by Perez Prado, A rsenio Rodriquez and Arcano y sus M aravillas.
M A N O T E O - A lternating heel and toe pattern played on the bongos during the martillo and other rhythms, usually w ith the left hand.
M A R A C A S - Rattles originally made from gourds or leather, filled with seed, beans, or pebbles.
M A R I M B U L A - Large adaptation o f African thumb piano used to provide the bass in early son and rumba.
M A R T I L L O (ham m er in Spanish) - The basic rhythm o f the bongos upon w hich all im provisation is base
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