Congas and contempory music - patterns for funk etc

[umannyt]

And here i am today with the Top "funk and soul" band in Seattle...check me out on their site, the music was recorded live so u can hear what im playing on the tunes.

JC,

Great looking and sounding band! Good diversity of members! Easy to tell that your band is an R&B (soul and funk) and disco band (corporate) band.

Great vocals! Your female vocalist in "Let's Stay Together" has a vocal timbre that sounds like a combination of Gladys Knight and Tina Turner.

Luv the horn section!

You seem to be playing basically the same pattern for the 1st 2 songs, "Best Of My Love" and "Never Too Much" with slight variation in pattern and, of course, tempo. I use basically this same pattern (like the beat of a galloping horse) when I'm freelancing with other cover (dance) bands and playing disco/NY hustle music.

In "Let's Stay Together", I can hear that you're playing closer to the traditional tumbao pattern but still with a slight variation during the heel, toe and slap portions.

All the best hombre,



Edited By umannyt on 1200372250

[burke]

The topic is mostly about funk but the query was about congas in other music so I'll put my oar in for Russ Kunkel and Ray Cooper.

A a teen in the 70's in Nova Scotia the only latin music Iwas exposed to [besides Santana] was in church. But I sure did hear and love James Taylor and Elton John [please don't hate me!]. I also noticed congos and bongos in some of their tunes [they were usually mixed well so that they stood out]. I still go back to some of that old vinyl now and again and I still like what those guys did.

Darrell (still can't get 'new posts' to work btw - anyone else?)



Edited By burke on 1200409370

[JimG]

Sorry for the off-topic....

Ray Cooper was the first percussionist I saw live...Elton John 1975 or '76. I was 14/15. He was a quite a show to himself.... Never before seeing a tamborine player with such flare, it is what led me to pick up my first tamborine as an instrument instead of a hat....

Cheers,
Jim

[burke]

Ahhh I envy that Jim! (we're about the same age BTW). Back when Elton wasn't a disney joke (sorry if any of you like 'new' Elton - just can't stand the uberpop stuff he puts out now).

[CongaTick]

JC,
Told you when you posted that picture before--- seeing Mike Shreve again--- gave me chills. And still does. He embodies for me Carlos' Woodstock, and I can't tell you how many times I've listened to Mike's solos.... Let him know he's got a fan here, like many others, who'll never forget him. You, he and the rest of the crew are a talented chemical mix of rock and fire.

[pavloconga]

That Curtis Mayfield vid 'Move on Up' was amazing. What a deep groove and feeling they were packing in that song. Awesome stuff. Curtis Mayfield R.I.P.

Hey JC I liked the sound of your band, very cool, nice work on the skins. Good to hear you clearly in the mix!

pavlo

[No.2-1820]

I posted this before in another thread, but it seems to fit here ! Love this funky mellow groove, Eddie 'Bongo' Brown on congas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9KC7uhMY9s&feature=related

[tfunk]

Oh yeah,
That became a classic soul/funk groove. I love it, and use that groove myself.

tfunk

[OLSONGO]

Thee Funk , yes there surely are some killer grooves that can be played, personally I mix it all up throwing all kinds of combinations. Here is a pic. with some cats that I play with at times ; with a lot of experience in the funk. The Funk Circle , To the left we have Franky Jay on the bone' and vocals he has toured with Sly and the Barkeys , followed by Tony Thomas on keys and vocals , toured with Sammy Davis Jr. next Big John on trumpet , followed by yours trully , next Eddy Love this man can sing his ass off , toured with Eddy Kendrix and in the top corner is Darrel ,Tonys daughter who can also sing very well. A couple of others are not in the pic.

Paz

Olsongo

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... aesar2.jpg

[umannyt]

I posted this before in another thread, but it seems to fit here ! Love this funky mellow groove, Eddie 'Bongo' Brown on congas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9KC7uhMY9s&feature=related

No.2-1820,

Thanks for sharing! Luv this mellow groove by Eddie "Bongo" Brown! And the late Marvin Gaye is one of my favorite R&B singers!

While Googling Eddie "Bongo" Brown , I found this anecdote rather amusing:

From: http://www.answers.com/topic/eddie-brown?cat=entertainment

"Remarkably, he couldn't even read music -- in the Funk Brothers documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown, keyboardist Joe Hunter claimed that during sessions, Brown simply replaced his sheet music with nudie magazines."

LOL! :laugh:



Edited By umannyt on 1200459431

[congamyk]

I wonder if he could play Cuban rhythms.

[No.2-1820]

He used to cite Chano Pozo as his influence and plays a nice straight tumbao in a couple of Marvin Gaye numbers.

[No.2-1820]

This is a great funk album with heavy congas a la Eddie 'Bongo' Brown.

http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=rctt9fr2zs

Barrie

[congamyk]

Daniel Sadownick crosses many genres, playing with Jazz legend Michael Brecker, Matisyahu and rock/fusion group; The Headless Screaming Torsos.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ueeaaap8hzk

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cRn0s6h33zg

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fC64vtbzoYo



Edited By congamyk on 1200535132

[No.2-1820]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqjB00ikiwc&feature=related

This guy shows that rhythm nicely, shame it's so dark.