Search - Mongo Santamaria: En Vivo on DVD

The Master Conga Dummer Live performance

Oswald Placeres | Netherlands | 11/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm glad that a video is available at last to the public of the Master conga player, my favorite Afro-Cuban conga drummer! Although this is not his best performance is worth having it for future remembrance of him. The movie is in Spanish with English subtitles, running time is approximately 45 minutes in color. The performance takes place in the interior of a night club. The sound quality is great; without noise and the picture is clear, with a close up of the hand movements, you will witness his techniques and agility how he slaps those conga drums.
This is a good video on Mongo; apparently it was made during the 1970's in Boston with his new band members, and Steve Barrios is still with him.
The interview footage is good and covers information about the Afro-Cuban music roots and Mongos origins how he started. However, it has problems with the image, it's blurry, on the other hand the actual live playing part inside the club it better, the image is clear and you can see Mongo play his three conga drums and bongos. All members of the band members are shown, and at times you feel like you were there in person watching this fantastic Master conga player perform his conga solos. All the songs are recorded without interruption. I'm glad that this movie is available. Because, ever since he died no one has any videos on him? I hope that more DVD's will come out with his performance, especially the conga dual with Ray Baretto (another good conga drummer) at the Yankee Stadium in New York during the Fania All Stars concert. If you are fan of Mongo (like me) you will enjoy this historical video. Buy it and witness what made him so famous.
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