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Best Congueros

fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
edited June 2015 in Strut Central
Mongo or Ray or someone else? not talking about recorded output per se, more about ability and technique...

I say Ray has the crown...



  Comments

  • parallaxparallax no-style-having mf'er 1,266 Posts
    Cosign, however...

    Candido>Ray>Mongo

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    What about Armando Perez? An Escovedo?

    They all sound good to me.
  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    crabmongerfunk said:
    Mongo or Ray or someone else? not talking about recorded output per se, more about ability and technique...

    LaserWolf said:
    What about Armando Perez? An Escovedo?

    Do you mean Armando Peraza, who played with Cal Tjader? If so, no.

    I will firmly rep my pal John Santos from the Bay (Oakland) as the best, most innovative and respected conguero, currently performing. He smashed it last month at Eddie Palmieri's 75th B-Day performance at Yerba Buena in San Francisco.



    I think Ray and Mongo are obviously the most influential but it's pretty much impossible to say who was the best, since the vieja guardia all have their own axe to grind at this point.

    John Santos is my favorite and the best I've seen do it, without question.
  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    parallax said:
    Cosign, however...

    Candido>Ray>Mongo


    Pure conjecture, son.
  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    Also, following the comparison between Mongo an Ray, they were kinda of two different eras so it's a bit tough to call. Mongo being from the 50s mambo era, he released some mean comparsas onto wax that can hang with Ray Barretto's legendary live performances, IMO. Def don't want to be in the unenviable position of saying who was better, though. Insert>>Cop-OutHere.
  • parallaxparallax no-style-having mf'er 1,266 Posts
    discos_alma said:
    parallax said:
    Cosign, however...

    Candido>Ray>Mongo


    Pure congueros, son.

    Fixed!

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Bobby Torres did a lot of session work.
    Lives in Portland now, fronts or plays in a number of salsa and jazz bands.

    Do you rate him? Discos, others?
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    discos_alma said:
    John Santos is my favorite and the best I've seen do it, without question.

    Taking after your lead. I will say my uncle Danny or Walfredo. (Danny currently plays for the Zac brown band for some damn reason)



    ps, my Tio's favorites are Giovanni Hidalgo & Rogelio Darias.

    I also gotta give the nod to Sabu Martinez (), Willie Bobo (), and Carlos "Patato" Valdés ()
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Thanks Spidey.
    Some of the best musicians are playing behind stars who act like they don't know they are there.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Per the norm, I will mention our local Austin maestro:

    Rudy "Rexx" Canales

    Instructing drums:



    Playing drums:



    Dancing to drums:

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