Mongo Santamaria ''Afro-Roots''

Mongo Santamaria

"Afro-Roots"

( 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