Chesky Records
2000
The Conga Kings
About This Album
Between Candido, Giovanni Hidalgo and Carlos "Patato" Valdes, the entire history of Afro-Cuban music is represented, and as conga players they are peerless. The sound of this recording is most intriguing, done at St. Peter's Episcopal Church/NYC with one microphone. Though the sound is thin of presence it is fully balanced and rich: feel free to turn it up and kick in the sub-woofer. Bassist Guillermo Edgehill, tres players Nelson Gonzalez and John Benthal, the great flute player Mauricio Smith, percussionists Jose Francisco Valdes (claves) and Joe Gonzalez (bongos) and three singers are in the mix, but they never get in the way of the kings. Where the conga men are front and center throughout, it is the brilliant veteran Smith who shines just as bright. His spare flute floats over the coro and clave rhythm with ostinato tres on the endless jam "Tumbando Cana," easy tres montuno with Smith's ultra-melodicism is effortless during "Guaguanco Pa' las Tumbadoras," while the sung son "Nague" repeats the title incessantly while Smith's solo is as piquant and poignant as it gets. Overblown harmonics and fluttering flute informs the "Duet II" with Patato.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8)

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