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The ensemble class I am currently taking is studying Pello's Mozambique. The Kim Atkinson arrangement is our basic guide. I understand that Kim brought the rhythm to Seattle well before my time. I read that Pello's Mozambique was most popular in Europe because that darn Cuban Embargo did not really allow much cultural musical exchange at the time.

Anyway I was hoping that some of our European forum members would suggest various written material/conga rhythm books available on-line for purchase with Pello's Mozambique. I can not read French or Spanish however I can surely figure out rhythm notation. I am not sure when I see various Mozambique notations if they are the New York version. Would like to get a good feel for Pello's composition as arranged by others who may have studied with him.

Thank you, Marcus

Audio is much better than written notation. Learning rhythms from recordings is a skill worth developing. There are a lot of recordings of Pello el Afrokan's mozambiques on YouTube. Listen carefully, practice and study them to get the feeling of the old style mozambique.

Buy this CD now.
http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/9578.10

Mozambique has a lot of parts, here is one correct way to play them, broken down really slow and simple with clave to give you the timing, 3 tumbdora parts, 2 bombo parts, the main mozambique conga part is from 4:07 to 5:00, and the bell and frying pan parts. Spend a few months studying these parts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg6gWO7t ... re=related

Who are you playing with? You should try to find 4 to 6 competent players to play a mozambique. If you have to play by yourself, the most characteristic part is the one from 4:07 to 5:00 on the video.

http://youtu.be/br9Uxa1G_7Y video on all parts for Pello's Mozambique...

How about Angá´s version here on the track Maria Caracoles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-zEUka_ ... re=related

Pello himself showing individual Mozambique parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvZEj99kkks&feature=plcp

Hope this helps!!!

JG

thanks to all. I will need to learn by sight, it is a skill I have been avoiding but now it is time.

marcus

tamboricua wrote:Pello himself showing individual Mozambique parts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvZEj99kkks&feature=plcp
Hope this helps!!!
JG

I had never seen that one before, looks like Michael Pluznik just posted it recently, 27 years after it was shot! Thanks.


"I will need to learn by sight, it is a skill I have been avoiding but now it is time."
Marcus that, and learning by sound alone, are fundamental skills.

jorge wrote:Spend a few months studying these parts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg6gWO7t ... re=related

I like the hip entry points in relation to clave. The Kim Atkinson DVDs have accompanying charts.

Here is a clip of NY mozambique:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=200210736684253&set=vb.164335963612731&type=2&theater

While the two rhythms have some similarities, they share no parts in common. Pello's mozambique has specific parts. There are no set parts in the Palmieri version, other than the bell part, which is a rumba cascara pattern. The congas are merely obliged to follow the rhythmic contour of the bell pattern.
-David

Yes indeed, Kim’s DVD is great. One of his comments is there really is not a conga solo or lead part but if one wants to improvise, replace some touches with slaps. This really opens up the rhythm when you’re playing with just a few people. Great DVD lots of good “sight and hear” learning practice as Kim improvises with 3 drums. With all this material certainly will be a summer and early fall project.

peace

Marcus wrote:is there really is not a conga solo or lead part

Yes, Pello's mozambique has no lead drum. NY mozambique is strictly a band rhythm, with one conguero and one timbalero, so that rhythm does not have a lead drum either. However, both the congas and the timbales take solos over a piano guajeo. I played on both Atkinson DVDs, although they are not my strongest performances.
-David