CONGUEROS D'ORO - Mongo SANTAMARIA

MONGO SANTAMARIA (1917 - 2003)


was a rumba quinto master and an Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz percussionist. He moved to New York in 1950 where he performed with great names of the Latin Jazz scene, including Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Fania All Stars...

Afro-Cuban Drums (1952) - authentic folkloric rumba

Santamaria recorded an important number of albums with folkloric rumba:

Afro-Cuban Drums (1952)

Changó re-issued as Drums and Chants (1954)

Yambú (1958)

Mongo (1959)

Bembé (1960) 

In 1959 he recorded the famous Afro-Blue, the first jazz standard built upon a typical African 3:2 cross-rhythm.

AFRO-BLUE (1959) 

SOFRITO (1976)

In 1957 Mongo Santamaria joined Cal TJADER Latin jazz combo. 

Watermelon Man