Saludando A Los Rumberos - Virgilio Marti

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Postby afrocubarico » Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:57 pm

Hey does anyone here own Saludando A Los Rumberos by Virgilio Marti? It seems to be difficult to find on CD. I believe Jerry Gonzalez plays congas on this album. Was wondering if this is worth trying to get. Thanks!

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Postby JohnnyConga » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:05 pm

I have the album and it's GREAT! Yes Jerry, Andy, Lil Ray, and others...."JC" Johnny Conga... :D
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Postby Omelenko » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:23 pm

I also have the album,Jerry is on conga and quinto. I've been trying to get it on CD. Vigilio was known as "El Ruiseñor De La Rumba". I have a Ruben Blades interview in which he states that Virgilio Marti was his favorite sonero. If you get it on CD let me know so I can get it also. Is a masterpiece !
Dario
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Postby afrocubarico » Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:21 pm

Thanks for the feedback guys. I just ordered Saludando A Los Rumberos on CD from Descarga.com, along with the new DVD release, Mongo Santamaria En Vivo.

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Postby JohnnyConga » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:20 pm

Afrocubarico ...as soon as you see the Mongo DVD can you gives a "critique" on it....how does it look and sound?....does it cover Mongos career?...does it have "vintage" footage, like when he was with Cal Tjader?....looking for ANY kind of footage with Cal Tjader ,Mongo and Willie Bobo....anybody got any?..... ??? "JC" Johnny Conga... :D
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Postby afrocubarico » Thu Jul 12, 2007 5:40 pm

J.C.,
No problem, I'll definitely give my opinion here on the DVD. Descarga.com does state in their advertisement that this is vintage quality footage of Mongo and we should not expect anything near high definition quality. I'm sure that the video/audio is not going to be anything great but just to be able to see Mongo at his peak makes me salivate!

I too would love to get my hands on video footage of Mongo and Bobo as well as Patato. I'm sure someone like Martin Cohen of LP should have stuff like this. I understand he's been photographing these guys since early 60's.

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Postby afrocubarico » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:11 am

Here's my "review" of the new DVD release, Mongo Santamaria En Vivo by Budda's West Side Beat Records. Remember, these are strictly my opinions:

First, I don't think the quality of the video/audio was so bad at all. I expected a lot worse. I mean this is definitely not High Definition quality or 5.1 Surround Sound but considering this was probably recorded sometime in the mid-70's, it wasn't so bad.

I was unfortunately, under the impression that we would get to see live footage of Mongo from different performances at the club Lulu White in Boston. However, it seems all of the performances were shot on the same night. The video was peppered with vintage still photos of Mongo but I don't think any of them were exclusive pictures.

Mongo was looking great and was playing his ass off. He was accompanied by a 7 piece band made up of three horns, piano, electric bass, drumkit (looked like a young Steve Berrios), and a percussionist. Sorry J.C., no Cal Tjader footage here. Sadly, there were no credits listing the names of the band members. The choice of music was quite good and was practically all Latin Jazz.

The interviews were good, especially for me since I've never seen Mongo being interviewed. However, I have to say that the video quality of the interviews portion were quite poor. At times you could hardly make out Mongo's face during the outdoor interviews.

During the short interviews which were shown in between each song, Mongo was asked why he left Cuba. After skirting the question a bit, he then admitted that his reason for leaving Cuba and staying in the US was because he saw the fame and popularity that Chano Pozo had created for himself and therefore, he felt he could do the same. He wanted to reach the same pedestal as Chano Pozo.

Mongo's playing technique is so unique and different from today's congueros. I notice he played with large arm strokes, more from the elbow rather than from the wrist. He had beautiful slap tones. I could be wrong but it looks like Mongo's playing technique was not very refined. At one point he showed his unwrapped hands and they didn't look so good! Makes you wonder how this man played for so long.

They did show him bandaging his hands in slo-mo, of which he always covered the entirety of each finger in band aids. Overall, I would have liked to have seen footage from different performances of Mongo. While I think Mongo fans will probably not be content with this video, they will certainly enjoy this.

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Postby zaragenca » Tue Oct 09, 2007 5:48 pm

I'm sorry Afrocubarico but I was expecting that,bucouse to show videos in vivo from the 50's and early 60's, it has to be taking from TV programs,unless he was on TV at sometime at that time it is going to be rare.Dr. Zaragemca
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Postby zaragenca » Tue Oct 09, 2007 5:58 pm

Also I could tell that Mongo had his big break out of Cuba when he was invited to play with Silvestre Mendez/shows, in Mexico from there he went with a dancers/show to U.S.,(also Armando Peraza).
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Postby Changuiri » Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:56 pm

I HAVE A RARE VIDEO OF PATATO, CHANGUITO, AND PUENTE. IT'S A HOUSE PARTY.
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Postby JohnnyConga » Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:20 pm

Well u can type Mongo Santamaria into searcch on youtube.com and see a few videos of him in his prime...Johnny Conga-"Mongoite"
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Postby Omelenko » Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:51 pm

I have a private video of Mongo we did in my house one month before he died, I invited a lot of Miami rumberos to honor Don Ramon, we played rumba for him and he is seating quietly smiling and enjoying. Miguel Cruz,Freddy Lugo,Luis "El Pincho", Ivan El Gordo,Araña.... JC was invited but had just left Miami.
Nobody has done more for the conga drum than Don Ramon Santamaria, I loved the man like family. His music will live forever and his "tapao" was music to everyone's ears. MONGO VIVE !
Dario :D


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Postby JohnnyConga » Sat Oct 20, 2007 5:07 pm

I will also mention that Mongos' accomplishments are over 80 recordings under his name and numerous others with other bands, Being signed to no less than 9 different record labels UNHEARD OF TODAY WITH ANY ARTIST!....a Grammy award, gold records and many other awards...their isnt an Artist alive today with such history in any field of music......Johnny Conga-Mongoite
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Postby JohnnyConga » Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:43 am

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oCJDq358jJY

Now this is really "ol skool split-hand" tumbao.....Johnny Conga....
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Postby afrocubarico » Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:23 am

J.C.,
Any idea who the conguero is on this video?

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