by Greensail » Wed Oct 07, 2015 6:05 pm
Hi CongaTick, I agree with the consensus of this thread (kit drum) but.... I am in an identical situation. I have been playing regularly with the same guys for years and we gig fairly regularly. We do a lot of 50-80's rock and blues, some R&B, touch of country, and have been moving further into some jazz tunes. Like you, I am tasked with being the time keeper (although in truth, our rhythm guitar is phenomenal and he almost never waivers) I keep saying we need a real drummer so I can play congas. But its not all that easy to find the right match, someone who can make most of the gigs and practices, and is same minded and gets along good. We all have day jobs so this is fun and beers with the guys. My solution was to SURRENDER TO SIMPLICITY. I try to hit the groove and concentrate on steadiness and as you say throw in a few fills. Initially, it was much more difficult but I have gotten to the point where I can say I enjoy it a lot. Additionally, over the years my mates have "modified" (for lack of a better word) their style so that it fits better with a conga. And they have also modified the set list to feature the conga in several tunes and that is enough for me. So I get to play congas for a bit but otherwise, keep it simple. I will also tell you that I / we get many comments from the audience they really like the congas a lot. Now when I play alone, unless I am trying to work out a fill or what I want to play with a particular tune, I nearly never work on band material but play a more Latin style. So my perspective would be simply relish that simple part and focus on driving the groove, listen to the tune, and enjoy.