Mongo Santamaria

Cuba

Born: 07 April 1917

Died: 01 February 2003

Years Active: 50, 60, 70, 80, 90

Genres: Latin, Jazz, International

Styles: World Fusion, Latin Jazz/World Fusion, Latin Jazz/World Fusion, Latin Jazz/World Fusion, Salsa, Latin America, Latin America, Tropical, Latin Jazz, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Bop, Cuban Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Boogaloo, Crossover Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Fusion

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A Mongo Santamaria concert is a mesmerizing spectacle for both eyes and ears, and even in his seventies, this seemingly ageless Cuban percussionist/bandleader could energize packed behemoth arenas such as the Hollywood Bowl. A master conguero, Santamaria at his best creates an incantatory spell rooted in Cuban religious rituals, quietly seating himself before his congas and soloing with total command over the rhythmic spaces between the beats while his band pumps out an endless vamp (a potent example on records is the hypnotic "Mazacote" availa...

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