Must see Afro Cuban Video - Kid on 5 drums ...Awesome

[burke]

I'm failed actor who 12 years ago got a museum gig and never looked back - currently Site Manager for two Mill Museums in Nova Scotia (a steam mill and a grist mill). Played with garage bands all along - now sit in on the odd jazz gig - and irish sessions on bodhran.

[Bachikaze]

If Cuba really is the "land of a thousand drummers" that they have another problem. If one drummer will do a gig for $300, the one next door will do it for $250.

Gigging for your livelihood might seem fun, but I knew someone who did it. The necessity to make money by playing took all the fun of it for him. He doesn't have the same enthusiasm he once had for playing music.

[JohnnyConga]

Bachikaze that scenario does not exist in Cuba...YOU dont dictate what u make Castro dictates what u make, if u make anything at all as a Class B or C musician in Cuba. . .

TumbaTimba. . . the music scene here in america is "saturated" now with percussionists all vying for the same work, and once again it's about WHO you know and not what u may know. . . .I believe there is Less work today for percussionists...I have to constantly create jobs for myself and not depend on people to put money in my pocket. . .plus at my age I dont think I m gonna get a call for a road tour with Britny Spears or Justin Timberlake. . .those gigs are taken...hahahaha. . .Johnny Conga

[pavloconga]

Kind of an interesting thread development here... Aside from JC and Abakua and the other solidly booked playing pros on the forum, what do the rest of you guys do to make a living? I and my wife have our own video communications company (for the past 20 years) and write, produce, direct. corporate and commercial film and video. And occasionally, I'm a sub teach-assistant at a county school specializing in students with emotional/autistic/learning disability problems.

Hi CT,
I've got 3 careers going on at the same time:
1. Percussionist/educator which includes: gigs, teaching, doing school performances and workshops.

2. Graphic designer, an area I've worked in for about 15 years - I've scaled it back to part time and work mainly for advertising agencies on an on-call basis.

3. I help teach an art class 1 day per week for young adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.

It all keeps me busy enough and interested!

[congamyk]

A lot of good comments here, all sparked by the video. I agree with the earlier comment that the sound of this video is indeed amazing. All of those people singing along and dancing yet the sound is clear.

I gig 3 times a week but I still have to keep my sales job during the day. Like JC said, no one is hiring percussionists. I had to form my own trio and market it. In addition, I sing and play sax so that helps.

Now back to this teenager that is selling plumbing supplies; does he know how to play other styles besides folkloric? Folkloric music is everywhere in Cuba and so the market is saturated, it would seem that any musician would have to learn many genres. I ask because our local maestro from Havana cannot play other styles. He once played with a local salsa band but he would become bored easily and loose the rhythm. The guy is a musical genius but he really doesn't care to play anything other than folkloric.

[Diceman]

Pilgrims

I guess the old addage still stands--'dont give up your day job'

I too have a 'day job' and estate manage 70 leisure centres in various parts of England and one in Scotland. Fortunately I can arrange to be in a part of England that coincides with any gigs outside of London, so I can still combine the two, although most of my gigs are in London.

I also teach saxophone and percussion at the weekends for pocket money.

I was a full time musician back in the day, but even though we were gigging pretty constantly and had a record deal and 'albums' out, it wasnt enough to keep a growing family, and even though I was trying the 'hungry musician' route, it wasnt fair on them. Now I have the best of both worlds.

I admire full time musicians having been one myself, but they sure as hell need a very understanding partner.

My two bits

Suave

[CongaTick]

Great insights into the 'day job' culture most of us need. Have to agree with JC that local scenes are overwhelmed with percussionists. Seems like anybody who can slap a djembe (without any formal instruction) is out there tippy-tap accompanying singer/songwriters, etc. Thanks all for personal day-job info. Gives another dimension to the forummers I've gotten to "meet" here.

[burke]

and sometimes the singer/songwriters want that tippy-tap crap sound!

I was working with one and I was offering up a variety of choices for a tune she wrote - none of which seemed to be floating her boat. So she asked if she could try and show me what she had in mind. guess what it was?
tippy-tap tippy-tap tippy-tap tip.
The kind stuff that any be- dredded, 15 year old, drum circle stoned kid would do.

I guess percussion sometimes suffers the same fate as the haronica - folks hear Bob and Alanis sucking and blowing one of those things and think thats the sound they want - not Sonny Terry.

[Bachikaze]

For a musical medium that is supposed to be so "primal", it's funny the degree of illiteracy there is in the general public, and even other musicians, about drumming and percussion. They might know good percussion when they hear it, but they don't know bad percussion when they hear it.



Edited By Bachikaze on 1197306759

[guarachon63]

there are a few used copies of afrekete cd at amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Led-Jav....&sr=8-3

[CongaTick]

burke,

yep. been there many times, and i usually bow out pretty quickly. now, I state clearly, "If you want a tippy-tapper I'm not for you. If --on the other hand-- you want percussion/congas to infuse a solid, essential, rhythmic texture to supplement the instrumentation I'd be interested..."

bachikaze,

Actually tested that premise and found most do not know good percussion when they hear it.
With a band leader who essentially dissed my percussive role/participation after our first set, I played tippy-tap slightly off rhythmic stuff on part of second set, and he gave me a thumbs up, and the crowd loved it as much as the stuff I played in the first set. Go figure.

[Tonio]

Actually tested that premise and found most do not know good percussion when they hear it.
With a band leader who essentially dissed my percussive role/participation after our first set, I played tippy-tap slightly off rhythmic stuff on part of second set, and he gave me a thumbs up, and the crowd loved it as much as the stuff I played in the first set. Go figure.

so true,
IMO, it goes to "what fits with the tune". Songwriter types just need something to keep time in most cases.

As a supplemental ryhthm, it gets rather boring.

I tell em, Sorry I don't do kick/snare 2&4's. So you're not going to get 4 beats that you want.

Most do not know the role of percussion is. After all, we just bang on them bongos(refering to congas).

yeah right.

T

[bongosnotbombs]

JohnnyConga hinted at it in a previous post, but isn't Cuba a communist country?

I have never been, but don't people there have less freedom in choosing a profession?

I know I have heard rumors of people having enough education to be a doctor but are driving cabs, since with a free education system there are an abundance of educated people and not enough positions.

How much harder the situation must be to become a professional musician.

[JohnnyConga]

More times than not the Government in Cuba decides what you are to become by the time your 9 years old... The two BEST paying jobs in Cuba at this time is actually Cab drivers and Musicians....Castro has had to be more leniient in allowing musicians make their own money since the advent of Cuban musicians garnering Grammy''s(Buena Vista Social Club) and leaving the country....so to keep them inside Cuba and returning he is allowing them to make their own money and now also pays for recording sessions too. A "brain surgeon" makes about 30 dollars a month in Cuba.. . .a musician can make $150 in a day, and a Cab driver also. . .Johnny Conga. ..

[pavloconga]

and sometimes the singer/songwriters want that tippy-tap crap sound!

I was working with one and I was offering up a variety of choices for a tune she wrote - none of which seemed to be floating her boat. So she asked if she could try and show me what she had in mind. guess what it was?
tippy-tap tippy-tap tippy-tap tip.
The kind stuff that any be- dredded, 15 year old, drum circle stoned kid would do.

Ain't that the truth!

What's worse is when the public think that the 'tippy tap drummer' is a real pro or an authority in percussion. I know of a 'tippy tap drummer' here in australia who actually teaches drum workshops. Ughh!



Edited By pavloconga on 1197321051