congaplace.com

Posted: **Wed May 30, 2007 3:56 am**

Just surfing around the 'net, I found a page on this guy. I don't think there's much known about him??

http://www.hipwax.com/sabu/index.html

Posted: **Wed May 30, 2007 4:40 am**

What do you want to know About Sabu Martinez?..."JC" Johnny Conga...

Posted: **Wed May 30, 2007 4:42 am**

I forget that a lot of you guys are young,and haven't been around that long to know about certain musicians from the past....but I have the scoop on most of them..either from knowing them personally or was around during their time..."JC" Johnny Conga...

Posted: **Wed May 30, 2007 7:14 am**

From what I remember of Sabu's playing (on recordings only) he had an incredible feel and something special in his playing, especially his solos. That's my recollection anyway.
cheers
Pavlo

Posted: **Wed May 30, 2007 12:17 pm**

Here is a link to some of his recordings inc some preamble on his bio:
http://www.dustygroove.com/browse.....artinez

There is nothing on Amazon to hear a sample, but if you search 'sabu' on itunes, tracks from Palo Congo come up.
Also a Latin Jazz track redone by snowboy

Edited By Derbeno on 1180527515

Posted: **Wed May 30, 2007 1:09 pm**

Saludos Hermanos

here some samples audio tracks of his recordings. the albums with the album cover are the one's with the sample tracks.
http://artistdirect.com/nad....artinez

enjoy

Oz

Posted: **Wed May 30, 2007 8:05 pm**

I have Sabu's "Demo" records he made in NYcity back in 1961 and 13 more recordings by him...He was "lefty" he was a "showman" on congas, doing all kinds of physical things while playing....unfortunatly history says that the money he made from the recording of "Palo Congo" on Blue Note records, with Arsenio Rodriguez, Ray Baretto, LIL Ray and others, he took and bought drugs with it ...It wasn't long before he "Had" to leave the US and moved to Sweden . Once again alcohol came into play over there and it wasn't long before he passed.. I believe he had 6 kids....one of them does play....Sabu's BEST recording is the one he did on Alegre records,which is available....he was a strong player...and it shows in his recordings..."JC" Johnny Conga....

Posted: **Fri Jun 01, 2007 2:37 pm**

I've actually been listening to Palo Congo for the last few weeks. Definately a unique player and great album... I was thinking about Sabu while reading a recent thread about speed playing and chops in regards to a recent concert someone saw that illicited some negative reaction.

Sabu's solo style is very much the opposite of someone like Giovanni. He's got a distincly African feel in his soloing. Very phrase and feel oriented around the music. A real traditional folk style I think as you hear in his rendition of Aggo Elegua. Also, he displays a wide range of styles from Afro-Cuban, to Son, to Plena (Chauferito) while maintaining a unique voice on the congas.

Originally I didn't "get" this album. I think it was reccomended to me by an experienced player when I first started becoming interested in Afro-Cuban music. I thought the recording quality was bad and it was boring, but I obviously hadn't developed an ear for the music at that point because since then it has become one of my go-to albums for inspiration. Glad to see it brought up here.

Peace!