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Posted: **Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:12 pm**

Please post music that you guys use when practicing. The must have collection!

Please also include it's style and the artists involved (if neccesary).

Piece

PS. Thank yo to all that have posted somments of the other topics - your imput is invaluable

Posted: **Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:02 am**

If I'm learning new patterns I'll put on something neutral and sparse, just to be my metronome maybe house music like masters at work...

If I'm freestyling then, whatever is lighting my candle that day..

Posted: **Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:25 am**

I cut my teeth playing along with 3 artists: Poncho Sanchez, Ruben Blades & Roberto Rohena. (they were all on a mix tape I had and I would just come home from school and play along with it for the full 90 minutes. Poncho plays very clear and steady, his solos are not that hard and he has good phraseing. He covers all kinds of rhythms, from bolero, to chachacha to 6/8 stuff and his cierres are good for practice. Check out his album "Papa Gato" on Picante records. The Ruben Blades stuff(w/ congeuro Eddie Montalvo) was from the album "Buscando America" on Elektra records. A lot of the songs helped me to learn how to switch back and forth from guaguanco and tumbao moderno. again great cierres. Eddie Montalvo has more chops than Poncho but not so much that you can't learn anything. Roberto Rohena Y su Apollo sound was the most fun to practice with cuz it was straight up salsa. The album "Regreso" was just fun to groove along with and learn how and where to put fills in a salsa song. This is where i started from. Now I play along with anything....sometimes i'll still come back to these guys to warm up and just get into the feel. Hope this helps.
Peace

Posted: **Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:39 pm**

You "newbies" should be checking out Ray Baretto and Mongo Santamaria,the best recordings to practice along with. Mongo recorded over 85 albums and Ray Baretto is on about 1,000 to 1500 albums as leader and side man..."JC" Johnny Conga...

Posted: **Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:43 am**

I couldn't agree with you more Johnny. Mongo's Album "Afro Roots" was one on my first and I'm a big Fania All stars Fan so I've been into Ray for a while too. There's no school like the old school!

Posted: **Sat Jul 29, 2006 5:56 pm**

The "Roots" of any music is what you should learn, FIRST and then add "YOU" into it's mix, with the NEW approaches to playing, that we have today ...BTW Giovanni is coming out with a NEW DVD ...called "Master Conguero- Part 1"...with his "secret" hand techniques....."JC" Johnny Conga....

Posted: **Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:18 am**

i do lot of practice with ''Ray'' ''Mongo'' ''Cachao'' Sonora Ponceña'' Eddie Palmieri'' etc, etc, also love to practice with old school cuban son, for ex. ''Cuarteto tradicional camagueyano'' ''Chapottin'' ''Buena vista'' just to mentioned a few and so on!!

fran

Posted: **Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:30 am**

My practice Cd's today were ..Son Cafe-Bailando con ...Azucar and Grupo Latin Vibe....."JC" Johnny Conga...

Posted: **Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:12 am**

I put a small screen in my studio, put on Fania in Africa dvd and jam with Ray, Willie and the boys... Can't keep up though!

Posted: **Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:16 pm**

Hello Drum Brothers

I practice along with some old 50's music, I find the 3/2 and the 2/3 is more pronounced its easier to hear and follow, I find the pace for a beginner is ideal.
The music includes B. Mor'e, P Pardo, Machito, Tito R and Tito P. I am able to work out the clave easier that on some of the more comtemporary music that may be a little faster and harder to follow.
JC what's the news on the new CD.
Otto

Posted: **Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:51 pm**

Hi Otto ..long time...I have been put into "waiting mode" with my partner. I don't know where he is or when I can do the final editing and then manufacturing of my Learning DVD,s .. He has put me back in the time area i was expecting to have it out there....as far as MY CD is 90% done...so just a bit more to do...I have been very busy myself working and touring, with a variety of bands here in the Pacific Northwest....chek me out with "Type A",far right front, a band I have been with now over a year....so hopefully it will all be done soon...Once again I THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL PATIENCE!"...."JC" Johnny Conga....

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Posted: **Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:03 pm**

Abakua what is the process for downloading a 5 minute tune here....I'm trying to download music and it aint working....oh Sensei of the Puter!...."JC" Johnny Conga... ???

Posted: **Thu Aug 03, 2006 12:35 am**

JohnnyConga wrote:Abakua what is the process for downloading a 5 minute tune here....I'm trying to download music and it aint working....oh Sensei of the Puter!...."JC" Johnny Conga... ???

Grasshopper.... When snatch the mouse from my hand before I close it you can, then ready to leave my study you shall be.. :laugh: :O :p

Ok JC, forget about trying to attach it from a folder on your pc to here using the feature available to us on the forum (like we uploads pictures)

The file size of the song will be way over the limit of the attachments allowed on here so the forum software wont let you upload it, just like when the picture hasnt been resized (in KB)

What you need to do, is get the song hosted onto a seperate website, then link the url (web address) of the song onto here using the http tag thing. (example: CLICK HERE to check it out )

If I had a website, I would host it up for you.
Try asking if someone from here can host the song for you, all you need to do is email them the song, they can take care of the rest for you.

Posted: **Thu Aug 03, 2006 11:32 am**

JC,

Am I mistaken, or is that one of my all time favorite drummers, Mike Shreive (?) of Santanna/Woodstock fame? If so, I envy you. Those days, and that footage of him during his solo at Woodstock are iconic images we- who grew up in those times-- will hold close to our hearts forever. If it ain't Mike, then-- as usual-- I've made a fool out of myself.

Posted: **Thu Aug 03, 2006 5:05 pm**

Yes CongaTick ..it is Michael and me..i am in his band called "Tangletown"..we have recorded, but don't knowif it will get released...Michael is in L.A. producing mostly and doing short tours with Santana as "guest"...here we are here in Seattle-"Bumbershoot"..."JC" Johnny Conga....

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Practice Music - The music we must have