zaragemca's bongos,congas timbal and Bata.

[zaragemca]

This is a vintage historical of the development of Afro cuban percussion,not every name but mayor developments.The first musician integrating afrocuban percussion in to general music was from Louisiana,Louis Moreau Gottschalk (from 1854 -1862) when visiting that country...From 1908-1910, one of the first bongocero playing and recording in Cuba was Alfredo Bolona with the 'Catalina Cuarteto'...Through 1911, Joaquin Velazco is the bongocero with the 'Quinteto Tipico'...In 1913, Luciano Herrera is the bongocero with the 'Trio Los Soneros.'...Andres Sotolongo is the bongocero with 'Sexteto Habanero' in 1920...Antonio'menengue' Orta was the first percussioninst to introduce the 'Cencerro',(bells) as percussion instrument in a musical group in 1923,when playing with Calixto Allende's Orchestra...In 1923 Also the Sexteto Bolona is formed(Jose Manuel'El chino'Incharte is the bongocero). to be continued.



Edited By zaragemca on 1101922003

[zaragemca]

In 1924 a great Timbalero Consejo Valiente Robles(Acerina) is creating furor in Mexico as Timbal player...Also in 1924,Manuel Sanchez(timbalero with Sonora Matancera) ,introduced the timbales in to the Sexteto-Conjunto format...In 1925 Agustin'manana' Gutierrez introduced the bongos in in NY., when visiting for the recording of the Sexteto Habanero...in 1926,Bongocero, Manuel Reinoso is recording in NY., with the Sexteto Occidente..Also in 1926 Sexteto Bolona introduced the bongos in Sur America(Venezuela,Colombia,etc) when touring with Manuel 'El chino' Incharte as bongocero...In 1927 Manuel 'El chino' Incharte is playing and recording in NY., again with Sexteto National(of Ignacio Pineiro). to be continued



Edited By zaragemca on 1097267070

[zaragemca]

In 1928 Sexteto Munamar introduced the 'Cencerro'(bells) in their musical group...In 1928 the group 'Son de Cuba'(Marianao) went to Veracruz(Mexico),with timbalero Salvador Duranones...Now, it is in 1927 that another great timbalero(Silvano'Chory' Shueg), arrived to Habana,from Santiago,( this is the 'Man' which Tito Puente would go to see when visiting Cuba...In 1929, the Sexteto National introduced the bongos in Spain(Seville),courtesy of Jose Manuel 'El chino' Incharte...Now, for all female percussionists,it is in 1929, that a female-timbalera is playing in Cuba, who was she ?, Irene Herrera Laferte,( with the Charanga Dona Irene)...Also in 1929 Timbalero, Domingo Becerra,incorporated for the first time the Danzonete in to the Charangas when playing with Aniceto Diaz's Orchestra...to be continued.Gerry Zaragemca.



Edited By zaragemca on 1101922455

[zaragemca]

continuation...By 1930 the bongos of Jose Socarras (Don Azpiazu's band), Alfredo Brito, and Manolo Castro orchestras are creating fire when visiting and playing in NY...Also Don Azpiazu is getting Paris on fire with the 'Peanut Vendor'(El Manicero)...By 1932, Emilio Barreto is playing in Paris' Melody's Bar with the bongocero Florentino Frontela(Emilio is relative of timbalero Guillermo Barreto)... Also,bongocero Eduardo'Jaruco' Vasquez is jamming with the Lecouna Cubans Boys in Paris...Also bongocero Mariano Gonzales is jamming in Paris with the Sexteto Cuba...in the 1930's Gilberto Valdez incorporated the 'bata' for Classical Music...In 1932, a female bongocera is playing with the Sexteto Anacaona(which have been directed by Alberto Socarras)...to be continue.



Edited By zaragemca on 1101922752

[zaragemca]

Continuation...Percussionists and drummer,Alberto Jimenez Rebollar which is one of the pioneers of jazz,is playing with Jose Antonio Curbelo in 1927 and Armando Romeu Orchestra (1n 1936),Mongo Santamaria replaced in the bongos his tutor, 'Clemente'Chicho' Piquero which was playing with Sexteto Bolona,....Sexteto AfroCuba of Santos Ramirez is the first incorporating the congas in to that format,Conjunto Casino de la playa is the first recording 'piano and tres',(courtesy of Arsenio Rodrigues which recorded with them before forming his own Conjunto, 1937-38),...Dr. Obdulio Morales founded the Folkloric Orchestra in Cuba,and playing his first work 'Batamu' in 1938,he is a member of the Society for AfroCuban Studies together with Dr. Fernando Ortiz, and having three Bata's players,(Jesus Perez,Trinidad Torregosa and Raul 'Nasaco' Diaz, playing with him....Cab Calloway became the first Afro-American Jazz Band to integrate afrocuban instruments when, Mario Bauza brought the bongocero Alejandro Rodriguez to play with the Band in the late 1930's. to be continued...Gerry Zaragemca.



Edited By zaragemca on 1100626007

[zaragemca]

In NY., in the late 1940's there were some timbaleros from Puerto Rico,..Humberto Morales,Willie Rodriguez,..bongocero 'Sabu' Martinez,etc.,the cuban timbalero Jose Montesinos was a teaching at that time in NY.(including the young Tito Puente), the bongocero'Chino Pozo'(relative of Chano Pozo) also moved to NY., in 1937...In Cuba there was a switch to conjunto from sexteto( at least by name),percussionists at that time were(among others)..bongocero Candido Requena,(Conjunto Kubavana),..bongocero Ramon Castro,( Conjunto Casino de la Playa),...the Valdez's Dynasty Oscar Valdez Sr. Congas-Bata and Marcelino Valdez bongos,(both of them related to Oscar Valdez Jr. of 'Irakere Band')...drummer-percussionist Guillermo Barreto,( Obdulio Morales Orchestra),..Jose luis Gonzales is playing bongos and timbales with (Conjunto Gloria Matancera),...bongocero Guillermo Romero(Conjunto Casino),...Tata Guines and Mongo Santamaria (Conjunto Camacho),...Jose Rosario'manteca' Chavez (Conjunto Sonora Matancera),etc...In 1939, the show 'Congo Pantera' put together Chano Pozo,Mongo Santamaria,Patato Valdez Silvestre Mendez as pecussionists...to be continue.



Edited By zaragemca on 1101923588

[zaragemca]

The development of percussionist playing afrocuban instruments in the Caribbean and South America are closed related with the tour performed by Trio Matamoros in 1934 and Orchestra Casino de la Playa around 1938( even when in fact radio was available in Cuba since 1922 where people of differents countries could listen to the music),in the 1940 'Antonin'Papakila' Suarez' and 'Filiberto Sanchez' are bongoceros for (Conjunto Azul) and (Carabina de Ases),also 'Papakila' joined the Arsenio Rodriguez Conjunto with Arsenio's brother 'quike' playing congas... timbalero 'Ulpiano Diaz' is playing with (Antonio Arcanio Orchestra),...timbalero 'Augusto Barcia' is with (Orchestra America),..'Orestes Varona' is the timbalero for (Orchestra Aragon),...'R. Palau' is playing bongos with (Orchestra Hermanos Palau)...1941, bongoceros 'Chino Pozo' and Manuel Mangual Sr., are playing with (Machito's Band),...also 'Tito Puente','Tony Escolies' and later 'Ubaldo Nieto' are playing timbales with (Machito's Band)..to be continued.Gerry Zaragemca



Edited By zaragemca on 1097766041

[zaragemca]

Continuation...congero Carlos Vidal Bolado is also playing with Machito's Band...In 1941,Machito's Band became the first in integrating together,(conga,bongos and timbales)... In 1942,bongocero, 'Marcelo Gonzalez' and congero 'Oscar Valdez Sr',(father of Oscar Valdez Jr.'Irakere'),are playing with Julio Cuevas' Orquestra....In the 1940's Rafeal Hernandez of Puerto Rico was playing with his Conjunto Victoria,(after spending some years in Cuba),..also Rafael Cortijo(one of the pioneers of the afrocuban percussion in Puerto Rico) is playing with bands...By mid to late 1940's the second assault of Mexico (by cuban percussionists) is taking place with Agustin Gutierrez,(Conjunto Matamoros),...Clemente'Chicho' Piquero,(Perez Prado's Orchestra),..Modesto Duran,(Perez Prado's Orchestra),also timbalero Aurelio Tamayo,...also Mongo Santamaria, Armando Peraza, Silvestre Mendez,Tabaquito,etc., are traveling to Mexico...In 1948, a 'Bata' drum is used in the show,'Las Mulatas de Fuego', which also went to Mexico,and New York...to be continued



Edited By zaragemca on 1141941608

[zaragemca]

In Cuba in the mid 1940's Armando Peraza is playing with (Conjunto Kubavana),also 'Patato' Valdez is with 'Kubavana', (Sonora Matancera),for short period and later (Conjunto Casino) as congero, with Guillermo Romero as bongo player(Conjunto Casino),...Pedro Soroe-congas and Braudilio Carbonell-bongos are with (Orchestra Riverside),...Orchestra Casino de la Playa is using a lot of percussionists(replacing them), Luis Figueroa,Libertad Usera,Robert Fuentes, Gabriel Gonzales, are drummers/ or timbaleros,..Pedro Allende,Efrain Vaz,Raul de la Rosa and Carlos Vidal Bolado are congeros,...in 1940's,Diego Iborra and Guillermo Romero are the first percussionists playing conga and bongos with Dizzy Guillespie's in NY....In 1947, Obdulio Morales recorded the first collection of Yorubas' song in Cuba,(Panart-Studios)....Justi Barreto is playing bongos with (Casino de la Playa)...Chano Pozo(after recordig with Miguelito Valdez in Cuba) is in NY., for the historic recording with Dizzy Guillespie's...Bongocero Orlando'Chicuelo' Guzman is playing with (Conjunto Casino)...Candido Camero swithed to bongos and congas...'Manzano' is the drummer and Oscar Valdez Jr., is the timbalero for(CMQ's Orchestra)....In the 1950's the great NY., coreographer, Katherine Dunham, (after visiting Cuba),recruited Gilberto Valdez as music director of her African American Ballet and Jullito Collazo and Francisco Aguabella as percussionists. to be continued...



Edited By zaragemca on 1101923065

[JohnnyConga]

I would just like to add that Patato and one of my first teachers, George "Sabu" Caldwell the 3rd, toured with Katherine Dunham at that time with Julito and Fransisco....as told to me by George back in 1967, when I studied "rhythmic styles" with him.......Great history!....."JC" Johnny Conga.....

[zaragemca]

Saludos brother JC, as always welcome for any intervantion,I have not been able to find the relationship,but if you have more information about it(in relation ot time,where,etc.),come forward,this is the standart I used becouse since through my research I have cleared some information in relation of who did what 'first' and who was 'what'.



Edited By zaragemca on 1101747735

[JohnnyConga]

My ex-teacher and friend George "Sabu" Caldwell, was not known in Latin drumming circles, he was known in the Black Jazz circles of Harlem. I have one album with his photo on it when he recorded "One night in Washington DC-1954" with Dizzy Gillespies big band. The time he traveled with Katherine Dunham was in the late 50's. He told me about the drum and dance company. From there he went on to perform and record with Olatunji' Drummers and Dancers. I saw him for the last time around 1972-4, jamming on a bench by himself in Central park with a bag of homemade flutes, he also played Classical guitar and was once a "Dance Musician" for the New York City Ballet, where I first met him through a girlfriend of mine who told me about him playing for her classes. He had jammed with all of the greats and had also known Chano Pozo. This is what I know of George "Sabu" Caldwell the 3rd. ..."JC" Johnny Conga.....

[zaragemca]

Continuation..During the 1950's percussionists from Puerto Rico,Mexico,Venezuela,Colombia,etc., started taking the afrocuban instruments by storm,some of the percussionists playing in the U.S. are among others,Luis Miranda,Ubaldo Nieto,Jose Mangual Sr., Michito Sanchez,Manny Oquendo,Frank Colon,Steve Berrios,Julito Collazo,Mongo Santamaria,Armando Peraza,Tony Escollies,Jose Montesino,'Chino' Pozo.Carlos Vidal,Patato Valdez,Willie Bobo,Ismael Quintana,Silvestre Mendez,Ignacio Reyes,Candido Camero,Pete Terrace,Bobby Flash,Luis 'puntillita' Kant,Pedro'Pulidor' Allende,Reinaldo Rodrigues,Monchito Munoz,Willie Rosario,Justi Barreto,Virgilio Marti,Armando Albertini,Ray Barreto,Tito Puente,Modesto Duran,Francisco Aguabella,'Bilingue' Ayala,Aurelio Tamayo,Jack Constanzo,etc...Now in relation to percussion structures... IN 1938,Obdulio Morales set up a percussion ensemble with Bata,Conga, and bongos for his 'Batamu' show,then in 1949,and 1952,with the help of Guillermo Barreto(which played with Obdulio Morales),the congero 'Manzano' and Rolando Alfonso,Bebo Valdez created his 'Batacum' and 'Batanga' ensembles(Bata,Conga,and drums),this was the foundation for the creation of the 'Bata Rumba' and the 'Mozambique' by Pedro'El Afrocan' Izquierdo, also the foundation for creation of the 'Songo' by Jose Luis 'Changuito' with 'Los Van Van' and ultimate the foundation for setting of the great ensemble for the 'Irakere Group' with Oscar Valdez Jr.,(Batas),Carlos 'El nino' Alfonso (congas) and Enrique Pla(drums). to be continued.



Edited By zaragemca on 1101327886

[zaragemca]

In Cuba in the 50's,Bebo Valdez is forming some bands and using,Giraldo,Candido Camero,Tibo,Tata-Guines,and Rolando Alfonso as congeros,Guillermo Barreto(drums/timbal),Trinidad Torregosa(Batalero)...Rolando LaSerie(drum/timbal),Clemento 'Chicho' Piquero(bongos),and 'Tabaquito'(Congas) are playing with Benny More's Orchestra,also later,Jesus Gonzales(drummer),and Jesus Lopez(conga)...Chucho Esquijarrosa(timbales),Oscar Valdez,and Marcelino Valdez(percussion),and Walfredo de los Reyes Jr., are playing with Julio Gutierres Band...Tata-Guines(conga),Guillermo Barreto(drums/timbales),Rogelio'Yeyito' Iglesias are jamming with Cachao Lopez...Timbalero,Elio Reve is playing with his Conjunto...Barbaro 'Jabuco' Vidal(congas) and Orlando 'Chicuelo' Guzman are playing with 'Conjunto Casino'...One of the first Folkloric groups was 'Lulu Yonkori' of Alberto Zayas with Carlos Embale and Roberto Maza,this preceded, 'Los Munequitos de Matanzas'(percussionists,Ernesto Torriente,Esteban Bacallao,Angel Pellado,Gregorio 'Goyo' Diaz) which was formed later, 'Los Papines'(Abreu's brothes),AfroCuba, 'Yoruba Andabo',etc...Others Guaguanco-Groups in La Habana were,'The Paso Franco','Los Roncos','The Jesuits',etc...to be continued.



Edited By zaragemca on 1141940727

[untaltumbador]

Zaragemca

In my opinion, you have laid down a chronologically beautiful history of Cuban percussionist legacy to the world. So it was Machito who united the congas and the bongoncero . A.Rodriguez’s Tumba y Bongo composition talks about how profound this change was.

Thank you