Rumba Instruments

Miguel 'Angá' Díaz - Complete Discography

2012-01-22T11:48:00.000-08:00

Miguel 'Anga' Diaz R.I.P (15 June 1961 - 9 August 2006)

The late great Anga is without a doubt my favorite percussionist. Anga rose to fame as the conguero for Irakere, continuing the 5 conga tradition started by Jorge "El Niño" Alfonso. However Anga was also an incredible rumbero. Miguel Aurelio Diaz Zayas was born in San Juan y Martinez in the Pinar del Río Province in Cuba, an area known for its rumba traditions.

I was first intoduced to Anga's playing in the self titled album Cachaito by Israel "Cachaito" Lopez.

Anga's melodic conga playing on this album is truly some of the most beautiful conga playing to be heard. Of course the next album to follow was Echu Mingua, Anga's solo release. Truly this record is one of the most innovative and groundbreaking albums from Cuba.

The documentary of that album is excellent as well and offers incredible insight into this great conguero's mind.

Sadly, Anga left this earth at the young age of 45 and we will not be getting anymore music from this great artist. Instead, I have embarked on a mission to collect all his albums from past recordings. I have compiled here as complete a discography of Anga's as I could from various resources. Some of these recordings are readily available while others being quite obscure. For example, Anga Nascimentos, which I only heard about through the great percussion educator and author David Penalosa. David was kind enough to send me digital files of this album, as there is virutally no possibility of finding a hard copy, as it seems to have been only distributed by Anga himself at seminars. I'm uploading one track here for my readers enjoyment.

Rumbanga 2 by superbongos

Anga has also been an incredible influence on my rumba playing. A while back my friend provided me with a compendium of rhythms from one of the largest gatherings of Cuban music and culture held at Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta Canada, 1994. This book has an excellent set of rumba patterns with variations as presented by Anga. The book and the accompnaying sound tracks are constatnt source of study and inspiration for me. This incredible session also produced the wonderful Afrocuanismo album.

Here are a couple tracks from the Banff music seminar of 6/8's rhythms as presented by Anga.

anga 6/8 by superbongos

Anyways, here is my discography of recordings by Miguel 'Angá' Díaz, a work in progress. I have a feeling a few more Irakere albums need to be added to the list. I welcome any additions my readers have that I can include to make the discography more complete.

MIGUEL “ANGA” DIAZ COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY

as complied by Geordie Van Der Bosch.

69-96 / Magik Malik Orchestra
A Lo Cubano / Orishas
A Love Affair in Paris / Buddy Montgomery
A Toda Cuba Le Gusta / Afro-Cuban All Stars
Anga Nacimientos, Miguel “Anga” Diaz
Arpa Fusion / Anga Diaz & Pascal Coulon
Barbarismo / Frank Emilio Flynn y Sus Amigos
Buena Vista Social Club Presents Manuel Guajiro Mirabal / Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal
Buenos Hermanos / Ibrahim Ferrer
Cachaito / Orlando Cachaito Lopes
Central Avenue / Danilio Perez
Chanchullo / Ruben Gonzales
Chocalate / Alma Rosa
Crisol Habana / Roy Hargrove
Cubanismo / Jesus Alemany
Distinto Diferente / Afro Cuban All Stars
Echu Mingua / Anga
En Chile (Con Chucho Valdes, Irakere e Isabel Parra) / Silvio Rodriguez
Exuberencia / Irakere
Flor de Amor / Omar Portuondo
Formula Uno / Orlando Valle
Genesis & the Opening of the Way / Steve Coleman
Habana Secreta / Jose Maria Vittier
Hajji: Kathy Kidd & Kongo Mambo / Kathy Kidd
Havana Calling / Maraca y Otra Vision
Indestructible / Irakere
Latin Soul / Alma Rosa
Live a FIP / Omar Sosa
Live at Ronnie Scott’s / Irakere
Live In Cuba CD / Mingus Amungus
Maferefun / Tony Martinez
Mambo Sinuendo / Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban
Merengue a Quilo / Opus 13
Paquito D'Rivera Presents Cuba Jazz / Paquito D’Rivera
Pasaporte / Tata Guines & Miguel “Anga” Diaz
Pasion Latina 1 / Raul Gutierrez & Irazu
Presents Cuba Jazz / Paquito D'Rivera
Que Llueva de Una Vez / Opus 13
The Legendary Irakere / Irakere
The Legendary Irakere In London - Volume 2 / Irakere
Tratame Como Soy / Nora
Ritmo Y Candela II: African Crossroads / Carlos 'Patato' Valdes
The Very Best Of ¡Cubanismo! - ¡Mucho Gusto! / ¡Cubanismo!

Rumba and the Shakuhachi flute

2012-01-16T13:27:00.000-08:00

What does the lively boisterous Afro-Cuban rumba have with peaceful tranquil zen flute music. Actually very little, but for me there is a connection.

Several years ago while studying architecture in college I was introduced to folkloric Japanese music, the biwa, the taiko drums and the shakuhachi flute. I was interested in playing the shakuhachi but with my tuition was never able to afford one. Then after college I discovered congas and bongos and rumba, and well here I am.

Not being able to afford my own shakuhachi flute, I puchased a cool book by California local Monty Levenson who makes shakuhachis here in Northern California. The Japanese Bamboo Flute: notes on craft and construction; which basically illustrates how to make your own shakuhachi flute.. Monty is an example of one of those cool California stories you here often of people moving out to the country to devote themselves to some very esoteric craft or art and eventually becoming a leader at it.

one of Monty's flutes.

Well, I also saw that creating one of these very delicate instruments was beyond my skill at the time. However this book introduced me to a special technique of binding bamboo to prevent it from splitting. Well years later I began to make guaguas and cata out of bamboo and somehow I recalled reading about this technique. I dug out Monty's homemade and hand illustrated pamphlet and adapted this technique for flutes to percussion instruments. It has served me very well; all of the accounts I have heard of guaguas and catas I have sold report that my instruments are quite durable and hold up well. My own guagua has been used for countless hours of spirited rumba and is still fully intact.

Anyways, I bring this up now because of an unusual comment I received in my last post about a cajon. Seems like someone named SA Perillo is spamming the web about shakuhachi flutes:

SA PerilloDec 29, 2011 04:49 AM
If you are into Zen then having a Japanese bamboo flute can help you with your focus. The sounds that the bamboo flute can give could be added to the soothing feeling with the ambiance. shakuhachi flutes!

Seems like Monty Levenson is still at it and more power to him. Also it seems as if there is a newcomer to the California shakuhachi scene, a protege of Monty's, Jem Klein. Very cool indeed.

So if you are at all interested in shakuhachi flutes, or just want to visit the site of some very cool and original musical instrument craftsmen here are the links. While I never did get or make a shakuhachi, shakuhachis did help me make better catas and guaguas and for that I am grateful.

Tai Hei Shakuhachi Japanese Bamboo Flutes

Hosetsu Shakuhachi Flutes

Cajon Reconstruction

2011-12-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

A while back a friend of mine and I made a couple of cajons together. These were the first cajons I had made, and they came out sounding great. However they also had a couple of problems. First, unbelievably, after all the care I took with the decoration for mine, I misspelt "Aquis"! I never botherered to even check, somehow I just thought incorrectly the word had an "S" at the end of the word....oh well, sigh...

My friend decided to leave his undecorated. He did experience some problems with the construction. The top board separated from the front sound board, I believe because his design did not have enough screws and the combination of the weight on the top with the striking on the front was too much for the glue and the few screws on the end.

So I offered my friend the trade of my misspelled cajon for his broken one, as he did not really have the tools and space to fix his. I trimmed it up, took it apart, put it back together with extra screws and glue. Another change I made was the feet. I traded the "wooden drawer pulls" as feet, for some rubber furniture pegs. Mainly because I found that the wooden feet caused the cajon to slide across the floor a bit as it was played. Finally I added a tung and danish oil finish and a handle to help with carrying it back and forth.

It is a good sounding cajon with a lot of bass. This style of cajon is also nice as it doubles as a seat for playing congas. Finally you can toss the"instrumentos pequeños" inside of it, like your claves, campana, guagua, etc,. So the cajon is a very useful musical instrument that can also be used as a chair and a suitcase!

Cuban Bongo Project

2011-10-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

I know they aren't really a "rumba instrument" but I'm gonna post about these bongos anyways!

Just picked up these solid shell bongos made in Cuba. As you can see the hardware is junk, but the shells seem pretty good. I welcome any help identifying the wood and the maker of the drums. The drums are pretty light, no doubt partly due the the lame hardware. The macho is 6" and the hembra is 7 1/2". Anyways, it's been a while since I've had a drum project. Tinkering with old drums is almost as fun as playing them.

I plan on stripping and refinishing thee shells, inside and out, then depending on how I feel get some hardware made for them and putting new skins on. I'm thinking about having either Ralph at Resolution Percussion or maybe that new guy PM Percussion in nearby Petaluma make the hardware for these, whoever is the least expensive.

Well I've never had any drums made in Cuba, these bongos are a little on the small side, but the shells seem well made enough. I've never owned a solid wood bongo either, only staves. I'm curious to see how they turn out and of course how they sound

The Cuban Rumba Box

2011-09-27T21:07:00.000-07:00

Percussionist Jorge Santo has written quite a nice paper on the humble rumba instrument known as the cajon, which seems to be enjoying a resurgence in popularity amongst rumberos across the world. It contains some excellent information on the history of the instrument and rumba in general as well as several excellent photos. Download it for free, or you can read it from my upload below.
The Cub an Rumba Box

¡Feliz Cumpleaños! Sandy Perez!

2011-08-09T20:56:00.000-07:00

My friend and teacher Sandy Perez recently had a birthday concert at Yerba Buena Gardens a few weeks ago on a beautiful sunny San Francisco afternoon on July 17th. On this day his continuously evolving line up of Sandy Perez Y Su Lande included his mother visiting from Cuba, Lazarro Galarago, John Santos and Jesus Dias and more.

Sandy is just so innovative. His stage set up included the usual congas, cajons, but he also had a beautiful bembe drum and an electric bass, not to mention a full and sweet sounding coro section of singers. That is what I love about Sandy's music, he is so willing to mix the traditional with the modern and indeed he is a master of both.

As this was Sandy's birthday I presented him with the gift of my favorite shekere. I am happy to say he was quite pleased with it. Actually just after I gave it to Sandy Perez, John Santos came over to check it out and proceeded to play it for the entire set! I was really happy to see my instrument played by one of the best musicians in the Bay Area and a multiple Grammy nominee.

I really liked that shekere and considered it one of my best, but the truth is, that shekere was just a little powerful for the smaller venues I play at, even though it had a beautiful sound. After hearing that shekere cut through the mic'd drums and the electic bass completely unamplified as played by John Santos, I knew my shekere had found it's new home.

Drums and friends and friend's drums

2011-08-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

These past two weeks has seen quite a bit of drum trading for me. Something I haven't done in a while because I enjoyed all my drums and was quite attached to them. But perhaps there was a reason I decided to do so at this time.

First I got an incredible deal on this vintage set of Cosmic Percussion Matadors. Matadors are like the de facto beginners drums, and they can be seen on a professional stages as well. Matador's are now made by LP who bought out Cosmic Percussion. This pair was the original and for the price of $150 for the set from a guy just 6 blocks away, I couldn't pass it up, even though the last thing I needed was more drums. So I kept them for about two weeks, and they were a nice set of drums. The skins were the original and made from cow. In the end I just did not have room or the need for the set, so I sold them to a man who bought them for his 13 year old son to learn on.

The next trade saw me selling my old vintage Gon Bops conga. It was a nice drum, in very good shape, oak, but the 10 3/4" inch head was just a little small for me. It was a little hard playing this drum with two hands; my hand would overlap playing tumbao and such, though it was fine for rumba. Anyways I put this one up for sale and wouldn't you know it, but the conguero I bought it from, my friend Will Perez, contacted me and wanted to buy it back. Seemed Will had gotten a perfectly matching quinto for it. So the drum went back to it's previous owner, probably the best place for it as Will takes better care of his drums than anyone I've ever seen.

Will's Gon Bops quinto with the conga I sold back to him.

Well as Will was picking up his returned Gon Bops conga, we started talking and I asked him if he was interested in my vintage Valje bongos, and he was. I needed to get rid of some drums to make room for my Isla bata, and this little Valje bongo just did not see as much playing time as my others. I knew Will had a nice pair of vintage Valje congas and he would give these bongos a good home, but I was hesitant because these bongos have a story.......

Seems this pair of bongos used to belong to Mala "Mana" Rodrigues who used to be the bongocero in a kind of San Francisco girl salsa band called "Orquestra Sabrosita". I had bought these bongos from Mala's partner in Oakland who told me the story. Sadly Mala had been killed riding her bike in San Francisco about 20 years ago. The bongos had been sitting in the closet since then and I guess the current owner decided they needed to be played so she sold them to me. Coincidentally my friend Maria Medina was the conguero and singer for this same band and knew Mala well. I mentioned I had Mala's old bongos and had her play them one night at Club Deluxe here in town where I play jazz to poetry at The Word Party. Maria Medina was also a mutual friend of Lisa Forman who recently passed as well, there is a picture of them together on my post about Lisa Forman.

While discussing these bongos with Will, he mentioned he had a vintage Valje conga made in the 60's. Well that piqued my interest because the most prized drum in my collection is a vintage Valje tumba. The Gon Bops I had just sold Will used to be the match to my Valje tumba, and now I had a chance to replace it with a perfectly matching Valje conga, for the trade of my Valje bongos.

Well the deal was done and I couldn't be happier, though I was a little sad to see the bongos go and to no longer have a vintage Gon Bops. I'm just so partial to California congas being a Californian and all. However unkown to me at the time the Gon Bops would be quickly replaced....

My new Valje conga with my Valje tumba.

Will's Valje's with the bongo I traded.

Now this is where the story takes a spiritual turn. I recently wrote about my friend Lisa's death and I wondered about the fate of her beautiful Gon Bops quinto. Well I was able to see, and play this sweet little drum at her memorial. My friend Oliver Hunt was there and brought his flute and a woman named Kristen was there who played didgeridoo. I gathered Lisa's drums, Kristen and Oliver and we played Afro-Blue in memory of Lisa; I had recorded this song with Lisa on didgeridoo and Oliver on flute about a year earlier.

Playing my friends drums at her memorial.

After this memorial I ran off to the rumba we were having for Lisa at Radio Havana. It seems I left a little early though. The next day I got a call from Lisa's friend Jungle who was in charge of Lisa's belongings. Jungle was trying to reach me because at the memorial he felt that I was supposed to receive Lisa's quinto. Jungle asked everybody how to get a hold of me and they mentioned my blog post which he had not seen yet. Jungle looked it up my post on Lisa and there were my comments about the very drum he was trying to give me! Jungle wasted no time in getting in touch with me and brought Lisa's Gon Bop quinto right over. It was with with tears that I received this gift. I was glad to have this memento of my friend, but very sad that she was no longer around to play it with her special touch.

Lisa's quinto is now with me.

Lisa Forman used to go by the username of Spirtdrum for her email, Facebook and forums. Looking back on all this now, it all seems more than a coincidence: I had made room in my collection for Lisa's quinto by returning one Gon Bops to my friend Will, passing on the Valje bongo of my friend Maria Medina's departed friend Mala 'Mana' Rodriguez to receive my departed friend's Gon Bops quinto without even knowing it was to be mine. Seems I had put my Gon Bops up for sale on July 8th, the day after Lisa died. Perhaps Jungle was right and Lisa's spirit really did want this drum to be with me.

Now I have Lisa's Gon Bops quinto, and it will be played again, by myself and her other rumbero and drum circle friends, but for right now I've put it away. It's just too soon and I need some time to heal first.

Goodbye Lisa Forman, I will miss you my friend.

2011-07-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

Shalom sweet Lisa, I will miss you my friend.

Zichronah Livracha. Baruch dayan ha'emet.

Lisa Forman -12/8/64~7/7/2011

This is a very sad post for me to write. My dear sweet friend Lisa Forman has passed. Sadly, she took her own life on the Golden Gate Bridge. I miss her terribly and I can't stop the tears whenever I happen to think of her.

Lisa Forman was a wonderful person and a skilled and talented drummer. She began drumming in the drum circle in Golden Gate Park. She moved on to West African styles, learning the rhythms and studying their history and origins. She was very knowledgeable about the African styles and could discuss them intelligently at lengths. She owned a gorgeous set of dun dun drums and had the most beautiful djembe drum I had ever seen.

Lisa Forman was also an Afro-Cuban stylist. She studied with Carlos Aldama at his class in the Mission here in San Francisco. She attended the Afro-Cuban camp at Humboldt State University and she was a student at Sandy Perez's class at La Pena in Berkeley. Here is a transcription she passed on to me from a class at the Humboldt University camp. I am passing it on here in her name.

Lisa Forman was a huge influence on my percussion life here in San Francisco. She introduced me to Carlos Aldama's class where I met the local rumberos and she took me to Radio Havana for the rumba there. She was very supportive of me and proud of my progress as a musician and percussionist.

I remember running all over the Bay Area with Lisa Forman. We would go to rumbas together, Sandy Perez's class together, we often watched shows together, she knew all the hippest groups. She and I would meet up and study drums in the park, I remember one particularly beautiful session in the Golden Gate Park Panhandle where we studied guarapachangeo together each of us playing a drum and sharing a third. When I held a study session at my house she was always there, she used to live just 6 blocks from me at my old apartment in the Haight. Lisa Forman could play any part on any drum for any rhythm. Here is a shot of her and I at a study session in my old apartment.

And another of Lisa Forman and I at a percussion recital with Sandy Perez's class at La Pena.

Lisa Forman was also an activist and a contributing community member here in San Francisco. Here is a shot of her at a protest against the eviction of a local latin music club she frequented called Jelly's.

Lisa Forman believed in the healing power of drums and music. She studied at a natural healing college here in San Francisco and became a certified sound healer with the didjeridoo, another instrument she played. I remember fixing a crack on that didjeridoo for her at my house. I could never accept money for a service like that for a friend, but she insisted on buying me a burrito. I was happy to have been able to do that for her.

I also reskinned one of her drums. One of the most beautiful vintage Gon Bop quintos you have ever seen or heard. She played it beautifully as well. Lisa's small feminine hands had such a nice touch; never playing too loud, always just right. I wonder who is playing this drum now? I hope it is one of Lisa's friends. I hope I get a chance to hear it's voice again.

I remember I also got her a gourd and beads for a shekere and taught her how to tie the strings for the net. I wonder if she ever finished it? A while back Lisa Forman and I attended a class together where we learned shekere parts for guiro with Sandy Perez. It was a small class, 4 students total. I'm playing the caja drum and I think Lisa is playing the small shekere part in this recording from that class.

Guiro con Shekere by superbongos

I also recorded another project with Lisa Forman, I posted a track before, I call it the Afro Blue Project. The earlier post was just flute and drums, but I recorded other versions with Lisa Forman backing us up with her didjeridoo, Oliver Hunt on flute with myself on congas. Just a simple recording with some friends on a sunny afternoon at my friend Oliver Hunt's house by the beach. Such a happy time for us, I never thought listening to it would ever make me cry.

Afro Blue (flute, didgeridoo, congas 2) by superbongos

Lisa Forman was happy with it too. This is what she wrote me when I sent them to her:

I love them. They sound so good and it is impressive that we all only did a couple of takes.

peace

Love ya lisa

Lisa and I not only shared a passion for drums, we shared the same faith, we are Jewish. I remember discussing being Jewish with her frequently. Lisa Forman's sister is a rabbi and I remember Lisa calling her sister to get a third opinion on a subject.

The last I saw Lisa Forman was at my birthday party last March, she came a little late and took a turn on a drum, quinto I believe. I hadn't seen her in a little while and it was good to see her and listen to her play. I'm glad that is my last memory of her; playing music at my home in honor of my birth.

There is an obituary page for Lisa Forman where you can leave your respects for her.

Lisa Ilene Forman Obituary Page

There is a memorial service for Lisa Forman at Sharon Meadows in Golden Gate Park, Sunday July 24th at 1:00 P.M. Sharon Meadows is just in front of Hippy Hill where the drum circle happens. If you were a friend of Lisa Forman please come by and remember her. And bring a drum!

Goodbye Lisa, I will never forget you.
Your friend always, Geordie 'Ephraim' Dylan Van Der Bosch.
זיכרונה לברכה

John Santos: El Son Afro-Cubano - SFJAZZ Discover Jazz Course

2011-07-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

Well looks like John Santos is at it again, I can hardly wait! A while back I took another one of his classes about rumba "La Rumba No Es Como Ayer" and it was fantastic. This lecture series is also put on by my cities very own SF Jazz as part of it's Discover Jazz series.

Anyways the topic of John Santos' lecture this year is the Cuban son and is titled "El Son Afro-Cubano"

Here is a copy/paste of the syllabus:

Discover Jazz Course 1

El Son Afro-Cubano
Co-presented with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival & Museum of the African Diaspora
Taught by five-time Grammy-nominated producer and historian John Santos, El Son Afro-Cubano is an eight-part series that delves into the origins, evolution, and relevance of the Cuban Son, one of the most important and influential musical/dance genres in the history of the Americas. The Son is the quintessential melding of Africa and Spain, with a tumultuous history and unparalleled role in the development of contemporary Latin American music. The classes will include listening, viewing video footage, discussion, and Q&A. This Discover Jazz course may be enjoyed as a series or individually.

El Son Monte Adentro
Wednesday, Aug 3, 7:00PM • Museum of the African Diaspora
The clash of cultures that distinguishes the Cuban Son also unites the Americas through the common denominator of working class dance music. Its complex evolution originates with raw simplicity and has been a unique conduit for countless other types of Cuban music and beyond - from the café to the symphony hall - and it continues to break new ground.
> More

En La Capital
Wednesday, Aug 10, 7:00PM • Museum of the African Diaspora
The Son Afro-Cubano existed for several decades before arriving in Havana during the early years of the 20th Century. As with many other styles of Cuban music, the metropolitan sophistication of the capital contributed distinct traits and opportunities.
> More

El Camaleón Musical
Wednesday, Aug 17, 7:00PM • Museum of the African Diaspora
Through its rise to the crest of popularity in Cuba, the versatile Son adapted to the tastes of its various audiences and adopted many other popular and folkloric musical styles along the way. The overlapping of the Son with various genres for so many decades has caused some confusion in terms of nomenclature.
> More

Invasión Cubana
Wednesday, Aug 24, 7:00PM • Museum of the African Diaspora
The Son achieved international popularity at the end of the 1920s and through the 1930s, and played a crucial role in the international movement to reclaim black artistic expression. The continued emigration of Cuban musicians to distant shores would also further the transformative nature of the Son as a primary force in international popular music.
> More

El Son Montuno
Wednesday, Aug 31, 7:00PM • Museum of the African Diaspora
Definitive innovations within the Son during this era paved the way for modern day Salsa and Timba - truly a "golden age" for Cuban dance music. Some of the genre's greatest and most enduring stars emerged during this period.
> More

Legados
Wednesday, Sep 7, 7:00PM • Museum of the African Diaspora
Miguel Matamoros, Ignacio Piñeiro, Arsenio Rodriguez and Benny Moré are indisputable royalty of the Son. In terms of composing, interpreting, recording and performing, they are in an elite class of soneros, contributing to a tradition that has remained in the hands of numerous descendants. Their legacies will forever endure.
> More

La Salsa de Nueva York
Wednesday, Sep 14, 7:00PM • Museum of the African Diaspora
The Son is the foundation of the international Salsa phenomenon that emerged from New York's Puerto Rican community and preserved essential elements of the traditional Son, even as there was a movement away from traditional dance and music styles among many of Cuba's young musicians during the 1960s and 70s.
> More
Cuba Contemporánea
Wednesday, Sep 21, 7:00PM • Museum of the African Diaspora
The Son remains the unofficial national dance of Cuba and forms the basis of any impromptu fiesta. It did not leave the island with the exile community as many would have us believe. Cuban dance music maintains one foot in tradition and the other in a never-ending quest for reinvention, the Son being the most important element in that evolution.
> More

I'm planning on attending the full series. I expect this series on son to be just as good as John Santos' series on rumba. If you happen to be in San Francisco during these dates August 3-September 21 I highly recommend that you stop by and take in a class.

My new Isla bata drums in MAHOGANY!

2011-07-09T15:57:00.000-07:00

Just received the Iya for my Isla bata set the other day. What can I say? These drums are awesome. The Honduran Mahogany is just the most beautiful wood. It has great depth and a wonderful color. But looks don't mean anything when it comes to musical instruments. These bata sound incredible. The tones are so clear and clean and the slaps crisp and sharp....well except for the enu on the iya, it needs fardela for sure. My new iya is bigger than my old Isla Iya , it's a 13" head and needs the fardela to control the thinner skin and give the iya the solid thump it's supposed to have.

The mahogany wood is lighter than my old Isla bata set, which I sold to a great guy and excellent musician in Manchester, England.

I'm not sure if I'm going to rope these like my old bata, the mahogany is sooo nice. I am going to make a chaworo (bells) for the iya though. Actually I already have 2 nice big bells for it I received as a gift from my mom for my last birthday. I'm not sure why she had them or where she got them, but they are going to be great for the chaworo. They sound awesome.

This is the first set of bata that Isla has made in mahogany and also the first set of Isla mahogany bata in the USA. I'm going to be keeping these for a long time. The only reason I sold my old set was to make room for this set. No way do I need two sets of bata! I'm glad my old set went to an excellent new home.

Anyways, it's been a while since I had or played any bata. Guess it's time to get the study group back together for some toque practice. Ki-la, ki-la, ki-la....

Obá Nile - En Clave

2011-06-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

Formed during the summer of 2010, Obá Nile (King of the House) represents an amazing collaboration between five brilliant Cuban Musicians. Produced by Jesus Diaz and CongaMasterClass, their debut recording En Clavé is a stunning example of Afro-Cuban folkloric drumming.

This album is as good as rumba in America can get. Just look at the personnel in this project;

Lazaro Galarraga-Vocals
Jesús Diaz-Tumbadora, Vocals
Sandy Pérez-Tumbadora and Bata, Vocals
Roman Díaz-Tumbadora, Vocals
Miguel Bernal-Tumbadora, Cajon, Bata, Vocals
Michael Spiro-Gua-Gua, Bata, Vocals
Bobby Wilmore-Clave, Vocals
Genesie Reynoso-Vocals

I am proud to see the San Francisco Bay area well represented in this all-star line up of rumberos. I don't actually have the inside scoop, but that sure sounds like my old teacher Sandy Perez on the quinto. I know New York has always had the reputation for rumba in America, but now California rumba is on the map!

The playing is of course impeccable, but what I really enjoy are the down home vocals, everyone is singing coro, exactly how it happens in a real rumba. En Clave does not have that overproduced coro sound that is becoming the norm with rumba albums now, it has that soulful heartfelt sound that makes rumba what it is. Listening to this album reminds me so much rumbas I have have attended with these artists. The awesome duo of Jesus Diaz and Sandy Perez alone would make this album a necessity, throw in Roman Diaz, Reynoso and Spiro and you have one deadly rumba! Now everyone can hear the rumba that we here in San Francisco have been so lucky to have.

But you don't have to take my word for it, listen for yourself to these samples from the album's tracks. I'm especially fond of the batarumba.

01-Guguanco pa Yemaya Demo by superbongos

02-Maruganda Rumba Columbia Demo by superbongos

03-Nana Buruku Bembe Demo by superbongos

04-Batarumba Demo by superbongos

Obá Nile's album En Clave is being sold through CuBraz.com.

Ibae, Pupy, Ibae

2011-06-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

It is with sad news that I announce the passing of a tremendous rumbero and wonderful human being; Felix 'Pupy" Insua. I have had the pleasure of playing guaguanco and rumba columbia with Pupy a while back at a very chill rumba here in San Francisco. I remember him having an incredibly generous smile. I was also lucky enough to witness a performance of his where he exhibited his tremendous talent as a rumbero dancing, singing and playing the tumbadoras.

From his Facebook page:

Felix Anesio Insua Brindis ~ Obbalubbe ~ Ibae
March 31, 1948 ~ June 2, 2011
Pupy left the material world & joined the ancestors yesterday at 11:40 am surrounded by his family in Cuba with honor and pride, knowing he lived a truly blessed life. He passed peacefully, without pain, calm & smiling!

Los Munequitos, San Francisco Concert, April 4 2011 with Sandy Ramon Perez

2011-05-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

Last month I was fortunate to be able to attend the Los Munequitos concert right here in my city of San Francisco, at Mission High School just a quick 10 minute walk from my home. I was on top of things and sprung for a pair of the nicer seats up front in the main section about a month before the show, which was eventually sold out of course. I really wanted to have a great experience and it paid off, I had an excellent view of the dancing and the musicians. Money well spent.

Well the concert was excellent, and I fully enjoyed it. Almost as fun as the concert was seeing who attended, basically all the rumberos and latin musicians of the Bay Area were there and it was fun to greet everybody excitedly waiting in the line as I took my place.

Anyways, as I promised earlier, I recorded the concert on my little Zoom H2. Such a handy little device. Not the best recording, but not the worst. Feel free to listen, download, study, share. I've also scanned the program for review as well. Click on the pictures and they get bigger, print them out if you want.

The first set was mainly folkloric songs and rhythms with bata and congas.

First Set by rumbainstruments

This is the second set and it was more rumba based. Sandy Perez was called onto the stage to play quinto for a song during second half of the concert. AWESOME! I have to say I preferred his quinto to that of the Munequitos' regular quintocero. But go ahead and listen and be your own judge. Sandy Perez takes the quinto around the middle of the set. This file probably has the best recording quality with the quinto clearly heard.

Second Set by rumbainstruments

and of course the encore with the audience welcomed on stage.

Encore by rumbainstruments

An added bonus for me was seeing Sandy Perez's wife selling his new CD during the intermission. Of course I bought a copy. Anything by Sandy is solid gold. I truly value my studies with him. No sound files of that available here. You'll have to buy your own. But I have scanned the cover and the little bio his wife was handing out, so you can contact them and buy a copy and support a phenomenal artist.

A little shekere

2011-04-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a little shekere I just made for a friend of mine who is an incredible quintocero. He picked the gourd. He likes them small. Anyways, it's been a while since I posted one of these here. It may be small but it still has a strong sound. Very light with great action. Still, I like my shekeres to be on the large size. I'm working on two incredible gourds right now.

So stay tuned bloggers and rumberos! I've got some great posts coming up. An in depth article on how to make a shekere like this one. Also I'm going to be posting the program from the Los Munequitos de Matanzas concert that just happened here in San Francisco. And as an extra bonus I'll be posting my (ahem) bootleg audio recording of that even as well for your listening pleasure.

...and it looks like this is my 100th post! Vaya!

The Gon Bops turned out great.

2011-03-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

Nothing like some new skin on a great old set of drums. Here's hoping these drums will be making music for another 30 years, and the owner too.

Gon Bops

2011-02-12T10:17:00.000-08:00

Here on the West Coast, no other drum recalls the years past like Gon Bops! Made in Los Angeles California, these excellent drums can be seen everywhere. I have seen photos of every famous conguero playing Gon Bops; from Mongo to Peraza, Barreto to Aguabella. Gon Bops grace the cover of many a vintage album, from R&B to salsa, latin jazz to acid rock. Before LP, Gon Bops were the drum to have. And Gon Bops can still be seen everywhere; at rumbas, drum circles, classes, etc.

These particular Gon Bops were just dropped off at my house this very morning to receive skins form my favorite supplier, my man Micheal over at L&H percussion. This set of Gon Bops has such a wonderful patina of use. Just look at this tumba;

This drum has been used but not abused! Played but not waylayed! Look at the scrapes caused by dozens of feet tapping the beat! Look at the golden hue of the aged wood that still sounds so good! The metal might have a little rust, but it won't bust! The bands are still tight and no cracks anywhere, though the tumba is a little egged shaped on the top, it still sounds great! What makes this old set of congas even more special is that they are a matching set bought together and never separated, just like a romantic elderly couple growing old together but still with a twinkle in their eye and a spring in their step.

This particular set is made from what is referred to as mahogany, which is actually Phillipine luan wood. This wood is very light in weight, and drums made from this wood are never heavy. What is so great about this wood is it creates a nice mellow tone that is never too loud or bright, just what you need for a nice sounding rumba. You never have to ask people to keep it down for the singer when playing these old mahogany Gon Bops. Gon Bops also made the quinto just the right size for rumba too, a nice tight little 9.5" that gets the tone you need for a good rumba quinto.

Gon Bops made several styles and models of drums back in the day. I myself have an oak Gon Bops tres dos that I pair with a Valje tumba. This set up appeals to me as Valje is just as significant to the history of California percussion as Gon Bops. Also of course, Akbar Moghaddam is making the modern version of Gon Bops, which is ironic as Akbar used to be involved in making Valjes, who were Gon Bops main competitor at the time.

Anyways, if rumba is what you are into, you could do a lot worse than a set of vintage mahogany Gon Bops. They are such a nice sounding fun drum, that for me always recalls images of the early days of Afro-Cuban percussion in my home state of California.

Seriously, is there anything more fun than talking about old drums? Well, except for playing them?

Los Munequitos de Matanzas

2011-01-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

Oh yes, yes, yes! Looks like Los Munequitos de Matanzas is coming to San Francisco and guess who has tickets! That's right I do. They are performing at Mission High School right here in San Francisco just a quick walk from my house. Mission H.S. is right across from Dolores Park which is the home of the rumba and Afro-Cuban scene here in S.F., with several of Santana's drummer's playing there, including John Santos, who tells the story of getting arrested there for playing rumba back in the day, so Mission H.S. is a totally appropriate venue and location!

I'm really looking forward to seeing the show and writing about it. Who knows, I may end up with a few sound files somehow "wink, wink".

Here's the link and info to the show, it's being put on as part of the San Francisco International Arts Festival.

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas presents Tambor de Fuego
San Francisco, CA

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas presents Tambor de Fuego
From 1992- 2002, Los Muñequitos thrilled U.S. audiences and built a devoted fan base with their performances and workshops throughout the country (the company performed at Mission High School in San Francisco in 1992). Finally, after nine long years, Los Munequitos return to the U.S. in April-May 2011 with a brand new program: Tambor de Fuego, featuring work from their latest recording, tributes to legendary members and new pieces created especially for this eagerly awaited tour.

Hailed as the "reigning regents of rumba" by the San Francisco Chronicle, "the essence of Cuba's musical soul" by the San Diego Union Tribune and "truly keepers of a sacred flame" by Latin Beat, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas are amongst the highest regarded percussionists in the world and masters of Afro-Cuban ritual and rumba music and dance. Founded in 1952, the group currently spans three generations of an extended family of musicians, singers and dancers.

The music of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas keeps alive 500 years of drumming, chanting and dance, preserving the vibrant culture of the African Diaspora intrinsic to Cuba's living legacy. While sustaining these cultural traditions, the group's choreography and new musical compositions continue to innovate from the African roots of Cuban culture. In one evening's concert, Los Muñequitos may play the rhythms and drumming of the Santeria religion which originated with the Yoruba tribe; the songs of the Abakuá, a secret fraternal organization originally from Nigeria; and contemporary Cuban rumba in its varied and ever evolving forms.

Los Muñequitos has performed in more than 50 cities across the U.S., from intimate (and packed!) shows in community centers and dance & music clubs to full-scale theatrical productions in grand concert halls. Whatever the setting, their complex drumming, captivating vocals and spectacular dancing transport audiences to the vital streets of Matanzas and the soul of Cuba.

Dates

Start: Monday Apr 04, 2011 7:00 PM
End: Monday Apr 04, 2011 9:30 PM

Prices
$15.00 - $50.00

Location
Mission High School
3750 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
United States

Some lovely new claves

2011-01-24T18:34:00.000-08:00

Well the postman arrived with some lovely new claves, and a guagua. Handmade in Belize by Isla Percussions. Seems like not a moment too soon. If you bloggers remember one of my more recent posts, my current set of claves had seen better days.

Anyways, I'm very happy to get these new claves, made from some exotic tropical Belize hardwood I don't even know the name of. I've spent a little time tapping away on them, trying to find the best pairs of machos and hembras. There is nothing worse than a bad sounding set of claves, cuz you're going to have to listen to them the entire rumba. Lucky for me they all sound great. They look great, and they are nice and light so they feel great too. Ah, no more splinters or nasty dirty tape on my claves for a while at least.

The guagua sounds great too. It seems to be made from 2 types of wood. I'm usually partial to the sound of bamboo and I've been making all my own guaguas from bamboo. But I'm willing to give this little guy a chance. It has a great sound, dry and cutting, not too shrill. I guess I'm going to have to figure out how to make a stand for it, I can't see holding it between the legs like I do with my bamboo ones.

Adios Totico, Vaya con dios.

2011-01-23T11:26:00.000-08:00

It is with great sadness that I write this post. Sadly the great rumbero Eugenio "Totico" Arango has passed away. I am sure most of my readers will be familiar with Totico through his landmark collaboration with Patato.

My cohorts in the blogosphere have written excellent articles on Totico's passing. You can learn more about this influential rumbero by visiting their blogs.

Sentimiento Manana

Fidel's Eyeglasses

Sentimiento Manana contributor Willie "El Ruso" Everich has had the great honor to play alongside Totico. Mark Sanders at Fidel's Eyeglasses has written a great post showcasing many rare albums that Totico has contributed to along with some musical track.

Ibae, Totico.

These claves have been played!

2010-12-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

Is what I heard a fellow rumbero exclaim a month back at the Dio De Los Muertes rumba we have every year hear in San Francisco's own Mission District. It brings a few rumberos from other cities in the Bay Area that I don't play with too often, which is of course where that exclamation about my claves came from.

Anyways, the Dio De Los Muertes parade I can say it is a fantastic event, with several thousand people all dressed in full costumes, and different processions of musicians and dancers, including several Escoles de Samba as they are so well suited for parades. The rumba was based in the park, and at times we had a couple hundred people around us. I myself played for nearly 5 hours, switching from drum to drum or instrument to instrument and also singing coro as best I can. The highlight for me was playing quinto while marking the steps of a woman in full "muertes" costume dancing on stilts to the rumba.

Here is my original post with my claves. You can see what a years worth of rumba does to the instruments. The dark ones are my favorite and you can see the striker/macho is worn almost half through, and is taped to avoid getting splinters. I really need some new ones, but good sounding claves are so hard to find. My old supplier is out of business, and I keep trying out the mass made ones in stores by LP and Meinl, etc. What can I say? I find their sound less than appealing.

La Rumba Es Para Todo Del Mundo.

2010-09-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Rumba has it's origins in Cuba, of that there can be no doubt. It may have had influences from Africa and Spain, and from such diverse peoples as several African tribes, Andalusians, Spaniards, Moors and Gypsies, however it was created in Cuba, by Cubans and arguably for Cubans.

However, even in Cuba there exists geographical stylistic variations. The most famous of which are the differences between the rumba styles of Matanzas and Havana.

Recently rumba has escaped the confines of it's island home and traveled the world. It seems at no other time has the popularity of rumba been greater, or the study of it easier. There exists several excellent texts on the subject, videos of rumba are easily viewed, modern and older rumba recordings are easily available and instruction on the music style is easily obtained either live or through online videos.

In comparison, the great music called jazz originated in the United States of America. It also had a great many influences, and regional variations, similar to rumba. Jazz is enjoyed the world over, indeed, it has been adopted by the world to such an extent that it can no longer be called an American music, in my opinion, truly jazz has become an international art form. The fantastic jazz music performed in such countries as Japan, Italy and other world countries are just as legitimate expressions of the music as that found here in America. Each country always seems to throw their own spin on jazz music, which is only correct, as each performer should give an honest expression of themselves. Jazz has benefited from this tremendously.

Is rumba different? Will other legitimate regional variations and expressions of the rumba musical form evolve that differ from the Cuban archetype? Or will the only legitimate form of rumba to be considered be the Cuban model?

Rumba has traveled the world and is becoming an international music as. The evidence is here for me to see on my blog, as I receive visitors from literally all over the world. Will these rumberos place their own personalities and experiences aside and play as if they were "Cuban"? Or will these artists eventually instill their distinct personalities and experiences into the music we call rumba and play it a new way?

The Clave Matrix and Rumba Quinto

2010-09-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

I recently acquired copies of two monumental books addressing clave and rumba. The first two books in the Unlocking Clave series: The Clave Matrix and Rumba Quinto, both written by California's own rumba researcher; the intrepid David Peñalosa. As these books are the first two in David's "Unlocking Clave" series, I assume there will be more books in the Unlocking Clave series yet to come.

The Clave Matrix has been out for a little while, and Rumba Quinto will be released soon. I was fortunate to get a preliminary copy of that book.

I'm just about through the first book "The Clave Matrix", which has been a very enjoyable study. I'll be posting a review of The Clave Matrix shortly. Later on you can expect a review of Rumba Quinto as well, but one book at a time.

David has made a Facebook album with some of the graphics and images he used for The Clave Matrix, including some great images of Cal Tjader and Tito Puente.

A tasty little Yambu.

2010-09-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

   I was playing a guaguanco with a friend the other day, just him improvising on a quinto and tres dos, with me holding it down on the salidor. Actually the tempo was more like a yambu. I wanted to add some strokes to my basic guaguanco to fill it out the rhythm as the other player was improvising, and I came up with adding all muff tones to the back side. I was really trying to swing it alone as we didn't have palitos. The rhythm started to really swing when I gave the phrases the feeling of starting with the open (O) tone on one side of the clave ending with the either the last bass (B) or muff (M) tone on the other side, and then starting a new phrase with the next open (O) tone, etc.

   Actually, this is exactly the way Michael Spiro teaches it in his book. What do you know? It works!

    The different tone quality of the muff tones on one side and bass tones on the other created a sweet little call and response feel, like a quick little conversation. Anyways, I really dug the feel of it. I tried it out later with when we had a third player on the tres dos, and it works with that part as well. The tones of the muffs sort of accent the higher pitch of the tres dos open tones that coincide with them, working with the tres dos, instead of playing over it.

So here's the transcription. I haven't seen the part written like this anywhere before. Try it out and let me know how it goes. Just click on the image a couple times to enlarge it. Feel free to print it out and play.

Aqui, Entre Las Flores

2010-08-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

Well I finally got some pictures of the bajo cajon I built a few days ago. A very fun project. I ended up going with the "Clave y Guaguanco" model. I originally wanted to go with a different size, but as I was making one for my friend at the same time, the economy of the wood made me change my mind.

My friend wanted a slightly larger model for more bass. Oddly enough, the two cajons sound very similar, with the bigger one being a bit louder.

Anyways, I was going for a kind of retro look, what with the leather trunk handle. I originally got the handle for an old drum restoration, but it didn't look quite right. Two years later the handle finds a home. The drawer pulls for the feet were also a fun idea to kind of complete the look. I'm planning on keeping this cajon around the living room, so that is the main reason for the look. Nothing wrong with plain cajons at all.

So this is my "Yambu setup". The bass cajons really add to a nice yambu. The dry and low cajon sounds don't get in the way of the vocals at all, which are so important to yambu. Just listen to some Carlos Embale to see what I mean. Yambu also has a quinto, often a cajon as well, but one cajon is enough for me. The funky look and quieter sound of my Isla quinto is the perfect companion for this cajon. I'm also planning on going to some flea markets and getting some old tarnished silver spoons for playing "cucharas" (palitos) on the top as well.

The artwork is some art nouveaus flash I had. I enlarged it in Photoshop, printed it out and then traced it onto the wood using graphite paper. I dug out my old architecture school supplies for the painting and drawing and such. It was kind of fun to combine my college architecture education with my construction experience to make an instrument for my musical hobbies. I hadn't done this kind of graphic work by hand in a while so I was a little nervous and rusty, but it was very enjoyable. I wasn't sure how it was going to come out, I was hoping for a masterpiece, but expecting a disaster.

I was going to write a big article on cajons but there are others that I've used for inspiration and information that have written much better articles than I'm capable of. First without a doubt would be Thomas Altman who has very a wonderful article on cajons. Thomas' article also contains detailed construction directions.


Cajons by Thomas Altmann

Another great resource is the article by the percussionist Jorge Santos, who has written an article called "The Cuban Rumba Box". Available as a free PDF download.

Also Barry Cox has a beautiful article on Guarapachangeo, Los Chinitos and the cajons they use.


A cajón used by "Los Chinitos" Photo: Antoine Miniconi

I also referred with Patricio Banchereau, who is an associate of Barry Cox's and runs several blogs on rumba mentioned here before. The beautiful decorations on the cajons he made for his students inspired me to decorate my own cajon. Patricio shared with me some excellent advice on cajons, a portion of which I will paste here:

One last things I'd like to add: the main sound element is your hand!!
You may be aware of that already, but in every style of Cuban percussion you have to stick your strokes and keep the hand on the instrument until you give another stroke. 90 percent of Cubans play like that (not everyone) - clave, timbal, bongo, congas, bata, catá, even bells, whatever, that's what I teach - nobody ever talks about that obviously, in some cases you can't (open strokes with stick in hand like timbal or arará or bembé) and the faster you play, the more impossible it becomes to do that to me the cajón is one of the instruments in which this method is very important - especially for bass tones but even for open strokes and slaps on the corners. Once you understand that, you have more chances to get a good sound - this is my theory and no Cuban ever taught me that - only careful observation for years just watch and you'll see - did u see El Niño from Muñequitos tocando clave (he just caresses the clave)?


Patrico's cajons.

There are others I'd like to thank as well. Marc Hough for his excellent cajon. Dan Callis for sure, sharing all the information on his cajon from Pancho Quinto.

Cajon by Marc Hough

I'm looking forward to playing this instrument. It was a lot of fun to make. I may be making more some time. I'm still interested in making a "Pancho Quinto" model as well.

an afrocuban discography

2010-08-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well it looks as if the indomitable Barry Cox has done it again. Barry has begun a new blog an afrocuban discography , an online catalog of exactly what you'd expect, Afrocuban music with beautifully scanned album covers, print dates, track listings, reissues, artists, recording company, etc.

This new blog is very nicely done. In addition to Barry's other blogs Vamos a Guarachar , El Cancionero Rumbero and his colleague Patricio's La Rumba no Es Como Ayer we have a veritable online encyclopedia of rumberos. songs, histories and now musical recordings of Cuban rumba and folkloric music.

Cajon Construction and Dimensions

2010-08-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

I'm gearing up to be making a Cuban style bajo cajon soon, maybe even this week, or possibly next. I've been fortunate to have corresponded with several individuals that either own or have measured cajons owned by notable rumberos. Also other individuals have taken the time and posted dimensions of cajons they have made on the web.

I've always liked the simplicity and versatility of the older style boxy cajons. I like how they are a chair and an instrument, you can play them with hands, sit on them, use spoons and play palitos. Also you can stick stuff inside it and carry things around in it like, well, a box!

Seems like some of the manufacturers are charging quite a bit for cajons, which doesn't seem right, to me at least. I mean cajons were originally free, or nearly so. Still not everyone is crafty, so there is nothing wrong with spending $300 on a wood box if you are so inclined. The Peruvian style is most common variant, probably because of it's association with flamenco. Seems like there are all kinds of curious cajon configurations; round, octagons, trapezoids, batajon's, conga cajons, bongo cajons, etc.

Me, I want a deep bass cajon. I want a instrument that is completely different than a conga, so I'm going for the sit on the top, played between the legs, suitcase shaped bajo cajon.

In preparation for my new project, I made a documentation of all the cajon dimensions I have collected, with the source and pictures when available. I'm posting this document here for free download to any rumberos out there in the blogosphere that may be interested in making their own bajo cajon, or just in the cajons in general.
Bajo Cajon: Construction and Dimensions.

BAJO CAJON

construction and dimensions

Compiled by Geordie Van Der Bosch

Interview with "Dr. Clave"

2010-08-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, David Crowder, recently attended the Humboldt State University Explorations in Afro-Cuban Dance & Drum workshop. He took the opportunity to interview one of the instructors, David Peñalosa, while he was there.

Among some of us, David Peñalosa is affectionately referred to as "Dr. Clave". David Peñalosa is known for his in depth analysis of clave and research on the inter-connectivity of Afro-Cuban and African rhythms. In this interview David Peñalosa gives a brief description of his involvement and study of percussion.

David Crowder in addition to the interview also has an excellent website with several resources for rumberos and folkloric music.

Choosing Conga Skins for Rumba.

2010-07-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

The skin or head on a conga drum is a very important part of the instrument. The type of skin and it's thickness paired with the shell of the drum, it's material and shape determine the sound your drum will make. A good skin on your drum will be a pleasure to play, but a bad skin or the wrong skin can be an unenjoyable struggle.

There are several reasons you might be looking for a new skin. Maybe it's a used drum that doesn't have a skin, maybe the old skin broke. The current skin might not sound good, or the skin on the drum hurts your hands. There are also several choices of skin available. There are thick and thin skins, there are cow skins, mule skins, plastic skins and pre mounted water buffalo skins.

In rumba you typically have 3 drums: the quinto, the conga, and the tumba. Those drums themselves go by many names, I will use the names that are in the most common use presently. The quinto is the highest pitch and smallest drum, the conga is pitched in the middle and is the mid-sized drum and the tumba is the largest and the lowest. Because of their pitch and size each drum might get a different skin.

The most difficult scenario in choosing a new skin is putting a new skin on a drum that doesn't have one. It is hard because you don't know what the drum sounds like yet and have little to base your decision on.

For rumba there exists a basic rule of thumb; typically the thicker skin will go on the smallest drum. The idea is the quinto plays short staccato tones and the thicker skin resonates less and creates this sound. On the other end the tumba benefits from a thinner skin as the thinner skin is more pliable and produces the bass tones you want to hear from that drum. What makes this decision hard for a drum that doesn't have a skin is that you don't know what it sounds like, and it is easy to put a skin that is too thick or too thin on a drum.

There are of course exceptions to this rule. I've been having success with some thinner skins on quintos than I've used before. However I've had the advantage of hearing and playing the drum with one type of skin before replacing it with another.

When the drum already has a skin it is a much easier decision. If the drum sounds too flat or choked, it probably could use a thinner skin. If the drum has a ring to it or the note sustains too long a thicker skin can be the solution. Rumba congas typically get thicker skins than congas for other music. Mainly, in rumba the drums want less sustain so the drum tones don't step on each other. With shorter tones the drum melodies can stay clear and distinct, even at higher tempos. If the drum tones have a long sustain the tones would flow into each other making the melodies less distinct., as if they were talking over each other.

For rumba, the best skins are cow and mule. I use cow on all my drums and on drums I re skin for others.I think I've skinned about 25 congas and maybe 10 bongo heads. Mule is a tougher skin than cow. It seems to produce a drier tone with a short sustain. It's stiffness is good for slaps as well. Mule can be hard on the hands and hard on the drum because of it's general toughness and stiffness. Anyways, I prefer the wetter sound of cow, it's a little easier to work with, and I'm more familiar with it's characteristics.

Water buffalo skins are okay, their sustain is a little too long for my preference for rumba, and the sound a little off. But I've been to some great rumbas with drums using these heads. The main thing about them is they are typically pre-mounted and sized to a certain manufacturer's drums. Anyways, water buffalo is not my preference.

Plastic skins for rumba is where I draw the line. I don't even like plastic skins for salsa. Actually, I don't like them at all. I hate the way they feel and think they sound way too bright for anything in my opinion.

Getting hold of some new skins can be a task as well. My local store, Haight Ashbury Music used to stock some great local skins at a good price. Recently they've switched to skins imported from Pakistan that are just not the same quality. I doubt Guitar Center has anything except pre-mounted skins in water buffalo and plastic.

Lately I've gotten all my skins from Land Hand Percussion, or L&H Percussion . Mike deals in cow skins for congas and bongos and bata. He is a musician that is knowledgeable about the instruments and the skins used on them. He works with the customer and provides them with the skin to meet the sound they need. I've gotten about 12 skins from Land Hand, they have always been quality skins and mailed to me quickly and without any hassle. If I can't pick out skins myself I order from there. Mike has also written a great article on skins in his blog.

"There is much debate about skins for Tumbadoras and Bongos and other drums. The questions I get all the time are around thickness, type of animal and a few others. One other issue I have seen raised is a question of buying from a “hide house” or a custom drum maker as opposed to buying from a company like L&H.

People have been questioning if its ok to buy from the likes of Ritmo, Isla, SoS, ECT ECT… I saw leave them to what they do well build drums. They don't need to spend 30 min on the phone with you for a $40-$50 Skin when they have 8-10 month waiting periods. This is just my opinion BUT I'm sure some of the craftsman would agree…

Now on to selection of a skin. The answer can be as simple as people play on what ever is readily available and they make it sound great. But lets be honest we all want the best. L&H Percussion strives to provide the best. Its a very long and complex discussion around why some skins are very even and why some are not. Some hide houses use “ splits” and plane and buff to a very precise measurement. That's all well and good but we at L&H believe that this creates other issues that take the “ life” out of the skin. We start with raw skins that are only stretched and dried to our standards with a slight bit of finishing to make them feel ok to the hand. We then hand cut each round doing our best to ensure that there is little to no variation in thickness. Normal variations that do not affect tuning or the life of the drum or head are typically around .5mm.

There are a number of wrong opinions online being shared and I would caution anyone reading this take your questions to the experts. Call L&H or call another person who deals with the hides and the animal. We are the “Pros” when it comes to this.

If you ever have questions or what to get some help feel free to call us. We can offer you what we have seen work and help you formulate what should be best for you. We also stand behind our product and will work hard to satisfy our customers big or small."

A final consideration in regards to thickness is the toughness of your hands and the strength of the drum. A thick skin is going to be harder to hit and more demanding on your hands. Also it is going to put greater stress on the drum. These issues become the most pronounced with the quinto as quinto skins are pulled the tightest.

More than anything, choosing skins is an intuitive process. That is why it is easiest when you know the drum. Knowing the drum and knowing the sound you want to get will go a long ways towards getting a good match. It can be a journey to find the right skin, sometimes it takes a couple tries to find just the right one.

The new Isla Percussions

2010-07-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest from Isla Percussions. Bringing back the mahogany conga for the most authentic sound. They must sound phenomenal. I know I love my Isla quinto in cherry wood. Maybe I'll have to get a new quinto in mahogany too!

John Santos Lecture - African Spiritual Practices and Retentions in Latin Music

2010-06-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

Last year I had the opportunity to attend the incredible lecture series by John Santos called La Rumba No Es Como Ayer, a wonderful 7 part lecture series on rumba; history, styles, instrumentation, influences, etc, etc.

Well it seems this year Mr. Santos will be continuing his participation with SFJazz by offering another interesting 6 part lecture series August 4-September 8 called African Spiritual Practices and Retentions in Latin Music. I found John's lectures to be very high quality, entertaining and educational . An added bonus is he permits audio recording for future reference. I'm certainly planning on attending this upcoming lecture series. If you happen to live in the area, or are going to be visiting, why not take in a lecture if time permits. It is bound to be fascinating. Highly recommended.

SFJAZZ, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and The Museum of the African Diaspora present a unique and distinct series presented by Bay Area lecturer, band-leader, percussionist and educator, John Santos.

Music is the richest source of African culture in the Americas. And musical practices throughout Latin America have preserved a wealth of African spiritual content. This six-part series will reveal several elements of African spiritual origin that form the basis of popular Latin music and Latin jazz, including instrumentation, rhythm, melody, lyrics, mythology, oral history and language. During the series, participants will listen to and analyze a broad cross-section of recorded examples from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Republica Dominicana/Haiti, the United States and Brazil that span the last century.

6/20/10 Sunday Streets Rumba on Valencia Street in the Mission, San Francisco

2010-06-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

   San Francisco has been starting a tradition of closing different neighborhood streets to automobile traffic on the weekend, called Sunday Streets It really is a great event, with thousands of people coming out and enjoying themselves. Cyclists, pedestrians, roller bladers, etc fill the street. Local shops and restaurants pour out onto the sidewalk. Performers, bands and musicians perform in the street and on the corners.

   It just so happens that this weekend, Sunday June 20, the street our local rumba spot is on, 22nd and Valencia, will be closed. Last year we had a great rumba right out in the street. During the 4 or 5 hours I'm sure at least 10,000 people passed by, with a large circle forming around us when the dancers were doing their thing. Anyways, tomorrow we are going to continue the tradition and have the rumba in the street starting at 10:00 and ending around 3:00. I'm looking forward to it.

   Last year a reporter I know caught the event on video and there is actually a decent amount of footage of the rumba featured in it. Check it out!

Conga "Master' Class

2010-06-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

I recently acquired an account at percussionist Michael Spiro's instructional website "Conga Master Class" . This is a fantastic new resource of instructional videos for Afro-Cuban percussion instruments and rhythms. It is a large and extensive site, with frequent new updates. Video lessons include, Guaguanco, Columbia, Quinto for Rumba, Arara, Bembe, Abakua, etc, etc. Guest artists include Jesus Diaz and Karl Perrazzo

Anyways, I plan to explore the videos on offer there and write a review, which might take a little while, so stay tuned. In the meantime you can check it out for yourself. Conga Master Class offers a few freebies, which can be viewed here:

Free videos

Now for some "Real" Instruments

2010-06-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

I recently sold my wonderful set of Isla Percussions bata drums to an acquaintance in England. This rumbero already had an early set of Isla Percussions congas so it seemed to make sense to sell them to him, especially as the canoe wood is no longer available. Now he has an incredible set of 6 matching Isla drums; congas and bata. What a lucky guy, huh?

Not to worry bloggers, I have not given up the bata. I have made arrangements for a new set, and the apartment just is not large enough for six bata drums.

Some of you bloggers may recognize a few of the other instruments in the photo. I've sold this fine English gentleman 3 of my shekeres for a full guiro set and also two of my early guaguas, which I am happy to see seem to have held up rather well. Certainly a fine collection of instruments, for a truly dedicated musician, if I say so myself.

...and a very strange looking conga!

2010-06-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

Presenting the Octaconga!

Strangest looking bongo I have ever seen.

2010-05-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

Cruising Ebay and Craigslist for bargains on instruments as I do, I frequently come across some truly unfortunate versions of these drums. There are of course the clumsier Mexican drums, some strangely evolved fiberglass ones and of course the truly awful modern budget versions with their strange shapes, anemic hardware and bulbous comfort rims.

But these bongos are truly the weirdest version I have come across.... of course now that I have said that something weirder is going to come along...

Mas Que Nada!

2010-05-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

I've been completely in love with Brazilian music for a while now. It started with Bossa Nova and then Samba, Maracatu, Brazilian Jazz and even some Baile Funk. Mas Que Nada originally by Jorge Ben, and covered so famously by the Tamba Trio has been one of my favorites and is a standard from Brazil. Hearing the chorus sing the opening refrain always gets me going:

O, Ariá! Raió!
Obá! Obá! Obá!
O, Ariá! Raió!
Obá! Obá! Obá!...

I'm sure it is well known among my readers that a rumba version of Mas Que Nada exists. Famously performed by Virgilio Martí on Patato and Totico's seminal album. Listening to Jorge Ben's soulful and simple singing of this song, I can understand how Marti may have been inspired to sing this song as a rumba.

I've been wanting to sing this song for years at a rumba. It's such a catchy tune and famous. The problem is the lyrics are in Portuguese, which is a beautiful language, but not really appropriate for rumba. Virgilio twists things up and sings his version with some funky Spanish lyrics more appropriate for rumba. I've probably sat down 3 times to try and piece Martí's version together, but my Spanish vocabulary just is not that expansive. I really did not want to be singing some gibberish that I thought was Spanish at the next rumba you know? Sadly, Patato, Totico and Virgilio left the lyrics out of the liner notes.

Luckily, we have the great rumba song lyric website El Cancionero Rumbero so I consulted it's huge archive to get the lyrics. Surly all the songs to this famous album would be there. Aaah, no such luck.
I've had the good fortune to correspond with Barry Cox who runs that site and Vamos a Guarachar and La Rumba No Es Como Ayer , so I sent him a request for the lyrics which he so kindly provided me with.

I'm very happy to have these lyrics now, I've been kind of butchering the song with a strange mix of half remembered parroted Portuguese and Spanish lyrics during my private practice. Not pretty! I like this song as a Columbia. Anyways, Caranaval is this weekend here in San Francisco, so I'm going to try and get it down for our rumba performance there.

Okay, so here are the lyrics to Mas Que Nada:

Mas que nada
Compositor: Samba de Jorge Ben; Adapt. Virgilio Martí
Estilo: Guaguancó
Grabación: Patato y Totico

E bele bi bele bele be, etc.

Oh la di a, ay Dios
Opá, opá, opá
(bis)

Mas que nada
sálgase de frente
que quiero pasar
esta samba está animada
lo que quiero es sambar

Esta samba
con ritmo de maracatu
es un algo nuevo y bello
tan bello como tu

Mas que nada
un samba como esta es pa' bailar
Você la va a querer
y você la va a gustar

Coro: Y você la va a gustar

and here is the incredible video of Virgilio singing the song.

Francisco Aguabella - IBAE

2010-05-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

Sadly I have heard the news that Francisco Aguabella passed away today, Friday May 7, 2010

Francisco Aguabella was a personal favorite of mine. As a musician he could do it all. Afrocuban Folklore, Rumba, Bata, Jazz, Latin Jazz, Salsa, etc. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to see him perform. A look at my music library shows an extensive collection of his works.

Francisco Aguabella:

Agua de Cuba
Cantos a los Orishas
Cubacan
H2O
Hitting Hard
Ochimini

Francisco Aguabella y Su Grupo Orishas

Bembe y Afrocuban Music

Not to mention the several albums he played on for Mongo Santamaria and Tito Puente among others.

My favorite quote regarding Francisco comes from Dizzy Gillespie:

"Aguabella is the John Coltrane of the Conga Drums.” -- Dizzy Gillespie

I was fortunate to see Aguabella play at Yoshi's on Filmore a couple of years back. An incredible show. The pictures in this post are from that show. I remember something Francisco said that night, which made me very happy

"Now I live in L.A., but San Francisco, is my city!"

We'll miss you terribly Francisco. Thanks for all the great music.

My shekere.

2010-04-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'm keeping this one. It came out really nice.

Bembe Agwe

2010-04-16T10:44:00.001-07:00

This rhyhtm is an adaptation of Bembe Agwe played on three drums by myself. Bembe Agwe is a bembe played when singing songs for females. Zoom H2 and Alesis SR-16 on bell.

Bembe Agwe

Bakoso

2010-04-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Another recordingI made playing three drum adaptations. This one is bakoso, even though a lot of players around here refer to it as bembe, I've been told by my instructor that it's actually bakoso. It's the first rhythm I learnt to play on 3 drums. Again, the Alesis Sr-16 plays bell. Recorded by Zoom H2.

Bakoso

Abakua

2010-04-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

A short recording I made using my Zoom H2, what a convenient device. Anyways I'm playing an adaption of Abakua on 3 drums with my Alesis SR-16 drum machine playing the bell pattern.

Abakua

Latest Shekeres

2010-04-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

I've just nearly finished up a couple more shekeres. The one on the left with the wood beads is a birthday present for my father. He doesn't play percussion at all, but he is a rather good guitarist. He just wanted to own one of my instruments. Shekeres are also good looking enough to have around as decoration, but of course they should be played. At any rate I'll be able to give this one a couple of shakes whenever I visit. Who knows, mabe my dad will pick it up.

The red and white one was meant to be sold, but it didn't work out that way. The deal fell through. But not to worry, the more I thought about it the more I liked this "candy cane" shekere and to tell the truth it is a very good match with my other shekere. This red and white one is now the mula to my black and red caja. Just got to get to work on the cachimbo. I'm lucky because I have two very nice cachimbo sized gourds to choose from to round out my set.

Jiribilla and Tahona/Tajona

2010-03-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

I recently made another trip to the library and came across this excellent book "Rites of Rhythm The Music of Cuba" by Jory Farr. Jory makes several trips to Cuba and other Cuban music hotspots in America and interviews several key Cuban musicians including Miguel Anga Diaz, Jesus Alfonso Mira, Orestes Vilato and Chucho Valdes.
Anyways I was reading the book and came across this paragraph where Juan Bautista Castillo Mustelier describes Jiribilla as a kind of dance related to a rhythm called Tahona. Juan Bautista is from Santiago and from mixed Cuban and Haitian background. This is what the book says.

When Bautista arrived in Santiago, he danced the rumba-but in the Tajona tradition...

"Many people think there are just three kinds of rumba. But there is really a fourth style, and I introduced this style into the repertoire of Cutumba and Conjunto Folklorico de Oriente when I was the directore of both groups" Bautista said.

In Tajona, the force of the music powers the dancer into what is called the jiribilla, where the man must create, very quickly and very powerfully, certain improvisations. The dancer reacts to the repique drum, which is akin to thee quinto but comes from dahomey. In fact I'd seen this the night before at Teatro Marti: a spectacular eruption of dancing that seemed like a controlled convulsiuon"

~Rites of Rhythm, pages45-46

Anyways I have heard very little concerning exactly what Tahona is beyond the term being used in the title of this Chavlonga recording. Chavlonga is certainly an elder in rumba, and the rhythms in the recording sound different when compared to Los Munequitos for example. However I have not really done any in depth analysis of Chavlonga's record, assuming I even have the skill for such to be meaningful in any way. Still it's a fascinating subject, these old and obcsure rumbas.

Gon Bops Handle Project

2010-03-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

A slow day like today is perfect for tinkering on drums. Today's project was putting a handle on my DW Gon Bops. The maker of Gon Bops, Akbar Moghaddam, is very experienced and makes an incredible drum. However they have these ugly holes drilled into them in case the owner wants to mount them on a rack. They also have 2 metal labels and GB stamped into each lug plate. That is a lot of stuff on my sleek little quinto, so something had to be done.

I bought the Gon Bop to go with my set of Resolution Drums. My 9 3/4" DW Gon Bop is a smaller size than Resolution makes, and is the "requinto" for that set. However the main reason I bought it is because it matches them so well. The red oak and hardware of the DW Gon Bop is very similar to the Resolution Drums, no big surprise there as both Ralph Flores and Akbar made Valjes at one time. Ralph's father Tom was the founder of Valje, and Akbar made Valjes here in San Francisco, prior to making his own Sol drums, which he made before contracting to DW Gon Bops.

Okay so enough history. I called Ralph and ordered a handle so I could put it on the Gon Bops. I like handles on my drums, and a Resolution handle would help the Gon Bop match even more. I positioned the Gon Bops label over the holes drilled for the rack mount to cover them up and hide them. Then I put the handle below that, similar to the way Resolution does it. Luckily the order of the staves was good, meaning I did not have to drill holes into a seam and weaken the drum. The handle for the Gon Bop had to go a little lower than the Resolution drum because the Gon Bop drum was taller.

A simple project really, even though it is always a little daunting to drill holes in a perfectly good drum. I think I have improved the look of the drum a bit by covering those holes, made it easier to move around and now my Gon Bop drum matches my Resolution drums just a little more. Certainly it should be obvious to anyone that it is part of the set.

Los Tambores Ararás, La Conga

2010-03-12T20:39:00.000-08:00

Well no sooner was I lamenting the fact that I missed the ebay auction of the Fernando Ortiz book in my earlier post , when I decided to check into my local library and see if they had a copy. They did not have a copy of The Scholar and The Collector, which I think would have been very cool. However they did have copies of La Africanía de la Música Folklórica Cubana and the book above Los Tambores Ararás, La Conga. La Africana did not have any images, it did have some somewhat hard to read handwritten transcriptions of bata rhythms. It is certainly the more scholarly book. This book, Los Tambores, etc is a small little pamphlet, only 66 pages long. I don't know if this book and the ones pictured in my previous post La Ekon, La Clave, Las Tumbas, and El Achere´, Los Chekere are all separate essays, or cheaply reproduced excerpts of Fernando Ortiz's larger work Los Instrumentos de la Musica Afrocubana. I suspect the later, as I have seen better quality scans of the book's photos, which I assume came from a more expensive book, which I further assume Los Instrumentos is. If only my Spanish was a little better, this would be a more interesting post.

Fear not intrepid bloggers y rumberos, I may not be so fluent in Spanish, but I am handy with a scanner. So I've scanned some of the plates inside the book. The Arara drums are really interesting, and the captions to the plates are simple enough for me to translate. My favorite being this caption:

Figura #12 . Tres congas de Guantanamo, con simbolos lucumies, congos, nanigos y cristianos.

Which roughly translates to: 3 congas from Guantanamo, with Lucumi, Congo, Nanigo and Christian symbols. The Lucumi are descendents of the Yoruba in Cuba and the word Lucumi I have been told means friends. Congos refers to the Bantu in Africa. Nanigos refers to the Abacua and the last is of course Spanish Catholicism.

Anyways, I'm lucky enough to live in San Francisco with it's large Spanish community, so I am happy to share these scans with you rumberos with less well stocked libraries.

Los Instrumentos De La Musica Afrocubana

2010-03-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

A couple of pictures of books about various rumba and folkloric instruments by the great Fernando Ortiz. I got these from the Yoruba Jazz blog. I love the look of those shekeres!!! Yoruba Jazz has a staggering array of music downloads as well as these pictures. I wish the books were downloadable as well.

However some very generous people have offered other different articles to read regarding rumba instruments. I placed these links in the comments section in an earlier post, but I'm going to post them here as well.

Nolan Warden's Articles

A History of the Congas, by Dr. Olavo Alen Rodriguez

The Cuban Rumba Box (Cajon)

And of course the indomitable Barry Cox at Vamos a Guarachar has several links to rumba related documents and research as well.

This last photo here I got from an ebay auction. I wish I had seen it while it was up, I would have bid for sure! It looks like a brilliant book; an copy of Fernando Ortiz's Los Instrumentos De La Musica Afrocubana and a photo essay of the Howard Familie's collection of Cuban instruments. Did I drop the ball on this one or what? Anyways if any of you out there in the blogosphere come across similar auctions alert me, or 'ahem' if you have a copy and feel like donating it to me, or selling it, I'm sure arangements can be made...

Isla Percussions New Location - Belize

2010-02-20T12:34:00.000-08:00

I have several drums by Isla Percussions, run by Mario Punchard, and I love playing them. They have a unique feel and wonderful sound. Previously Mario Punchard's shop was located in Los Angeles but Mario Punchard has now relocated Isla Percussions to Belize, as I wrote about previously in Vaya con dios Isla Percussions.

Mario Punchard's passion for the music and his drive and ambition to obtain the most beautiful and authentic sound caused him to pursue access to honduran mahogany, the original wood of the conga drum. This has led Mario Punchard to relocate his entire Isla Percussions operation to the country of Belize in order to obtain this goal. Well now Mario Punchard and Isla Percussions are up and running and making instruments. Isla Percussions now has a new website, with new information regarding Isla Percussions instruments and ordering them as well. It must be a very exciting and rewarding time for Isla Percussions. I wish Mario Punchard and Isla Percussions all the best.

Visit the new Isla Percussions Website

Afro Blue Project

2010-02-08T16:05:00.000-08:00

This is a little recording I made with my friend and excellent flautist Oliver Hunt. I've always appreciated Mongo Santamaria and his version of his classic composition Afro Blue. I wanted to gain some more recording experience and also make my own version of this song. In this version I am playing a bembe rhythm on 3 congas with a few varations. I leave the improvisation to the flute as I wanted to keep the song simple. Making the recording was a lot of fun, and I learned a little more about micing instruments and mixing digitally.

Anyways, here is my amateur recording of Afro Blue and my first try at sharing a recording with Divshare.

Let me know how you like it.

Shekere for Sale. - SOLD.

2010-02-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

I'm putting this shekere up for sale. It was intended to be part of a set, but between selling the littlest shekere of the set to my close friend because he REALLY wanted it, and my frustration with beading the middle gourd, it is time for this one to move on.

This is a really excellent sounding shekere. The open tone has a great voice, and I've used some larger beads that give the shake sound a nice deep and solid sound. This shekere has an old schoolsound, like the shekeres you hear in the Mongo Santamaria recordings on Afro Roots.

I was able to get this gourd very very clean on the inside. I don't cut my gourds in half to clean them. I painstakingly use a variety of home made tools to clean it. The inside gets a light coat of polyurethane for strength and to increase the volume, but not so much to increase the weight. The outside gets a coat of Danish Oil for protection and to improve the appearance. Finally, the thicker rope with the tassles, kind of a trademark of mine, is there to provide a kind of cushion, to keep your hands from striking the beads when playing an open tone on the bottom. That can be painful

I take PayPal and ship overseas.

101 Rumba Clave Exercises!

2010-01-26T11:12:00.000-08:00

Well actually it is only 18 rumba clave exercises, but that doesn't make as catchy a title....Anyways I've been working on the 6/8 coordination exercises on Micheal Spiro's The Conga Drummer's Guidebook and I noticed that the book did not have similar exercises for rumba clave! So I made my own. The 6/8 exercises have been challenging and rewarding, and now looking at the rumba clave exercises I just made, well I'm wondering if I've created a monster. Never tested, nor approved by anyone! I'm willing to experiment on you; my faithful readers. You have my permission to copy these distribute them and to knock yourself out practicing them. Please give me feedback on their success, difficulty or failures

Hopefully if you make it through all 18 exercises you'll be able to do something like this; introducing the one the only Piri Lopez Herrera:

The Rebite

2010-01-07T17:15:00.000-08:00

Pronounced with a Brazilian accent as "he bee chay" or something similar.

A friend of mine came across a video of a famous Brazilian musician on a Brazilian late night talk show. Anyways, this musician was famous for the pandeiro and gave a demonstration on the show.

Later, the musician being interviewed, pulls out this metal bucket with screws attached to it and starts playing that, which the audience thought was really funny. My friend fell in love with the idea and since I had made him a shekere and had the tools he asked me to give him a hand.

So we used a one gallon paint can which gives a great sound when the bottom is struck, kind of a metallic "prang". I think he's is going to be experimenting with muffling it a bit. The screws give a lovely shaking sound, which changes depending on the direction you shake it.

It was a fun project and ended up really well in a nice little instrument. Kind of a cross between a shekere and a pandeiro. Took about an hour to make and cost less than $10.00. It kind of reminds me of the early metal maracas that Los Munequitos de Matanzas used to use, or some of the funky instruments like car brake drums that they use in Comparsas de Carnaval in Cuba.

You did what??!?

2009-12-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

I've been playing out with my set of Skin on Skin congas pretty frequently lately and I missed the fact that they didn't have any handles. So I called up Jay Bereck and his apprentice Josh in New York and asked them about it. Jay Bereck doesn't actually make handles for his congas, but he has installed them on his Skin on Skin congas before. Jay Bereck is always an amazing man to talk to. He told me how Ray Barretto would bring him handles from whatever congas he had just broke or whatever to have installed on Skin on Skin congas Jay had made for him.

Skin on Skin congas are probably the best congas being made. The design is so clean and advanced. So to say it was a bit daunting to drill some holes into my beautiful perfect congas is a bit of an understatement; I was terrified.

Anyways, I eventually found the right handle: a stainless steel handle from Ace Hardware that matched the stainless steel bands the Skin on Skin congas come with, and after some careful measuring and planning the handles went on straight and strong. I guess all those years of Architecture school were worth it, eh?

I'm really happy with how it turned out. I had inspiration and some advice from Mark Sanders over at Fidel's Eyeglasses . He actually had owned a Skin on Skin requinto that he recently sold with a handle installed by Jay Bereck, the only picture I've seen of a Skin on Skin conga with a handle, which encouraged me with my project. I'm kind of wishing I had bought this little drum when he sold it a while back. So cool!

So my conga project is done, the handles work great, and I'm really happy to have them. It makes moving the congas around much easier. Jay provided me with some really excellent instructions. and I kind of like how they look a little more now. They have an old school look like the Vergara and Junior Tirado congas you see in pictures.

Skin On Skin Hand Made Congas

(607) 639-2417

1618 State Highway 41
Afton, NY 13730

A moment of doubt...

2009-12-28T14:14:00.000-08:00

Well bloggers, let me tell you something very personal. A month or so ago I was seriously considering giving up the tumbadoras. Now why would I ever consider such a thing? Well, a big part of being a musician is practice, and the congas are a loud instrument, and I was finding it very frustrating to not be able to practice any time I like, as some of my other musician friends can.

I am able to go to Golden Gate park and practice there, but I can't bring my charts or my drum machine. Also the park is a "public" zone, so I have to contend with parents showing their babies the drums, people wanting to chat, or take pictures and worse, the occasional djembe player of dubious ability sitting next to me and tapping away. At home, I wrap a towel around the drums with a bungie cord and practice away, but of course you don't get the real sound. My guitar playing friends and flute playing friends don't have that problem.

What I also found frustrating was the necessity of having so many other people to put together Afro-Cuban folkloric music and rhythms. The congas are also not in such large demand as say a trap-drummer or the guitar. So I was starting to feel limited in places, genres and musics I could play.

So I was considering a switch....to the upright bass. Now the upright bass is a beautiful instrument if ever there was one. A very versatile instrument as well, jazz, bluegrass, rockabilly, classical, Cuban son; well it's a long list. Lots of my favorite musicians are bass players; Charles Mingus and Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez. If you play an upright bass, you are in DEMAND! You have to turn people down because you have too many chances to play.

Well it looked like a good choice, beautful, versatile and quiet enough to play in my San Francisco apartment. I went so far as to join an online bass forum, researched basses suitable for beginners, etc.

So what happened? Why am I still here writing about rumba and congas? Well, I was in the park, practicing some 4/4 rhtyhms; songo and pilon, when this beautiful young couple passing by heard the drums and started dancing. This was a young white couple, dressed casually for a day in the park, but something was up. They knew how to dance! I suspect they have been taking salsa lessons and hitting up the salsa clubs around San Francisco. So there we were, playing at the Conservatory of Flowers, with the palm tress and flower beds in bloom the sound of the congas in the air and the two dancers dancing.

Well I kind of forgot about the bass. I have a lot of respect for that instrument, but in my experience, no other instrument reaches out and grabs people somewhere in their bodies and gets them moving and dancing as the congas do. I've seen it happen time and time again, from respectable businessmen to tragically cool hipsters to homeless bums. There is something about the sound of the congas that compels them, drives them, possesses them (for better or worse!). And that's really why I got into the instrument. It makes the frustration, and even what sometimes feels like persecution, worth it.

And there you have it. I was saved from years of blistered fingers, charts and scales, keys and intervals, strings and bows, and from lugging some huge beast of a bass around town by a couple practicing their dance steps as I played my drums in Golden Gate park.

RE: Guemilere: Study Guide for Afro-Cuban Percussion - A note from Scott Wardinsky

2009-12-14T18:52:00.000-08:00

Visitors to my blog may have come across an earlier post of mine Guemilere: Study Guide for Afro - Cuban Percussion : (Jimenez / Wardinsky). In that post I write about a recording intended for the study of Afro-Cuban rhythms. Today I just received an email regarding that recording from one of its authors, Scott Wardinsky, who asked me to post the following message:

This is Scott Wardinsky writing. The reason it is so hard to find this recording is because we decided it did not meet the artistic or technical level of what we wanted to put out. However many copies managed to leak out after we gave a few away for criticisms. It went viral.

I have a new, much better project similar to Guemilere but in DVD format with performances as well as instructional tracks. It is called Mabague which Regino told me means Remember or Don't Forget in Lucumi. It features Lazoro Galarraga, Sandy Perez, Teresita Perez, Michael Spiro, Jose Barroso, Nengue Hernandez, Joey de Leon muself and a bunch of other great artists. There are 18 rhythms. Much more comprehensive than the first. With some killer performances that include the singing, dancing and drumming. It includes a booklet with transrciptions, lyrics and photos. It will be out in 3-6 months ( or when I get the $$$ to pay for mastering and manufacturing). In the meantime if you would like to donate to Reginos' estate in Cuba ( his wife and children) for the download available here you can contact me at odua88@yahoo.com.
Thanks, Scott Wardinsky

Scott Wardinksy, also mentions that he appreciates the recognition and does not mind me making the recording available in the manner that I have approached it.

So thank you very much for your visit and approval Mr. Wardinsky. I am sure my readers will be eager for the release of the new material. I will continue to make the Guemilere recording available for download and I hope my readers will find the generosity to make a donation to Maestro Regino's estate.

The Gourd, The Bead and The Agbe.

2009-12-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

I just finished another shekere for this agbe set of 3 shekeres. The one I just finished is the caja, or lowest pitched shekere. I used the large round beads that sound great. I have one more shekere to finish before this set is done. Traditionally 3 shekeres are used to play for guiro and sometimes bembe. The shekeres are tuned just like drums; high, medium and low. The size of the gourd determines the pitch of the shekeres open tone, I also try to control the pitches with the size and number of beads on the gourds to try and create a higher pitched shake sound for the small shekere and a lower pitched shake for the larger one.

Anyways, I'm going to be selling this set, if anyone is interested please contact me. I'd like to try and sell it as a complete set of 3. These three gourds have an almost perfect set of open tones when played together, with the tones almost perfect intervals apart. They sound really cool. Also I'm kind of designing them to go together as a set as well. But if they don't sell as a set, I might break it up; or keep them, we'll see.

This is the last gourd of the set. I know it looks like I haven't started it, but I've actually started it twice, and getting pretty far along too. However, each time there was something I didn't like, either my bead arrangement, or how the beads and net were actually laying on the gourd. There is something a little challenging about the shape of this gourd, that I have to adapt for in beading the net. That gourd really has a nice sound and feel. I'll be finishing it soon, but I was a little frustrated with it, so I moved onto the caja, which came out really well. It's a nice shekere, and this guiro set is going to come out great.

4 Guaguas, Catas or Palitos just finished

2009-12-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

   Call them what you will, these guaguas (catas) are recently finished. They are sanded, wrapped and just waiting for the coat of Danish Oil to dry. Which might take a little while considering how gloomy and cold it is here in San Francisco.

   Sorry rumberos, but these are all spoken for. The first one on the left is off to a little island in England. The second from the left is going to a rumbero in Phoenix, Arizona and the last two are for me.

   Why do I need two guaguas? Well these instruments take a lot of abuse getting banged on with sticks; even though I do my best to make them durable, they are a natural material after all.

   Also I've been bringing the instruments to the local rumba lately. Congas, claves, campana, shekere and the guagua. Can you imagine how sad this rumbero would be if I showed up without a guagua?

Now imagine how sad I would be when this rumbero starts playing palitos on the side of one of my tumbadoras instead of the cata because I didn't have a backup!

Domingo de la Rumba!!!

2009-12-07T23:01:00.000-08:00

I know it's a stretch for some of my more distant readers, rumberos in such far away places as Ireland and India. However my little site meter tells me I have plenty of visitors nearby as well.

Abakua and Rumba

2009-12-01T11:07:00.000-08:00

In the study of rumba, the influence of the Abakua on rumba is frequently mentioned. Abakua’s origins are in southeastern Nigeria. It’s modern manifestation in Cuba originates in Havana as a secret society of the blacks living and working there.

I’ve wondered exactly how Abakua has influenced rumba. Abakua has it’s own rich music, complete with a special set of drums and percussive instrumentation, dancing and songs. Abakua rhythms also have a rich improvisation element to be heard in the lead drum known as the Bonko Enchimiya.

It is well documented that several of the most influential early rumberos were Abakua, and incorporated Abakua language lyrics in their compositions. Chano Pozo and Justi Barretto being two well-known Abakua rumba composers.

So where else are the traces of Abakua in rumba? Let’s take a look at the oldest rumbas, Columbia and Yambu:

Columbia: Rumba Columbia’s origins lie in the countryside, in the worker’s barracks for the many different Cuban plantations. Rhythmically, Columbia is played in 6/8 the same as Abakua rhythms are. The same pattern is used for Columbia’s palitos/cata as is used for Abakua’s erikundi shakers. Although Columbia typically uses the common 6/8-bell pattern, it is not uncommon to hear rumba clave played. One of Abakua’s several Ekon (bell) patterns is exactly the same as clave played in 6/8 time.

Another similarity I’ve noticed is in the melodies of the drums. Abakua is typically played with 4 drums; 3 drums playing the melody and an improvising lead drum. Rumba Columbia is played with 3 drums; 2 drums for melody and an improvising quinto. When I compare the Abakua rhythm as I’ve been taught with the Matanzas and Havana Columbia rhythms I’ve also been taught, I recognize a few similarities, if I allow for the absence of 1 drum from the Abakua rhythm. The melody between Abakua’s Eroapa (high drum) and Kuchiyerma (middle drum) resembles the Havana style Columbia’s melody. Mainly you have two higher pitched tones immediately followed by two lower pitched tones as a melodic theme.

In this comparison, I am also reminded of the practice of "doble" in Columbia where each drum plays tones on different sides of the clave once per clave in the beginning of the song, then playing twice per clave in the second, or doubling.

Also the melody between the Eroapa and Obiapa (low drum) resembles the melody for the Matanzas style Columbia I’ve been taught. Here we have a low note, then a short space followed by two higher pitched notes as a common theme between the two.

I'm not saying that this is the definite case. I'm possibly projecting a bit. I do perceive a similarity between the relationship of the melodic tones. I also see the possibility of deriving the Columbia rhythm from previously known Abakua rhythms as the Abakua members were creating a secular popular rhythm from the secret rhythms they were already familiar with.

Finally, there are several motions in the dance for Columbia that appear to have their origins in the dance of the Ireme in Abakua. Frequently in Columbia the dancers use machetes as props in their dance. It was pointed out to me by John Santos in a recent lecture that several of the motions and steps employed by the Columbia machete dancers were exactly the same as those of the Ireme who holds a stick and a whisk in either hand. Also there is a hip shaking motion used by the Ireme to jingle his belt of bells that can also be seen in Columbia dancing, even though a belt of bells is not used. Columbia’s dance is also a male only solo dance where the dancers take turns which is the same as Ireme’s dance as practiced in Abakua tradition.

2. Yambu. The connection and between Yambu and Abakua seemed much less apparent to me. The musics seem so dissimilar. Firstly, Yambu is played in 4/4 time versus the 6/8 of Abakua. The instrumentation of early Yambu’s cajon ensemble is also very different from the drums, bells and shakers of Abakua.

However, it is mentioned in every book I’ve read on the subject that Yambu originated in the docks of Cuba. It is also mentioned that the Abakua societies were the ones in control of those same docks. So the early Yambuceros were almost certainly Abakua as well.

Musically the only the only similarity I can find is again, in the clave. Many scholars mention clave coming from Abakua. Early yambu uses several claves. Havana Yambu frequently uses Son clave, possibly an adaptation of the 6/8 Ekon clave pattern. However Matanzas Yambu frequently uses a different clave. When I examine this clave, I notice that this also has a strong similarity to the Erikundi pattern, perhaps adapted to the 4/4 Yambu timing from the 6/8 Abakua pattern. Of course this is conjecture on my part, but look how closely they resemble each other, if you just move the strike right after the 3 in the Erikundi pattern over a little to make up for the increased space in 4/4 time.

Examining the dance of Abakua and Yambu, again, at first glance there seems to be little similarity. Yambu is danced as a couples dance, and there are no props. The main similarity I can see is the tempo of the dance. Yambu and Abakua are both danced slowly. Whether coincidence or intention is beyond my ability to determine, however it is a similarity between the two. In addition, I sometimes wonder if the handkerchief, or scarf frequently used as a prop by the male Yambu dancer is derived from the Ireme's props as well. It often seems as if they share some common movements.

There is no question that Rumba has had many influences. Almost certainly the Yoruba / Lucumi culture has had it's influence in the music. Flamenco from the Spanish is said to be an influence as well. However I have always heard it mentioned the Abakua were the largest contributors to rumba, and so I've looked for the similarities in the music (maybe too hard!), to see if they remained to be seen. However perhaps the largest Abakua contribution can be seen in the practice of rumba itself. Regarding Abakua I’ve read “La Amistad a un lado y el Abakua separado” (Friendship is one thing, and the Abakua another.) Regarding this, one cannot deny the sense of camaraderie and friendship that frequently sweeps over a rumba as the groove of the rhythm overcomes the rumberos as they collectively create the feeling of rumba. As I have said myself “La Rumba esta una familia” The Rumba is a family.

The Lost Art of Yambu.

2009-11-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

(photo Thomas Altmann)

The other day I was practicing Yambu in the park on a beautiful fall day and I was reflecting on the style of Yambu and how it is not played in the original way anymore. Yambu is the oldest rhythm in Rumba. The origins of Yambu are the docks of Cuba, Yambu was created by black workers playing the rhythm on the crates and boxes to be found there.

You can see in the photo a modern interpretation of these original crate instruments as created by Thomas Altmann at Oche music. He has written an excellent article on the subject.

What was striking me was how in modern times Yambu is often simply approached as a slower form of Guaguanco. However as I was playing the low drum at a nice easy tempo, I was struck by how complete a rhythm that part was all on it's own.

This is a Matanzas style Yambu. It is a very rich version, a good range of tones, and a lot of space. Also the way it moves across the clave, one side answers the other. I realized as I was practicing that this rhythm did not need another drum like the Tres Dos to complete it. Actually, the earliest forms of Yambu did not have a Tres Dos (conga). The early versions of Yambu were played with just a low drum, a quinto, palitos and claves.

This was made more apparent to me when I switched and was practicing the Tres Dos, middle drum part to this Matanzas style Yambu.

You can see here that the open tones for the Tres Dos land exactly in the same spot as the Tumbadora. The addition of the Tres Dos does not really change the melody much at all, and in a way it is not really integral to the rhythm. I will say it does add a lot though, mainly in the muff (M) tones, as they "answer" the muff tones from the Tumba. In actual play those muff tones on the Tres Golpes can be switched with the three slap (S) tones as well, where they would occur before, or "call" the muff tones for the Tumba.

When approached this way, Yambu actually sounds and feels much different that Guaguanco. In the older recordings you can also hear different claves being used. Son clave, Rumba clave and "Yambu" clave are all present. The "Yambu" clave is what I learned to use with this version of Yambu. It is basically rumba clave with the addition of a strike on the beat right after both the second and third strokes of rumba clave. I have even learned a palitos pattern that goes with the Yambu and not guaguanco. It is similar to the standard guaguanco, but with a few strokes left out. I suspect there are less strokes in the Yambu palitos because there are more strokes in the Yambu clave.

Anyways, nowadays at rumba, when Yambu is played, it is played on the modern congas instead of cajons, the rhythm is almost always Guaguanco, and the main thing that differentiates Yambu from Guaguanco is that the rumberos are just playing it more slowly. Which brings me to the last observation I have. The art of playing slowly. It is very difficult to do and maintain a nice feel, more often than not it tends to drag or speed up.

The older Carlos Embale records are such great examples of Yambu. It seems the authentic Yambu played gives Carlos Embale the chance to really stretch out and sing these beautiful melodies. Sometimes I think it might be nice to add a little more variety to the Guaguancos and Rumba Columbias and bring back the low, slow and sweet sounds of Yambu.

Improvisation in Rumba

2009-11-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

Rumba is an improvisational music, much like Jazz and Blues. Just like Jazz and Blues, Rumba has it’s own structure regarding how the instruments and vocals improvise, when the improvisation occurs and which instruments improvise.

Instruments that do not improvise in Rumba.

Claves.
Palitos.
Shekere.
Chorus (Coro).
Bell (La Campana).

Instruments that improvise in rumba

Lead singer (Gallo).
Quinto.
Tres Dos.
Tumba.

Instruments that do not improvise in Rumba.

Claves, palitos, la campana and the shekere are the timekeepers in a rumba. They repeat a non-changing pattern throughout the length of the song or rhythm, or at least they should. Which pattern depends on the rhythm. The exception is the shekere. The shekere can begin playing on just the first beat of the song including the pickup just before the beat, then add the third beat, playing on the one and the three. Finally the shekere can progress to playing all four beats and their pick up strokes in the montuno or upbeat portion of the song. A further exception to this occurs sometimes in Rumba Columbia, which is a 6/8 rhythm. Sometimes an adept shekere player may adapt a 6/8 shekere pattern used for guiro or bembe.

The chorus or coro, is typically set by the gallo (lead singer). I’m not a gallo myself, but I’ve been told the gallo chooses the coro based upon a few things. One is the coro goes with the song he is singing, another is the amount of time he wants or needs to make up improvisational verses between repetitions of the coro and lastly is to determine the overall energy or groove of the song.

Instruments that improvise in Rumba.

The gallo not only sings a composed song, but they also improvise lyrics and sounds. I know of two areas where the gallo improvises lyrics. The first is the gallo singing by himself with the percussion, either an improvised extension of a composed song, or possibly be the whole song itself being improvised. Secondly, the gallo begins a section of call and response improvisations with the coro. The gallo calls an improvised refrain of a determined length, followed by a set coro response of a determined length.

The quinto is probably the most apparent improviser. On rhythm charts you often see the quinto part described as free. However, the quinto is not really free to improvise like a jazz soloists, it has guidelines. I think a better description for the quinto would be responding instead of improvising. The quinto responds. The quinto will play differently depending on what is happening in the song. When the singer is singing the quinto plays so as not to play over the singer. When it is just percussion playing the quinto player should leave room for the other drums to to be heard. When there is a dancer or dancers the quinto is meant to mark their steps and interact with them. Finally, when the gallo cries out “Quinto!”, it is time for the quinto to play a solo with passion and afinique.

The tres dos (middle drum) and the tumba (low drum) also improvise. However they also maintain the melody of the song and the groove. The extent of improvisation versus playing straight depends on the musicians and their talent and creativity. Playing the whole rhythm totally straight can feel a little stiff, however too much improvisation can lead to overplaying; playing over the singer and losing the groove and melody. When and how much to improvise is an art. Typically in a rumba the improvisations between these two drums takes the form of call and response: one drum initiates with an improvisation and the other one responds. However a drum is free to not respond or improvise alone as well.

So improvisation in Rumba is different than it is for other great improvisational musics, like Jazz for example. In rumba some instruments improvise and others do not. Furthermore, in Rumba all the improvising instruments improvise at the same time, they don’t take turns doing improvised solos. However there are guidelines and limits to the extent and nature of each instruments improvisation. It is this tension of the instruments shifting between improvised and set rhythms in Rumba that makes it such a dynamic and emotionally charged music.

Current Practice

2009-11-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

Don't worry bloggers I'm not trading in the tumbadoras for the drum kit! Mainly this is just practice to sharpen my counting and music reading skills. I remember many years ago when I was in Junior High School and I played orchestral percussion I could read music very quickly; dotted eight notes, flams, eighth note rests, all that stuff was just what you did in a music score. Well, things nowadays are much more sluggish.

So here we are. I picked this method book for its emphasis on syncopation:

Syncopation occurs when a temporary displacement of the regular metrical accent occurs, causing the emphasis to shift from a strong accent to a weak accent.

Obviously syncopation is very important in Afro-Cuban music and rumba. Clave, pallitos, quinto are all very syncopated.

I'm not going to be a snare drummer anytime soon, so I stayed away from the snare rudiments with all their 5 and seven stroke rolls and all that. Also a friend of mine who is a great quinto player rcommended this book. He adapted the excercises for congas. Actually, he is the one who bought it for me as a way to repay a favor I did for him, changing the skin on one of his drums.

So the practice pad is there for the obvious reasons; it's quiet and portable. I can tap away on this thing anywhere at anytime, almost. Well I just got the whole kit put together yesterday, so I guess I'll be seeing how I get on with it soon.

This drum is fixed.

2009-10-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

Well I tried to work quickly and get the Valje conga fixed and repaired for the rumba today, but it turns out today's rumba is cancelled. Oh well.

I had several pictures taken of this conga during the repair process, but somehow my pictures folder got dumped into the trashed and deleted, so I'm scrambling to find some sort of deleted file recovery program. I want to recover about 1,000 photos of mine, so if any of you out there in the blogosphere could hellp me out it would be appreciated.

Anyways, onto the repair. Conga repair really isn't all that difficult:

You probably want to remove all the hardware from your drum. So take it off and mark where each lug plate goes, so it will fit back into the same spot. It is also a good idea to mark the crown and skin, so that can be placed in the same spot as before as well.
Now that the hardware is off you need to glue the crack. First prep the crack by lightly sanding it to remove the old glue. If the crack is not on a seam, you don't need this step. Try not to remove any wood, just remove the old glue.
You may need to spread the crack open a little wider to get the glue inside all the way. I use a thin putty knife and also a syringe to shoot the glue into the crack.
The glue you use is up to you. All wood glues work. I've used Titebond and Gorilla glue. They both have advantages. For this last fix I used Titebond glue.
The hardest part to fixing a crack is applying enough pressure to keep it closed. The best method I know of is getting some lengths of rope and tying loops into each end. Place this length of rope around the drum and then put a drumstick into the loops. Twist the drumstick around so the rope tightens around the drum. Tighten it until the crack is closed and glue is oozing out. 3 of these rope clamps are good, one for each end of the crack and one for the middle. Smaller cracks might need just 2.
The one problem with using the rope is that it wants to slide down the drum because of the drum's shape. I overcome this problem with string. Loop some string through the holes for the lugplates and tie the ends together at the length you want to place the rope. The string will hold the rope in place and keep it from sliding down the drum.
The drum sticks will also want to unwind so you need to prevent that. You can tie these off with string as well in a similar matter to the rope. Or you can lean them against something like a table top.
When the glue dries. The repair is done. Your going to have some glue to remove. The Gorilla glue usually comes right off with a razor blade, Titebond usually needs sanding.
Refinishing depends on the drum. My drums are all natural wood. This Valje got a coat of Watco Danish Oil in Natural finish. The Watco is very easy to apply, looks great and dries fast. It is easily repaired as well.
When it comes to placing everything back onto the drum, you may want to soften your skin a little to get a nice tight seal again. Just flip the skin upside down and put about 1/2 inch of water in it. After 30 minutes or so the underside will be a little soft and ready to put back on the drum.
When the hardware is off is a good time to put a little lube on the threads of your lugs. I use bicycle chain lube, because I'm a cyclist. Sewing machine oil, WD40, lug lube oil from LP all work as well.

So that is it. It really is not a difficult thing to fix your conga drum. I think it's a lot of fun. Now I'm going to be busy trying to get my deleted photos back. Wish me luck.

Oh, No! My drum broke!

2009-10-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

No sooner than a reader emails me about advice fixing his Gon Bops that I notice my 40 year old Valje has gotten two new cracks. Well TG, looks like it's your lucky day. Guess what readers? The next few posts are going to be on my Valje repair.

These are some chunky cracks, so it's going to take a bit of work. I'll also be working against the clock as the rumba is coming up this Sunday, and this is one of the drums I bring there.

Repairs are a fact of life for old wood instruments. I recently had an 80 year old Martin guitar fixed for my father. Double basses, violins, guitars and especially congas eventually need some sort of repair. I'm pretty sure this drum cracked just yesterday when the bag strap slipped in my hand and I accidentally dropped it on it's end onto the concrete about a foot and a half, and then I continued to play it for about two hours. One crack is along a seam that has already been repaired twice, and the other one is new. Well we'll see if third time is the charm.

Art.

2009-10-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

This is a little piece of artwork I made up a few years back. It was inspired by an anti-war drumming demonstration here in San Francisco a while ago and also by the Food not Bombs charity organization.

It was a fun little graphic to make, I ended up making stickers of the graphic. The words Bongos not Bombs eventually became my handle for some internet forums and stuff. I got the conga hardware from the Isla Percussions drums, the hands are from the Incredible Bongo Band album cover.

¡La Rumba Es Todo Del Mundo!

2009-10-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

3,000 visits already!!!

A big thank you to all my visitors. I am very grateful for all the visits. Rumba is truly an international music. I want to express my appreciation to my visitors from such far away places as beautiful Japan, Indonesia, South Africa, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Morocco, Finland, Germany, Kenya, Nigeria, Poland, Singapore, China, Bulgaria, Hungary, Switzerland, Ecuador, Mexico, France, Canada, Ireland, England, Scotland, Holland, Denmark, Brazil, France, Australia, the Phillipines, Malaysia, Greece, Cypress, India, Turkey, Hong Kong, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy, and of course my many visitors from the USA, and the rest of the rumberos visiting my site from all over the world.

Being able to reach out to so many people worldwide makes it all worthwhile. Muchas Gracias.

Samba Quinto!

2009-10-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

Well not really, I'm just making a little joke about my current rumba quinto practice material. When I first started learning to play the congas my first teacher gave us 3 sheets of rhythm transcriptions which were patterns for the Brazilian Timbau drum for Samba Bahia and Samba Ijexa. It was practice material; homework for working our timing, sticking, slaps and open tones. Lately I've been using these patterns for rumba quinto practice.

I will be the first to say, that even though I love samba, and maracatu and batucada, I'm not as well educated on the Brazilian percussion styles as I am on the Cuban. I can't really explain what the role of the timbau is or what the differences are between Samba Bahia and Samba Ijexa. My first guess is that Samba Ijexa is related somehow to the Cuban Iyesa and the Samba Bahia comes from the state of Bahia in Brazil. But these are just guesses.

The Brazilian percussion importer Espirito Drums has this to say about the timbau drum.

Timbal (Timbau)
A drum reportedly designed by Carlinhos Brown when he formed Timbalada, the band that bears the drum's name, the timbal is a similar concept to the West African djembe. However, the timbal is much lighter in weight and has a plastic head that keeps consistent tension in even the dampest weather. These drums are incredibly loud and can be heard even in a full bateria.

Anyways, you guys want to know about rumba quinto. So here are a few of the Samba timbau patterns I practice for rumba quinto. They make pretty good quinto licks. One thing I like about them is they usually have different sides like clave does, or they travel from one side of clave into the other. They also have that samba flavor, I like that.

Attached are a few examples of the timbau patterns I use for quinto practice. I mix it up. I repeat one pattern several times or one pattern followed by another; creating improvised phrases from the memorized patterns. I've got three pages of these, but I'm only posting a few here. I've got to save some for myself, you know!

Behind the Beat

2009-10-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

A little graphic I came up with to illustrate some points about timing. I thought my readers might enjoy it, and I wanted to get a post up to keep the blog updated. It's actually a pretty informative little graphic if you meditate on it a little.

Rumba and music related posts soon to follow, once I get some distractions out of the way.

Finished

2009-09-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

Just finished this shekere. I like how the gourds color matches the wood beads. Very natural looking. This gourd ended up having a nice brisk action. It has a very large and wide bottom that is easy to strike with the hand for a booming tone. The crisp sound of the beads contrasts with the deep open tone very well. All in all a great sounding and easy playing instrument. As I said it's going to my friend Oliver, n excellent jazz flautists and all around nice guy.

I've got plenty more shekeres to make, but I'll try and focus on some differnt sorts of posts in the near future.

One more shekere

2009-09-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Well I seem to be turning out these instruments at a pretty good rate. This one is close to finished as you can see. This shekere uses wood beads. It is my second wood bead shekere. This one is going to a friend and fellow musician, a saxophone and flute player I play jazz with. He liked the natural look of the wood beads.

Wood beads have a different sound. I prefer them over the typical plastic pony barrel beads, but I think I prefer the larger round plastic beads I used on my last shekere, in the post just before this.

Anyways this is turning out to be a nice instrument. Should be completed in the nex day or two. I'm really trying to turn out these shekeres as I kind of want to get all these gourds out of my apartment. 12 big gourds do not really make for the best home decor, if you know what I mean.

Latest Shekere.

2009-09-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

Well here it is. Believe it or not I got this instrument done on time for the rumba. It performed very well, and sounded great. I got a lot of compliments on it. I really like its old school look and sound. It has a looser more "gravely" tone than most of the modern shekeres you hear. There are some tracks on Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Roots" CD and the Grupo Afrocuba De Matanzas CD Raices Africanas that have shekeres whose sound I was trying to emulate with this latest instrument of mine.

This shekere turned out to have a nice response, very good action and was fairly light. I was a little concerned because the gourd was so large and I used some larger size beads that this instrument would be heavy and unwieldy, but such was not the case at all.

I spent a lot of timing browsing images of shekeres I liked to use as models. First and foremost are the creations of Morty Sanders that you can see at the Fidel's Eyeglasses Blog by his son Mark. There are others from various resources as well. I'm going to post some up here so you can see where I got some of my ideas from.

Anyways, this one is done, and this particular shekere is for me, I'm keeping it. I'm going to be using it at the rumbas and sessions that I go to. But I have plenty more to make, I'm still working on the agbe set, that is going to be available for sale, and I have a shekere to make for one of my jazz musician friends that I play congas with. I might have one or two single shekeres that I might sell as well. Still plenty of work to do. Eventually I'm going to have to make one like this guys SUPER funky gourd. Love it!

Shekere Factory

2009-09-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

I've been busy working on this shekere. I went by General Bead here in San Francisco and picked up a whole bunch of nice beads to get my next shekere projects going. This one pictured here is going to be for me to take to rumbas around town. I'm trying out some new techniques on this instrument, which were a little challenging but I've got it under control now. I'm hoping to get it done for the rumba tomorrow at the Radio Havana Social Club. I'm looking forward to seeing how this shekere turns out.

Rhythm Transcription Sheets

2009-09-10T11:34:00.001-07:00

Hopefully this works out. I've attached a couple of image files that hopefully my readers can drag to their desktop and print out. What these files are, are sheets that I take to classes and seminars to write down and make a record of what I am learning there.

I've done this for over a year now, conga rhythms and bata. I started off with just the sheets which was very effective, writing down the rhythm's notes, sequence and hand sticking through direct observation of the teacher's demonstration. I now combine this with digital audio recordings I make with my Zoom H2, which is an extremely convenient little device. The two methods, direct observation and the audio recordings, combined with direct experience and memory of playing and hearing the rhythm in class combines to make the most effective and accurate recordings short of video. Many instructors do not permit video recording of classes.

There are several methods of notation that would be suitable for charts like these. I myself use an adaptation of "The "Stoned" Hand-Drum", which is a very cool method itself adapted from the venerable Stone-Stick Control for the Snare Drummer.

The 'Stoned" method uses letters and such for the different tones.

I use a version of this method of letters for the tones of the drums, and I place a letter "R" or "L" for the hand underneath the tone to show the sticking. These methods are similar to tabs for guitar players. Here is an example of one that I have used.

   Another method that is very common is to use a row of squares for each hand; dominant hand on top, the other hand on the bottom. Both methods have their advantages. I prefer it written in one row, as I feel it's easier to vocalize the rhythm in one line, the letters end up forming a kind of sentence that I can pronounce.

   Writing rhythms for hand drums in standard music notation has one big problem, mainly how to represent the different strokes and the sticking, there has not been a standardized way to represent that in music notation. I often wonder why the different strokes can't be represented on the different lines of the staff, like for a piano. Usually a whole series of little symbols are used, which are always clumsy and differ from book to book. I think you could use a treble clef to represent the higher drums and the bass clef for the lower drum. The note lines would represent the tones, G for slap, E for open tone, B for bass, etc, etc. The sticking would still need to be addressed.

Anyways, it's a debate that is going to go on for a long time: how to transcribe rhythms for hand drums. Hopefully you'll find these little sheets useful, they work well for me. The best way to transcribe them is whatever way works for you best. Of course there is the whole discussion about whether or not rumba and folkloric music which was originally passed down orally can be accurately represented on paper at all, but that's a whole different subject for another post.

Caxixi.com - Cabello Organic Percussion

2009-09-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

(from caxixi.com -Cabello Organic Percussion)

A little while ago I wrote a post on erikundi , which are little shakers made kind of like little baskets. I know of them mainly for their use in the Afro-Cuban Abakua rhythm, but in Brasil they are called Caxixi, I'm familiar with them being played with the Berimbau, the instrument famous for accompanying Capoeira.

(from caxixi.com -Cabello Organic Percussion)

Wikipedia has this to say about caxixi and erikundi:

A caxixi is a percussion instrument consisting of a closed basket with a flat-bottom filled with seeds or other small particles. The caxixi is an indirectly struck idiophone. Like the maraca, it is sounded by shaking. It is found across Africa and South America, but mainly in Brazil. Natives believed the caxixi to summon good enchanted spirits and to ward off evil ones.

In Capoeira music, the caxixi is played along with the berimbau. In West Africa it is used by singers and often alongside drummers.

An erikundi is a kind of basket woven maraca, a percussion instrument. It is of African origins.

Anyways, why the double post? My friends over at Sentimiento Manana posted this great picture from the percussionist Gene Golden, showing the variety and quality of his instruments. He has some fantastic stuff, including some incredible erikundis (caxixi).

(from http://sentimientomanana.blogspot.com)

So I did a little browsing and came across a beautiful site called caxixi.com which belongs to Cabello Organic Percussion. Imagine that! A whole website named after this humble little instrument! I'm very impressed. That is just the thing I like to see. I wanted to put the word out there for any Afro-Cuban folkloric players that can't go to a flea market and buy erikundis from Ghanaians like I was lucky enough to. Cabello Organic Percussion not only seems to make fantastic and quality caxixi, they seem to have that secret ingredient: passion! I'm sure it won't be long before I have some of their instruments. They are so beautiful.

(from caxixi.com -Cabello Organic Percussion)

All done.

2009-09-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

   Well this little guy is done now. Two more to go. This shekere ended up having a nice tight responsive action with a crisp sound, but not too loud. That's perfect for a cachimbo for guiro, even for rumba, but I don't think this gourd quite has the presence for rumba. In a guiro this size shekere basically keeps the time, playing the pick-up just before the downbeat and the downbeat and . Ki-la, ki-la, ki-la: just like the cachimbo for bembe or the okonkolo often do.

  I've heard this particular size go by a couple of names. Cachimbo is one, okonkolo like the bata drum is another, and I've even heard it mentioned as an "uno" (one), I assume because it's the smallest, or first shekere somehow?

  Cachimbo and okonkolo are obvious names as a 3 shekere agbe (or agwe) set plays guiro. From what I understand a guiro is similar to a bembe with drums and a toque with bata; the guiro uses primarily shekeres. From what I have seen and heard the songs for the orishas are sung at each. Just to be clear, I'm not a santero, though I know several. I enjoy the music and I enjoy educating myself on it's backgrounds and traditions.

  So this little guy is done and now onto the other two. It's always a pleasure to finish one of these instruments as one is never quite sure how it is going to come together in the end; the sound, the action the appearance.

Shekere Project

2009-08-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

This little shekere is turning out very well and progressing quickly. It is going to be the cachimbo, or okonkolo to an 3 shekere agbe set for guiro I am making. The tones of the gourds I am using for this set match so well it is unbelievable. It's like the intervals were tuned. I think the set is going to turn out very nicely. There is a good chance I'll be selling that set to bankroll the other 9 gourds waiting to be made into shekeres I have lying around.

So why am I thinking of letting this set go if it has such great potential? Well, I'm kind of an oddball in the fact that I prefer my shekeres on the large side, larger than usual, big actually. This set is a little more regular and manageable in size for the typical player. One never knows, I may end up changing my mind and keep this set, if it sounds as good as I think it will. But I've got to let go of most of these, the last thing I need is 12 shekeres cluttering up my little San Francisco apartment. Could you imagine the noise I would make as I bump into these things while trying to eat my breakfast?

Quinto or Requinto???

2009-08-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

The little drum in rumba is the quinto. It is the highest pitched drum for rhythms like Guaguanco , Rumba Columbia, Guarapachangeo and Yambu. For Guaguanco , Rumba Columbia and Yambu it is the main improvising drum, responding to the dancers movements, the singer and the other drums. Frequently during the montuno of a song the lead singer may cry "Quinto!!!", which is a signal for the coro to stop and for the quinto player to really let loose and play a solo. Guarapachangeo is kind of a different story with all the cajons and multiple drums being played sometimes.

There can be some confusion regarding this drum, mainly in the terms quinto and requinto. When we look at big manufacturers like LP we see the quinto and the requinto in their catalogs. However when we look at this album by Grupo Afro-Cubano and look at the quinto player, we see what Lp would call a requinto. To Grupo Afro-Cubano it is the quinto, and they credit Giraldo Rodrigues with playing it.

LP is mainly referring to the requinto as a size of drum, their smallest. While in rumba the names for the drums mainly refer to their role or position in the ensemble. I've also heard the quinto referred to as "a fifth", assuming the fifth drum. I don't know how accurate that really is, but if you have claves, palito, tres dos, salidor then quinto, that makes five. Also quintet means five, thus quinto???

So why requinto? I'm assuming LP adopted the name for size purposes again. An LP quinto is not really different enough in size from the conga and tumba be an authentic sounding quinto for rumba. You need something smaller, with a different shape to sound like that. Listen to an old Los Munequitos album and hear how high pitched the quinto is. Look at the examples in this blog and see how small the "quintos" are.

From Wikipedia:

The term requinto is used in both Spanish and Portuguese to mean a smaller, higher-pitched version of another instrument. Thus, there are requinto guitars, drums and other instruments.

It doesn't look like Jesus Alfonso needs a smaller version of his quinto here does it? An 11" LP quinto just isn't going to compare with Jesus's drum there, so they've got to have a requinto. We also have Nolan Warden saying:

The words quinto, conga, and tumbadora are now used as a practicality among performers and retailers to indicate size. Quinto, the smaller drum, traditionally refers to the lead part in rumba......

Some manufacturers now produce requintos (extra small) and/or supertumbas (largest). It should not be inferred, however, that drums with these names were ever used together in a traditional ensemble. ~(Warden pg.2)

You never see Jesus Alfonso Mira credited with playing the "requinto", he plays quinto, he is a quintocero. You also never hear the gallo call out "requinto!" when he wants to hear the solo, it's always "quinto!". As Nolan Warden says, you really don't hear the word requinto used referring to a traditional rumba ensemble at all, unless your referring to drums that have been sized along the newer LP "standards". This old Gon Bops ad doesn't use the word requinto, even though their "Super Quinto" size is what we might think of as requinto nowadays. Actually super is the name of the line, along with the Voodoo, and International lines, which also feature the 9 3/4" size. What's even more confusing is the new DW Gon Bops feature a "super quinto" as well, but it is a size in their California series, it's a smaller quinto, what others call a requinto, however DW Gon Bops call it a super quinto, perhaps in reference to the older Gon Bops.

The only rhythm that I have actually learned that calls for a drum part with the name of requinto is a Comparsa taught to me by Sandy Perez. In that rhythm the quinto is still the main improvising drum with the highest pitch, and the requinto drum plays a repeating rhythm and is described as being the 3rd highest pitched drum.

I've also heard that the music Plena from Puerto Rico uses a drum called a requinto. However I know so little about that music, that all I am going to do is mention it and post this little image I found describing what a requinto is in Plena. I assume it's accurate. There is also this from Wikipedia.

The requinto drum is used in the Puerto Rican folk genre plena, wherein it is a small conical hand drum that improvises over the other drum rhythms.

I myself have 3 quintos, or 2 small quintos or "requintos", and a quinto. My largest quinto is by Resolution drums and is 10 1/2". I use this drum as a cachimbo for folkloric rhythms like Bembe, Palo, Makuta, etc. It is a fantastic little drum, but it is not quite the right size to get that high, high pitch that your really want for an authentic sounding rumba. I mean, I can and I have used it for rumba, and it works fine, but I was after a different sound. In folkloric rhythms it works great, because in that music the cachimbo, or high drum typically plays a recurring rhythm that forms a melody with the other drums. The larger size makes a pitch that is closer to the middle and low drums and makes the rhythm more melodious. In most folkloric rhythms the low drum is the improvisor. In contrast, a rumba quinto is so high pitched it occupies it's own realm in the music, along with the other drums and the voices.

The other two quintos (requintos) are 9 3/4" by Isla Percussions and a 9 3/4" California series Gon Bops. They both have the high, high sound you can hear in rumba recordings from Cuba.

I'm assuming the LP sized quinto is intended for a Salsa or Latin Jazz 3 drum set up, as it's range would be more compatible with a conga and tumba. However, many of the guys I play with use that size as part of their rumba set and that is perfectly fine and acceptable.

Then there's the Guarapachangeo. It's not unusual to see the quinto player for that rhythm to be playing a quinto cajon between his knees, a quinto to his right and then requinto or smaller quinto to the right of that. Not only that, but it's entirely possible for the quinto player to be playing very conservatively while the big bass cajon's are going off all over the place.

So what can I say? Confusing isn't it? A quinto really isn't a quinto, a requinto is a quinto, unless of course you have a quinto and a requinto, but then you have a quinto and a smaller quinto. Oh, and a fifth isn't a bottle, it's a drum.

Radio Havana Rumba

2009-08-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is the rumba I go to regularly. If you happen to be in town come check it out. Yesterday I provided the drums for the first time. Everyone had compliments on them, which was great to hear. I had built this set specifically for ocassions like these. Like I tell my friends, I have drums that travel and some that stay at home. These are the ones that travel to rowdy rumbas, park practices and conga classes. Isla, Gon Bops and Valje.

So if you're around one Sunday, come on by and take a turn on a drum or sing a rumba with us.

...and this is how I roll.

2009-08-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

The History of Jazz Piano

2009-08-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know it's not rumba instruments, or even rumba, it's jazz and piano. However I did attend a similar lecture series by SF Jazz on rumba by John Santos and it was very good. I intend on attending a few of these lectures as well.

Rumba and jazz share similarities as they are both improvisational musics. In the words of Mario Punchard of Isla Percussions "Jazz and Rumba are on the same plane". Also an interesting fact the late and great Miguel 'Anga" Diaz was influenced by the incomparable Thelonious Monk; stating as much in the videos on the making of his phenomenal album Echu Mingua. Incidentally the second lecture of the series covers the great Cuban pianist and composer, Chucho Valdes, who also appears on Diaz's album Echu Mingua.

Anyways, I love jazz as much as I love rumba. I can say that it was actually jazz that led me to discover, appreciate and learn rumba. So if you happen to be in San Francisco during September and October, or live here, I recommend attending one or more of these lectures.

Discover Jazz thursdays, sept. 17-Oct. 15, 7-9PM Jewish Community Center of SF

Non-Members: $25/class| $100 full course (5 classes) buy tickets
SFJAZZ & JCCSF Members: $18/class| $75 full course (5 classes) buy tickets

Jazz has played an integral role in opening ears to “world music,” and the piano has played a central role in much of that progress. In our fall Discover Jazz course, students will learn about some of the most significant pianists on the global stage. The five-class series will create a vivid picture of the musical diaspora of jazz, using the compelling musical histories and personal biographies of the great jazz pianists to shape our journey.

Sept. 17: New York, Monk and Modern Jazz The aptly dubbed “genius of modern music,” Thelonious Monk and mid-century Manhattan, when all the modern giants of jazz came out to play—features guest artist Adam Shulman. buy tickets
Sept. 24: Cuban Piano and Latin Jazz A close look at the Cuban piano greats, from Chucho Valdes to Gonzalo Rubalcaba and young upstart Alfredo Rodríguez—features guest artist The Nina Ott Trio. buy tickets
Oct. 1: From Jelly Roll to Modern New Orleans Trace the vibrant piano legacy of the birthplace of jazz through legends like Jelly Roll Morton, Professor Longhair, Fats Domino and Allen Toussaint—features guest artist Mitch Woods. buy tickets
Oct. 8: European Masters Take the Stage The old world welcomed early jazz players; now European pianists like Bobo Stenson, Nik Bärtsch and Marcin Wasilewski are becoming increasingly important—features guest artist The Peter Horvath Trio. buy tickets
Oct. 15: Great Jazz Pianists of Africa Jazz returned to its African roots with a fury through pianists Abdullah Ibrahim, Hotep Idris Galeta and Bheki Mseleku——features guest artist Dee Spencer. buy tickets

Special Discount to Rumba Instruments Readers

2009-08-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hello blogosphere. I have very generously been offered a discount to present to all my readers from a local internet percussion store; California Percussion.
The intent of my blog is education, information and entertainment. However I also believe in supporting local businesses and artists, so I am taking this opportunity to promote California Percussion as a local company, and also California Percussion's proprietor; James Lee "Trey" Wyatt III.

I find it very pleasing and reassuring that a professional percussionist of Trey's caliber has extended his passion as a percussionist and a performer to being a provider and promoter of percussion instruments as well.

Let me paste the biographical information I have found here:

James Lee Wyatt III, also known as "Trey", joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2001 after having served as Principal Percussionist of the Honolulu Symphony from 1997-2001. A native of Princeton, Kentucky, Trey began playing percussion at age 10 and was primarily interested in the high school marching band drum line. With Trey as section leader, the Caldwell County High School Drum Line won first place in the Kentucky State Drum Line Competition.

The summer before his senior year in high school he attended the Interlochen Arts Camp where he played with a full size orchestra for the first time. He remembers, “The first piece we rehearsed was Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 and the string entrance after the opening brass fanfare was like nothing I’d ever heard before. From that point on, I knew I wanted to play in a professional orchestra.” Working toward his goal, Trey received his Bachelors of Music from The University of Michigan under Michael W. Udow, Principal Percussionist, Santa Fe Opera and Salvatore Rabbio, retired Timpanist, Detroit Symphony. He received his Masters of Music from Temple University under Alan Abel, retired Associate Principal Percussion, Philadelphia Orchestra.

Trey has performed at The Santa Fe Opera, the Ojai Festival with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Britt Festival as Principal Percussionist, the National Repertory Orchestra, Tanglewood Music Center, Pacific Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute, the US and Italian Spoleto Festivals, and with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony in Sun Valley Idaho. He performed Joseph Schwantner’s Concerto for Percussion with the Honolulu Symphony in March 2002 and the Stanford University Symphony in May 2003. Trey enjoys playing occasional concerts with the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and exploring the percussion ensemble repertoire. He has recently started taking Taiko classes with the San Francisco Taiko Dojo and finds it to be a diverse musical experience.

He is Co-owner of California Percussion, LLC Rental/Sales/Service with his San Francisco Symphony colleague David Herbert. “It’s great having a warehouse housing a huge collection of standard and exotic instruments that David and I have found all over the world!”

Anyways, back to the discount. I have been provided with the discount coupon code of: RUMBA. It is a discount for Congas and Bongos and Accessory Percussion (which includes claves, bells, etc.) for my blog's readers. At the checkout page, just use this coupon and click on the 'Apply Discount' button. I can say that California Percussion's reperesentatives have been very professional and a pleasure to deal with.

I think the most interesting product the company has is the "Gon Bops" 55th aniversary model. This is the only company I know that offers this model. I can recommend Gon Bops, having one of their California Series drums myself, and also having experience with Akbar Moghaddam, a past San Francisco resident and master drum builder.

Maybe we'll be seeing Trey and California Percussion at the rumbas soon!

Mystery solved: LP 320 Tube Shekere

2009-08-18T23:28:00.000-07:00

Well the mystery has been solved by Brother Mike from the Funksploitation blog. It is an LP product. The mystery instrument is the LP320 Tube Shekere. The concept is a bit like a homemade instrument a friend of mine proposed "the hebitere", that we fabricated a while back, a pandeiro shekere hybrid thing. I'll post about that instrument next. For now I leave you with the LP literature on the ignonymous LP320.

The shekere's history begins in Africa where this unique instrument serves as a shaker, a rattle, and a drum. Traditionally made from hollowed gourds wrapped in a lattice of stones, the instrument was, and is, played by shaking or twisting it to get shaker and rattle sounds or by hitting the bottom of the body with the palm of the hand to get drum like bass notes.

LP has created a number of different versions of the shekere all with excellent durability and a variety of sounds. Synthetic cord provides a great deal of flexibility allowing the beads to move freely, but controlled. This is great for faster playing and the execution of more complex rhythmic patterns. We also use very different materials for the bodies of our shekeres. Whether metal, plastic, or fiberglass, we have a shekere for every need.

The LP Tube Shekere takes much of its patented design from the original shekere concept but goes a step further. A lattice of glass beads surrounds the metal shell delivering crisp, tight shaker sounds. Its tubular shape makes it easy to grasp and play shekere bead patterns faster than with the original instrument shape. Long tails on both ends of the tube add to the stage presence of the LP Tube Shekere.

What is this instrument???

2009-08-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

Hello readers in the blogosphere. Today I am posting a request for a little assistance in identifying this instrument that I recently inherited from my cousin, who sadly passed away last month. His name was Steve Spodak and he was a very talented jazz guitarist from New Jersey. My mother brought this instrument back for me to remember him by.
Anyways, the instrument is kind of like a shekere, but it isn't. It's a metal tube with a net of ceramic beads attached to it. It is very well made and the sticker on it says "Hand Crafted in Thailand". The manufacturer is unknown, but it strikes me as something LP might make. It seems to be best played by holding an end in each hand and shaking back and forth.

This instrument reminds me a little of the samba instrument; Chocalho de Platinela or Rocar. Like a rocar/shekere hybrid or something.
Any help identifying this instrument is greatly appreciated.

Guemilere: Study Guide for Afro - Cuban Percussion (Jimenez / Wardinsky)

2009-08-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a lot of music over the years from various blogs that post out of print and rare albums and tracks. Two of my favorite are on my list to the right of this page: ¡Vamos a guarachar! and Fidels Eyeglasses . So now it is my turn to return the favor. The intent of this blog is not really for music sharing like so many others, however I feel the educational nature of the tracks I'll be making available fits my blog's purpose of education and information, but I won't be making a habit of public file sharing.

I am posting the sound files to a now out of print and very hard to find music education book . It is the music education book; Güemilere: Guide For Afro-Cuban Percussion by Regino Jimenez/ Scott Wardinsky, which I can only find the barest of information on, but the sound files are an excellent educational resource. They approach the rhythms by adding each instrument one at a time, building it, so the student can hear the parts and how they go together. It is a very original approach.

Download Guide For Afro-Cuban Percussion by Jimenez/Wardinsky
HERE

(I'm using a free rapdishare account so the downloads will have to be uploaded periodically. Please make requests for re-uploads in the comments. Link last updated 12/13/10 as mp3 files)

Scott Wardinsky is still active, sadly Regino Jimenez is no longer with us, however his music is still available on Descarga.com. You can honor both of these musicians and educators by studying their work and learning to play these rhythms.

Rumba and Folklore

2009-08-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

The terms rumba and folklore are used almost interchangeably when speaking of Afro-Cuban conga rhythms. However there is a distinction between the two. In general rumba describes the rhythms that were developed in Cuba for secular purposes. These rhythms include, but are not limited to the following:

Yambu
Guaguanco
Columbia
Guarapachangeo
Comparsa (though not strictly rumba, it is related, Comparsa is intended for Carnaval)

A rumbero would typically know all the parts to these rhythms, sing choro and and probably dance as well. The conga is the main drum for rumba, their predecessor the cajon is also quite commonly used, especially for yambu and guarapachangeo.

Generally I would describe rumba as a sub-category of Afro-Cuban folkloric percussion music. Their basic similarity is that they are all primarily vocal and percussion ensembles.

Folkloric rhythms are typically those rhythms that have their origins in Africa, and/or are based on religious themes. Commonly these rhythms were historically played on very specific and specialized types of drums; however modern adaptions are frequently played with congas.
These rhythms include:

Arara
Abakua
Bembe
Guiro
Iyesa
Makuta
Palo
Bata Toques

So when one refers to folkloric Afro-Cuban music, potentially they are referring to all the rhythms and musics mentioned. However typically, when one refers to rumba, they are probably referring to those rhythms listed as rumba.

While primarily one plays rumba specific rhythms at a rumba, it is not be unusual for some of the other folkloric rhythms to be played periodically by the rumberos, particularly bembe.

Rumba Instruments

Miguel 'Angá' Díaz - Complete Discography

Rumba and the Shakuhachi flute

Cajon Reconstruction

Cuban Bongo Project

The Cuban Rumba Box

¡Feliz Cumpleaños! Sandy Perez!

Drums and friends and friend's drums

Goodbye Lisa Forman, I will miss you my friend.

Shalom sweet Lisa, I will miss you my friend.

Zichronah Livracha. Baruch dayan ha'emet.

Lisa Forman -12/8/64~7/7/2011

John Santos: El Son Afro-Cubano - SFJAZZ Discover Jazz Course

Discover Jazz Course 1

El Son Afro-Cubano

Co-presented with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival & Museum of the African Diaspora

My new Isla bata drums in MAHOGANY!

Obá Nile - En Clave

Ibae, Pupy, Ibae

Felix Anesio Insua Brindis ~ Obbalubbe ~ IbaeMarch 31, 1948 ~ June 2, 2011Pupy left the material world & joined the ancestors yesterday at 11:40 am surrounded by his family in Cuba with honor and pride, knowing he lived a truly blessed life. He passed peacefully, without pain, calm & smiling!

Los Munequitos, San Francisco Concert, April 4 2011 with Sandy Ramon Perez

A little shekere

The Gon Bops turned out great.

Gon Bops

Los Munequitos de Matanzas

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas presents Tambor de Fuego

San Francisco, CA

Some lovely new claves

Adios Totico, Vaya con dios.

These claves have been played!

La Rumba Es Para Todo Del Mundo.

The Clave Matrix and Rumba Quinto

A tasty little Yambu.

Aqui, Entre Las Flores

an afrocuban discography

Cajon Construction and Dimensions

Interview with "Dr. Clave"

Choosing Conga Skins for Rumba.

The new Isla Percussions

John Santos Lecture - African Spiritual Practices and Retentions in Latin Music

6/20/10 Sunday Streets Rumba on Valencia Street in the Mission, San Francisco

Conga "Master' Class

Now for some "Real" Instruments

...and a very strange looking conga!

Strangest looking bongo I have ever seen.

Mas Que Nada!

Francisco Aguabella - IBAE

My shekere.

Bembe Agwe

Bakoso

Abakua

Latest Shekeres

Jiribilla and Tahona/Tajona

Gon Bops Handle Project

Los Tambores Ararás, La Conga

Los Instrumentos De La Musica Afrocubana

Isla Percussions New Location - Belize

Afro Blue Project

Shekere for Sale. - SOLD.

101 Rumba Clave Exercises!

The Rebite

You did what??!?

Skin On Skin Hand Made Congas

A moment of doubt...

RE: Guemilere: Study Guide for Afro-Cuban Percussion - A note from Scott Wardinsky

The Gourd, The Bead and The Agbe.

4 Guaguas, Catas or Palitos just finished

Domingo de la Rumba!!!

Abakua and Rumba

The Lost Art of Yambu.

Improvisation in Rumba

Current Practice

This drum is fixed.

Oh, No! My drum broke!

Art.

¡La Rumba Es Todo Del Mundo!

Samba Quinto!

Behind the Beat

Finished

One more shekere

Felix Anesio Insua Brindis ~ Obbalubbe ~ Ibae
March 31, 1948 ~ June 2, 2011
Pupy left the material world & joined the ancestors yesterday at 11:40 am surrounded by his family in Cuba with honor and pride, knowing he lived a truly blessed life. He passed peacefully, without pain, calm & smiling!