congaplace.com

Well my long awaited next CD is now in pressing..It will be available next month..18 traks of music...7 Latin Jazz(my first CD re-mixed and remastered) with 11 New Folkloric traks with me playing everything on 9 of those traks....on the Latin Jazz tunes originally recorded in Miami with "Edwin Bonilla, Eddie "GuaGua" Rivera, Junito Martinez(drummer also with Batacumbele), the late GREAT Juan Pablo Torres "blowin live" on first takes on 2 tunes...Ronnie Loreto(Orch Riverside de Cuba), Mario "del barrio" Marrero (former piano player with the hit band from NY -"Orch.DeeJay")....I expect to have them ready for sale by April 22.........everyone will be notified once it is in my hands..."JC" JOHNNY CONGA

Hermano!! Great news! Years in the making people, I personally cant wait to check it out in full.
JC, will it have any of the tracks you shared with me through our old msn chats?

Congrats! Johnny C, At first I thought it was the long awaited release of the instructional video ( is that still in the works?)
In the meantime, have to settle for some great music. Looking forward to hearing it. Will send for a Cd.

OK IT'S ALL SET UP NOW FOR PURCHASING OF MY NEW CD EITHER AT http://www.digstation.com/JohnnyConga or at
http://cdbaby.com/cd/congajohnny

Thank you for your support of the Drum and My Music!....Gracias a todos!..."JC" Johnny Conga

Hey Johhny can I ask you if there is anything cool in the liner notes of the CD, like
notes or photos, so I can decide whether I would like to buy the CD or get the
less expensive mp3 downloads?

I don't know exactly what u mean by "anything cool in the liner notes"? Would that be a reason for buying a CD?..never had that question put to me before ummm..though I would hope u would buy it for the music...couldnt afford to do the "small book" thing that some people do for their cd's....i have one photo of me inside and the normal info about the CD....I still hope u like the drumming and music...THANK U FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE DRUM AND MY MUSIC!...."JC" JOHNNY CONGA

JConga wrote:I don't know exactly what u mean by "anything cool in the liner notes"? Would that be a reason for buying a CD?..never had that question put to me before ummm..though I would hope u would buy it for the music...couldnt afford to do the "small book" thing that some people do for their cd's....i have one photo of me inside and the normal info about the CD....I still hope u like the drumming and music...THANK U FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE DRUM AND MY MUSIC!...."JC" JOHNNY CONGA

Well what I meant was, is there anything in the liner notes, or the CD package as a whole that would make me want to pay more for the actual physical CD, versus buying the digital MP3's which is the music only. Your album is being offered for sale both as a physical CD and a digital download, so I was wondering if these was much difference between the two. The CD when you add the shipping is $6 more than the MP3 download.

Well my CD is now available guys........I want to THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE DRUM AND MY MUSIC....here are your choices.I see that 277 so far have read this message, has anyone of you purchased my New CD and if so what to do u think of it?....Gracias/Thank u...Johnny Conga

http://cdbaby.com/cd/congajohnny "JC" Johnny Conga

Just got the email from descarga.com "Highly Recommended"- Nice job! I like the tribute to Mongo's "Congobel," Pablo Mozo would be proud.

Interesting sounds on the "Seattle Bembe," I had thought I would hear some chekeres.

Great horns and vibes throughout and mixed well. Congratulations!

THANK YOU TOCANDORUMBA.....if anyone has tried to purchase thru CDBABY.COM, I have just sent more of my CD's to them as the first batch was sold, so by wednesday they should have them ready again to purchase...I met and knew Pablo Mozo when he was part of Miguel Cruz's group SKINS back in the early 80's in Los Angeles and I did have his memory in mind when i did the recording of Congobel pt 2. final mastering was done by piano player/engineer Julio Jauregui here in Seattle...i would recommend him for any mixing or mastering..."JC" Johnny Conga

My New Cd is now restocked at http://cdbaby.com/cd/congajohnny You can now recieve a physical CD if u dont want the MP3's. I appreciate any support from my fellow members here at Congaplace.com Thank you!.... "JC" Johnny Conga

PS I am looking for reviews of my Cd as well...

JOHNNY CONGA AND CARIBE
Breaking Skin / Rompiendo El Cuero


EditorsPick: If you missed this recording the first time it was issued in the 90s, here’s your chance to check it out, remastered, and with some new cuts thrown in for good measure. The core of this CD is a swinging, danceable Latin jazz album with lots of tasty ritmos and satisfying solos, and it still sounds fresh today. Johnny Conga grew up in the Bronx in the 60s and 70s, playing with the likes of Phil Diaz and the Latin Jazz Sextet, Gil Suarez and his Hi-Latins, La Conspiración, and the Latinaires. He has worked with an array of talents like Gloria Gaynor, Charlie Palmieri, Willie Colon, Johnny Colon, Joe Bataan, Frankie Ruiz, The Jackson 5, Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, and El Chicano, and this impressive track record shows on Breaking Skin. His true calling seems to be hot Latin jazz on the one hand, and the essential Afro-Caribbean rhythms that underpin everything from Santería to samba on the other. This CD has a lot to offer – from in-the-pocket instrumental mambo to hard-core folkloric conga workouts. The late great J.P. Torres, a hero of Cuban music, had his debut recording session with Johnny, and he blows fantastic solos on Siempre Me Va Bien and Mariel (watch out for the crazy percussion workout at the end). Mario “Del Barrio” Marrero does a nice job on piano, also making a groovy appearance on vibes for the mid-tempo instrumental dance number “JC’s” Revenge. Eddie “Gua-Gua” Rivera keeps things anchored in the bass seat, as well as furnishing Kathy’s Theme, a dance floor-friendly number with afro underpinnings. Afro-Dixie is a really cool left-field afro-funk number with scratchy guitar.
Highly recommended. [Pablo Yglesias]

JohnnyConga wrote:Hi guys...this is my LAST PITCH to sell my CD....over 300 of you have viewed my posts about my CD...I would hope that some of you would purchase it...it doesnt cost a lot of money to purchase...and after waiting so long for something from me, I was hoping the response here would have been better,and Im a bit dissapointed. YOu can get it at for the most reasonable price at http://digstation.com/JohnnyConga or at http://cdbaby.com/cd/congajohnny, if you want a "physical copy" of the CD they are in stock...Im surprised actually at the lack of support after all these years of me giving here at this site...I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for purchasing my CD...."JC" Johnny Conga

Hey JC,
do not worry, as the times they are a-changing, and not many out there are prone to buy CDs.
I have bought the mp3-version myself - and I am really knocked sideways by this incredible album! - for the sole reason that shipping to Alemania would have been a rather pricey thing for me. Probably some other fellas here have had the same motivation. Otherwise the price is without a doubt more than reasonable, U are right!

As to lack of support: I LOVE this site, but I understand you that support, advice or exchange of ideas on a non-materialistic basis has declined recently. In some matters though, this place here is teeming with ideas and quickest responses.
The mp3s are spinning very often in my computer while i am doing the petty organisation stuff that is part of my work - and I feel enlightened by the music
as it takes me away from the dull grounds of labor to ethereal heights
Honestly, ever since I have been a member of this brilliant site, i have always loved and appreciated your comments and tips. Now I equally enjoy your music, thanks!

Hearty greetings across the puddle!
-Mike

over 300 of you have viewed my posts about my CD

Not exactly. The views of the thread only mean the thread has been opened that many times, not that 300 members have necessarilly viewed it.
Having said that, the site and our forums are viewable even if you are not a member of the forum. The forum has thousands of "hits"/views from all over the globe which are people & also spam accounts which are not even joined or members to this site.
One person may have checked the thread 10 times, multiply that by 30 people, thats 300 views. Many people check the forums using the "view new posts/view active topics"
Each time there is a new reply on a thread, someone may check that reply , and that is even more views....
Please dont feel disheartened by the amount of views, it really means nothing.

Re the purchasing, bro you know my situation after our chat the other day, after being let go from my day job, gigs are the only income I am getting and with all my expenses and bank loan repayments I cant afford to have any additional, in fact NIL purchases or expenses deemed 'non necessary'. No disrespect to you, your craft or your project.

Im sure there are many people out there in a similar position and as much as would like to purchase, simply cannot afford it, no matter how cheap it may be.

Ive also contributed much help and knowledge to the forum, not to mention administered it and moderated it for 6 years, never expecting a cent for it.

I can understand your dissapointment in relation to sales of your cd, I just hope you can try and see the greater picture, that maybe not everyone can afford it?
At worst, maybe some people dont dig it?

I aint one of those though! What Ive heard over the years this project has been in the making, Ive liked very very much and highly reccomend it to anyone who see's this..


Marcelo.

Amazon.com has the MP3 album for $8.99... a dollar cheaper than the Digstation site. I'll assume the dollar comes out of Amazon's pocket and not Johnny's.

http://tinyurl.com/qtt8ft Single tracks for 99¢

I downloaded it Thursday and I like it a lot, the two "Conga Solos" are amazing. Also, I swear that's really Gato Barbieri on Caribe Madness.

I'm not smart enough to write a decent review but most of the songs will get 4 and 5 stars in my iTunes playlist.

Thanks JC.