Write up by Arturo Gomez KUVO-Denver Colorado

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Write up by Arturo Gomez KUVO-Denver Colorado

Postby JohnnyConga » Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:08 pm

Arturo Gomez
Jazz Appreciation Month
Day 21
Continuing our tributes to the women and men of jazz born in, raised in or connected to Da Bronx!

One of the many unsung music heroes of the Bronx is Johnny Conga, although he was born in Brooklyn, Johnny is the Bronx personified! John’s dad was Cuban and his mother Italian, his given surname is Trevisano. As a child he moved to the Bronx and grew up in the Marble Hill Projects attending PS 122 on Bailey Ave, PS 143-John Peter Tetard Junior High, and graduated from De Witt Clinton H.S.. Johnny was attracted to music as an adolescent and by 14 was playing congas. When he was still a student at De Witt, he began playing in bands. While in high school Mr. Conga got to play at the 1964 NY World’s Fair for Olatunji's Drummers and Dancers at the African Pavilion. Every weekend Johnny could be found at the People’s Park or Mullaly Park and during the summer he would be in Section One at Orchard Beach being a part of the jam sessions. His first gig as a pro musician was with the Joe Panama Band, from there he played with many prominent 1960s groups such as The Latinaires, Phil Diaz’s Latin Jazz Ensemble, Gil Suarez and others until 1968 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Upon completion of his tour of duty, Johnny worked at Lincoln Hospital South Bronx-Dept. of Psychiatry as a mental health worker, the Bronx State Hospital and other mental and drug counseling institutions. At night and on weekends during the mid-1970s, Johnny became one of the founding members of the Latin Rock band "Rosetta Stone", then joined "Fessor Funk & the Queens 8th St. Funk Band" from Queens, NY. They were the opening act for Graham Central Station and Miles’ wife, Betty Davis’ funk band. This exposure led to Johnny being asked to go on the road with Gloria Gaynor, he traveled the world for 3 years behind the “Queen of Disco” often playing to crowds of upwards of 80,000 people. After that Johnny’s dream he had when he was only 15 came to fruition. In 1976 he was asked to play with the Sergio Mendes Brasil 77 band, by Sergio Mendes himself.

Upon completing his tour in the late 1970s with Sergio Mendes, Johnny settled in Los Angeles and began his career as a public radio broadcaster at Loyola’s KXLU all the while maintaining his busy schedule playing, touring and recording with several bands covering many different styles of music. Yet, somehow he found time to further his education attending L A Community College and the Columbia School of Broadcasting. In the mid-1980s Conga moved to Miami, began playing vibraphone, played with many bands, and made his debut recording as a leader of his Caribe group, “Roots of Rhythm” which I had the enormous honor of writing the liner notes for. In addition to continuing his performing, Johnny was also a radio host for Fusión Latina at WDNA, Miami and an instructor at various schools. Looking for a change of scenery, Johnny and his wife moved to Seattle in 2002 where Johnny became an Adjunct Lecturer at Shoreline Community College, a substitute teacher at Cornish College of the Arts and at "Music Works-Northwest". He was able to resume his public broadcasting trajectory at Seattle’s KBCS, hosting a very popular Latin music show and as always playing, touring and recording his 3rd CD as a leader, “Oyé!” In 2013, Mr. and Mrs. Conga returned to Miami where Johnny went right back to a busy schedule as a musician, educator and broadcaster. He’s been playing for more than 50 years, he has been a part of more than 152 bands covering virtually the entire spectrum of music,(from Carlos Santana to Eddie Palmieri) he has participated in over 200 recordings and has been on 17 world tours to over 50 nations. With his vast accumulated experience and knowledge, Johnny Conga assures us that the best is yet to come!

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Re: Write up by Arturo Gomez KUVO-Denver Colorado

Postby yojavi » Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:18 pm

Congratulations Johnny. Nice write up. Bien Hecho!
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Re: Write up by Arturo Gomez KUVO-Denver Colorado

Postby windhorse » Sat Nov 15, 2014 4:10 pm

Very Cool Johnny!
Still listen to Breaking Skin often in my car.. Thanks for all you do!
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