congaplace.com

Posted: **Thu Oct 03, 2002 6:19 pm**

How many of you out there know about Candido Camero? "The man with a thousand fingers". He got that name by the way he plays the bongo. Listen to him on his first recording with the Billy Taylor trio 1952,which is available today on CD. Also the most rare of Albums by him (which i happen to have a copy of) is "CongaSoul" on the old Roulette label. Also Lalo Shifrin is on piano. Another one I would recommend is Tony Bennett "Live" at Carnegie Hall -1962- with Candido taking a phenominal one drum conga solo that drives the audience wild.,and makeS you ask the question"how does he do that?" Candido in his 70's and still playing. One of the true "Conga Kings".......At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA.....

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2002 1:06 pm**

Those recordings sound great. I have a re-issue of 'Drum Fever', from 1973 - nice stuff, simple 60s-sounding funk grooves with heavy bongo and conga. Candido appears on the cover bare-chested, looking like a Shaolin monk, with ceremonial-looking jewellry. Didn't he originate/popularise the bongos between legs, conga either side approach?

Simon B

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2002 4:02 pm**

Hi that album Drum Fever was produced by my old buddy Louis Small whose band "The Latinaires" i used to play in ,in the late 60's early 70's. It really isn't one of Candidos better ones,too discoey. CAndido recorded about 15 albums under his own name,which are rare today,as rare as the Sabu Martinez albums,which i have about 13 of. I would say yes to the fact that Candido did play with one conga to his left side while he played bongos,I know this cause I seen him do it backin the late 50's on Television. He was very good at combining the both in a solo context. The man with a thousand fingers Rule! He is also on the Tico All Stars recordings as well as the "Descarga" recordings at the village Gate in NYC early 70's...At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA...

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2002 4:42 pm**

Hola Johnny Conga, hope all is well! What about Candido's "Brujerias", is this a good one to pick up?

Saludos, Jorge Ginorio

http://www.rhythmweb.com/jorge

Edited By tamboricua on Oct. 04 2002 at 19:20

Posted: **Thu Oct 10, 2002 1:26 am**

yA KNOW U MAY HAVE STUMPED ME ON THAT ONE "Brujerias"..Can u describe the cover to me. My collection is still at my home in Miami,and I don't remember the cover,if you can tell me what is on the cover I can tell u if it's a good one or not. Some of his albums weren't "all that". My favorite is still "CongaSoul",if u can find it. Was"Brujerias " done on Alegre or Liberty records? ....At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA...

Posted: **Thu Oct 10, 2002 3:51 pm**

Hola Johnny, hope all is well! It is on Tico Records. The cover shows a double shot of Candido somewhere in a live performance. In one side of the shot he is playing bongó and in the other side of the shot he is playing congas. "Brujerías de Candido" or "MacCuffa's Dust".

Saludos, Jorge Ginorio

http://www.rhythmweb.com/jorge

Posted: **Thu Oct 10, 2002 9:26 pm**

Ok yea I have that on Cd it is a good album by him. The shot of him was taken from Tico records Live at the Village Gate. He's playing with a big band. He takes some good solos too. He tried to do it the Mongo way but he didn't have a Marty Sheller doing the arrrangements for him, and he is not known as a composer like Mongo is. So sombody picked his music for him. Okay!.....At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA...

Posted: **Thu Oct 10, 2002 9:27 pm**

PS....Tito Puente is also on the album...JC

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2002 3:14 pm**

Johnny, muchas gracias!

Saludos, Jorge Ginorio

http://www.rhythmweb.com/jorge

Posted: **Wed Oct 23, 2002 9:21 pm**

Do you know where I can get a hold of those albums or cd's?
Do you have specific sources I can refer to obtain those rare finds?

Posted: **Wed Oct 23, 2002 10:00 pm**

http://www.dustygrooves.com is a good place for classic Latin records and CDs in my experience.

Simon B

Posted: **Wed Oct 23, 2002 10:27 pm**

twigg wrote:Do you know where I can get a hold of those albums or cd's?
Do you have specific sources I can refer to obtain those rare finds?

Try descarga.com!

Saludos, Jorge Ginorio

http://www.rhythmweb.com/jorge

Posted: **Tue Oct 29, 2002 4:10 pm**

Wow, ...
I had never heard of Candido, til I got a Bobby Sanabria tape, 'Fundementos 2"? for 2 and 3 drums. He enterviews Candido and they play a song written for Candido by Dizzie Gillespie? He is old in the tape, His hands fly and he gets sounds and strokes with his whole hand using his fingers. He makes it look so simple. It is like watching a hummingbird fly. I have watched the tape many times and each time I become aware of how difficult the technique he is doing but he makes it look so easy and effortless. I highly recommend the tape to anyone who is learning to play congas. It inspired me.

congabebe