Conga Blue

Mongo Santamaria, Poncho Sanchez | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 10, 1996)
• Original Release Date: September 11, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Concord Records
• ASIN: B000003OZ4
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,550 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The conga drum chair was always the position of honor in Cal Tjader's Latin-jazz band. In 1975, California's Poncho Sanchez took over the chair and held it until Tjader died in 1982. Since then, Sanchez has emerged as one of the top congueros and bandleaders in the genre, because he has synthesized the styles of all his predecessors into a sound that is more fluid than frenetic, more melodic than manic. No one influenced him more than Santamaria, and Sanchez's fifteenth album as a leader reunites the mentor and protégé on half of the 10 tracks. The horn and piano parts are respectable if not special, but the real action is in the percussion section, where student and teacher remind each other of the many ways to chop up a measure of music. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, June 11, 2000

By 

xxx (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conga Blue (Audio CD)

I disagree with the last review. On the contrary, this has emerged to me as the best Poncho Sanchez album. There are no weak cuts composed by the band (which does often happem), and the percussion is out of this world. It is true that the piano parts are weak, and have been since Charlie Otwell left the band, but where else do you have so much play on percussion during the montuno sections? The kind of percusive improvization you see on this album is badly needed in Latin Jazz. Yes the tempos or slow, but enjoy how the musicians weave through the music at the end of each cut, draw it out, and work with it. I prefer this to up tempo cuts with tight arangements. The percussion alone, which emerges strongly at the end of each tune, makes this album unique, and perhaps the most truly latin of all of Poncho Sanchez' work.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic display by El Mejor, July 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Conga Blue (Audio CD)

Yes, the tempo is slow, but Santamaria and Poncho on the same recording itself is enough to make this worth listening to. The conga interaction with the rest of the percussion and the rest of the instruments is flawless. I could listen to this album all day! I think that this ranks high on my list of Sanchez albums.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Considered by some to be the best Latin Jazz CD of '96-'97, July 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Conga Blue (Audio CD)

A truly superb album due to the collaboration with Mongo Santamaria (and the presence of a good horn section).

'Conga Blue' (the song) is extraordinary, while 'Dulce Amor' is beautifully rendered by very fine horn work. In other cuts, the congas highlight Sanchez's and Santamaria's talents. For example, 'Watermelon Man' is excellent (better than Santamaria's own rendition of this classic). The whole album sparkles with life.

For Poncho Sanchez aficionados, I believe this CD to be noticeably better than the very good "Chile con Soul" CD, because of Santamaria's participation and because Sanchez steps out and takes more risks, all of which work.

Highly recommended.