Who can learn to play congas?

[Anonimo]

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[bongosnotbombs]

Here are two great columbia dancers, Pupy Insua

Pupy was here in SF a while back. I remember playing rumba with him, columbia and guaguanco. Very nice man and an excellent dancer.

[yambu321]

PLAY WHATEVER YOU WANT.
PLAY IT AT ANY AGE.
PLAY IT FROM THE HEART.

GOOD OR BAD ABLILITY'S?
EARLY, OR LATE IN LIFE?
WHO REALLY CARES?

WE ALL PLAY, OR WHATEVER FOR OURSELVES.
OUR OWN FEEL GOOD.
OUR OWN JOURNEY.

IT'S ALL GOOD.

CHARLIE.

[TONE74]

Your last paragraph sounded like you were dissing Cubans maybe I miss understood.
That huge throw down is not what I'm talking about.
I know Japan has a salsa scene
I know Cuban can be classified as Latin but when Cuban is the only thing played I think it should be called what it is.

[niallgregory]

Your last paragraph sounded like you were dissing Cubans maybe I miss understood.
That huge throw down is not what I'm talking about.
I know Japan has a salsa scene
I know Cuban can be classified as Latin but when Cuban is the only thing played I think it should be called what it is.

It is an indisputable fact that when people say Latin music they are nearly always referring to Cuban music , or in a jazz context it could be Brazilian also . There is no one can deny the massive influence of cuban music on practically all music the gets called " Latin " . All of the updated forms of popular music in puerto rico , colombia , dominican republic etc have huge cuban influences from the piano to the horns etc .

[Anonimo]

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[pcastag]

The small conjunto music is alive and well in Cuba, because of the state sponsered musical groups there is live music EVERYWHERE! Even en las playas del este I saw three groups, they travel with bongo on a stand , upright bass, tres, maracas maybe guitar even one group with an accordeon. In the clubs you will see a great variety from vocal sampling to the best Timba bands. The last time I went I got very angry, they would not let me enter the club without a "date", beng that I am a married man and only travel to cuba to study I was very frustrated, que es lo que quieres, que me busca una jinitera para entrar? Incredible, it's really bad with the prostitution over there, I could not go to see live music without being bothered by 4-5 girls beautful girls, so sad, "Veniste solo senor? Quieres copania?" Te voy a decir, te lo compro una cerveza pa que me deja en paz! But really, live music is doing fine in cuba, both traditional and modern.
PC

[Quinto Governor II]

Leedy, I went through all my Celeste Mendoza recordings and could not find one columbia. I have never heard La Reina del Guaguanco sing columbia, but then I have only heard her recordings and never live. Have you heard her sing a columbia live, or do you know a recording of her singing columbia? I would love to hear it. Crazy as she was, she was a monster singing guaguanco.

QGII, I did not say women can't sing columbia. There are very few people in the world who can sing or dance columbia and almost all of them are men. My speculation on why that observation is true is that columbia has traditionally been a men's dance, heavily influenced by Abakua. There have been a few women who have broken this traditional barrier, and I was saying that breaking those barriers is a good thing, not that it can't be done.

Here are two great columbia dancers, Pupy Insua and his son Stevie Insua. Stevie was playing quinto, dancing and singing with us at the Brecht Forum rumba last Sunday and will be back next Sunday Dec 26. Un rumbero completo. Leedy, you should postpone your other commitment and come play with us. Stevie is here from Italy and I don't know how long he will be staying. I promise you we will both learn something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH6muoChmpI&feature=related

http://newyork.going.com/event-868180;Afro-Latino_Cafe_w_Special_Guest_Stevie_Insua?src=v_wpe_nyc_868180_1aik6o79mw4k0#profile_events_portlet"><img%20src="http://newyork.going.com/badges/event-868180;Afro-Latino_Cafe_w_Special_Guest_Stevie_Insua/src-v_wpe_nyc_868180_1aik6o79mw4k0/style-1/show_flyer-1/format-img/badge.jpg

Sorry jorge, when you said only a few woman can sing columbia, I interpreted it as meaning they don't have the ability to do it, as opposed to not being allowed to do it. Here are a couple of videos I found. One of a women dancing columbia and another of one singing a columbia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXPOwPmas-c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_PKHeop8CA

[TONE74]

Ok Leedy! No hay lio entonces. Es que cuando a uno le tiran, la sangre se calienta je jee.

[Anonimo]

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[jorge]

QGII thanks, that is a nice video of Marta Galarraga singing a columbia. I had never seen it.
Leedy, I have 1 vinyl LP called Celeste Mendoza La Reina del Guaguanco, with los Papines and Mongo on the cover with her, and there is no columbia on that. On the 2 CDs I have with Celeste Mendoza there are also no columbias. Do you know the name of the LP with Los Papines and Celeste Mendoza singing columbia? Also I have a few albums of Conjunto Guaguanco Matancero but none of them have Celeste Mendoza singing with them. Do you know which album that was?
I have a CD of Teresita Dome Perez, daughter of Dolores Perez of Afrocuba where Teresita sings a columbia. Not the greatest drumming but the singing is nice. I heard she became an evangelist Christian and quit singing Afrocuban music.
I remember hearing the late Amelita Pedroso sing a columbia but I don't remember where or whether it was recorded or live.
Susan Rapalee, who sings with Oyu Oro, the Afrocuban folkloric group in NYC led by Danys Perez "La Mora", can sing columbia too.
So there are a few women who break the mold and sing columbia, I think that is great. Not that women can't or are prohibited, it is just very unusual, but also very inspiring.

[Anonimo]

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[jorge]

Thanks, Leedy. Good to know for future reference that Celeste Mendoza also sang columbias. Felicidades.

[Wronguero]

Interesting disscussion!

I beleive we all have our physical limits, even giovanni etc.. Yet being a musician is as much about intellect as it is technique, in fact moreso. There are standards of technique which need to be earned over time but this cannot be defined as we are all different.

I imagine someone who applies themselves and has access to great source material and instruction, who is respectful of the tradition, focused and open minded can easily equal those born with a supposed gift or raised in cultures associated with the music. Indeed freedom from dogma and inhibition may accelerate learning. I don't want to sound provocative as I'm new here but we all know and respect what and where these drums come from but nobody owns the concept of drumming and no-one know's where it's going.

[Wronguero]

Interesting disscussion!

I beleive we all have our physical limits, even giovanni etc.. Yet being a musician is as much about intellect as it is technique, in fact moreso. There are standards of technique which need to be earned over time but this cannot be defined as we are all different.

I imagine someone who applies themselves and has access to great source material and instruction, who is respectful of the tradition, focused and open minded can easily equal those born with a supposed gift or raised in cultures associated with the music. Indeed freedom from dogma and inhibition may accelerate learning. I don't want to sound provocative as I'm new here but we all know and respect what and where these drums come from but nobody owns the concept of drumming and no-one know's where it's going.