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Anga and Cachaito.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01mkY6ST8Ys

I give my respects to Gio, Anga, and many others who technically can incorporate a clean and strong double stroke roll, 'cause I know first hand, how long that takes to achieve, same with independence.
If you play congas I call you a conga player, if you play bongoes..I call you a bongo player..etc..but if you play all of the above, plus drum set, pandeiro, tamborim,berimbau, surdo, quica, Djembe, cajon, caja, maracas and I mean play not play at..I call you a percussionist.
Peace
Olsongo

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OLSONGO wrote:If you play congas I call you a conga player, if you play bongoes..I call you a bongo player..etc..but if you play all of the above, plus drum set, pandeiro, tamborim,berimbau, surdo, quica, Djembe, cajon, caja, maracas and I mean play not play at..I call you a percussionist.
Peace Olsongo

I know back in home in Puerto Rico generally any body that plays either congas, bongos, timbales etc is called "percusionista".
Only requirement is to play one percussion instrument.

percussionist [pəˈkʌʃənɪst] (Music / Instruments) Music a person who plays any of several percussion instruments, esp in an orchestra

This thread has taken a different road from when it first started Lets get one thing straight , all the drummers mentioned are on top of there game when it comes to conga playing . As i stated earlier Giovanni is my all time favorite player , but not my favorite when it comes to his solo albums . I find his albums a little bland in comparison to the likes of Angas solo album which is found very refreshing and very modern in its approach , when it comes to solos both Anga and Gio are monsters , i think technically Gio has it above all others . He has really taken the drum to another level completely . For me players like Paoli Mejias , Pedro Martinez are extremely talented musicians and great all round players , pedro for me is the whole package as a performer , he plays his ass off and is a wonderful singer whether it be a sonero or akpwon etc . Not a big fan of Richie Flores i have to say , he is technically a brilliant player he just dosent do it for me . But hey opinions are like assholes ! we all have one

leedy2 wrote:RitmoBoricua
You Posted a group here Zaperoko they could not have so many great percussionist in that band that were so great . You also have there a great conga player that in his last days was a singer for them Frankie Rodriguez great drummer JC a died ringer for him. May he RIP.

I guess Frankie Rodriguez and Tony Jimenez (RIP both) could not be wrong when they allowed Gio to play the congas in Zaperoko.
Now ask any of the younger cats in the forum about Frankie Rodriguez and Tony Jimenez or for that matter "Zaperoko"?
I bet Gio learned a thing or two in that group about conga playing.

RitmoBoricua wrote:

leedy2 wrote:RitmoBoricua
You Posted a group here Zaperoko they could not have so many great percussionist in that band that were so great . You also have there a great conga player that in his last days was a singer for them Frankie Rodriguez great drummer JC a died ringer for him. May he RIP.

I guess Frankie Rodriguez and Tony Jimenez (RIP both) could not be wrong when they allowed Gio to play the congas in Zaperoko.
Now ask any of the younger cats in the forum about Frankie Rodriguez and Tony Jimenez or for that matter "Zaperoko"?
I bet Gio learned a thing or two in that group about conga playing.

Zaperoko are a great band been listening to them for many years , my favourite Puerto Rican group in fact .

niallgregory wrote:This thread has taken a different road from when it first started Lets get one thing straight , all the drummers mentioned are on top of there game when it comes to conga playing . As i stated earlier Giovanni is my all time favorite player , but not my favorite when it comes to his solo albums . I find his albums a little bland in comparison to the likes of Angas solo album which is found very refreshing and very modern in its approach , when it comes to solos both Anga and Gio are monsters , i think technically Gio has it above all others . He has really taken the drum to another level completely . For me players like Paoli Mejias , Pedro Martinez are extremely talented musicians and great all round players , pedro for me is the whole package as a performer , he plays his ass off and is a wonderful singer whether it be a sonero or akpwon etc . Not a big fan of Richie Flores i have to say , he is technically a brilliant player he just dosent do it for me . But hey opinions are like assholes ! we all have one

We are just having fun, we all have favorites, that's a human condition. I like them all, of course some more than others.

niallgregory wrote: Zaperoko are a great band been listening to them for many years , my favourite Puerto Rican group in fact .

Excellent band back in the day. They were doing songo in Puerto Rico around the same time "Batacumbele" was red hot.
Gio and Richie Flores played with both bands.

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leedy2 wrote:Today's and many just look at Rumba, Rumba, Rumba and do not look back at how and what the use and concept of Traditional rhythm's. This Why they only look at guys like Anga and they do not open horizons in the music that have been left behind . It's all grand but much has been done before and no one payed attention like today.Anga got the credit and guys that did this before got ? First drummer to play with conga drums back in the 1959 Frankie Malave Rip

I always dugged Frankie Malave's conga playing, it was different. I love the way Frankie played on that recording with Frankie Dante and Markolino Dimond "Beethoven's V". Also he was an "Alegre All Star" those were some great recordings too.. I understand Frankie also played with TP back in the 60's.

Changuito is another monster player that goes under the radar quite often.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdKQBdF2 ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlovvE3k ... re=related

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I did, plus the fact they are in 3/2 clave guaguanco.....ol skool style....

JohnnyConga wrote:I did, plus the fact they are in 3/2 clave guaguanco.....ol skool style....

He has always been on my radar ever since i started getting into conga playing ,good friend of mine studied with him in Ny many years ago . I think any serious student of the drum is aware of Frankie Malabe .