Tuesday 19 January 2010

Mongo Santamaria ''Afro-Roots''

Mongo Santamaria

( Prestige Records, 1989 )
Catalog # PR 24018


Personnel & Tracklisting :
Mongo Santamaria (cga, bgo, per)
Francisco Aguabella, Modesto Duran, Carlos Vidal (cga, per)
Willie Bobo (tim)
Pablo Mozo (cowbell, sticks, triangle, per)
Mercedes Hernandez, Israel Del Pino (vo)
December, 1958
Ye Ye
Congobel
Macunsere
Timbales Y Bongo
Yambu
Bricamo
Longoito
Conga Pa Gozar
Columbia

* Mongo Santamaria Y Sus Ritmos Afro-Cubanos: Yambu (Fantasy LP 3267,
LP 8012, OJC 276, OJCCD 276-2)
* Mongo Santamaria - Afro Roots (Prestige PR 24018)

Paul Horn (fl)
Emil Richards (vib)
Al McKibbon (b)
Armando Peraza, Mongo Santamaria (cga, bgo, per)
Francisco Aguabella, Modesto Duran, Carlos Vidal (cga, per)
Willie Bobo (tim)
Juan Cheda, Jerry Rivera (per, vo)
Jose Gamboa (tres, per, vo)
May, 1959
Afro Blue
Che-Que-Re-Que-Che-Que
Rezo
Ayenye
Onyae
Bata
Meta Rumba
Chano Pozo
Los Conguitos
Monte Adentro
Imaribayo

* Mongo Santamaria - Mongo (Fantasy LP 3291, LP 8032)
* Mongo Santamaria - Afro Roots (Prestige PR 24018)

Jose "Chombo" Silva (ts)
Cal Tjader (vib)
Vince Guaraldi (p)
Al McKibbon (b)
Mongo Santamaria (cga, bgo)
Willie Bobo (tim)

May, 1959
Mazacote
* Mongo Santamaria - Mongo (Fantasy LP 3291, LP 8032)
* Mongo Santamaria - Afro Roots (Prestige PR 24018)

Review :
A reissue of a mid-'70s repackaging of Mongo Santamaria's first two Fantasy albums, 1958's Yambu and 1959's Mongo, Afro-Roots is superb Latin jazz. Although these were Santamaria's first albums as a leader, the conga player had already worked with Pérez Prado, Tito Puente, and Cal Tjader, giving him absolutely impeccable Latin jazz credentials to go along with his obviously amazing chops. Considering that these albums were recorded for a general jazz audience and the tight, concise arrangements don't allow Santamaria room to stretch out as he did in concert (most of the songs are in the two- to three-minute range), Afro-Roots is still an impressively genuine album; although the '50s were the age of Martin Denny-style exotica kitsch, most of these tracks are extremely traditional Cuban music. Some, like "Bata" and "Timbales y Bongo," are simply hypnotic solos on the titular instruments, while others are traditional Afro-Cuban folk songs and chants. The delightful original "Afro Blue," which quickly became a Latin jazz standard, almost sounds out of place in this setting.
By Stewart Mason [AMG]

By Rob

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

PW : myfavouritesound

Tim said...

These are great albums, thanks for sharing!

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