Mongo Santamaria - Biography
By Robert Leaver
Cuban conga master Mongo Santamaria is one of the most recognizable and influential figures to emerge from the world of Latin jazz, indeed, he must be considered as one of the central figures in the creation of that genre of music. A powerful virtuoso on the congas known for his prodigious improvisational skills, Mongo was also a composer and a bandleader. He is most known for two songs which have become enduring standards: a recording of Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man” which became a top ten hit in 1963, launching Hancock’s career, and his song “Afro Blue,” made famous by jazz saxophone legend John Coltrane. From the barrios of Havana, Cuba, Mongo made entrée into the hallowed circles of jazz in New York City and California bringing with him his deeply rooted Afro-Cuban traditions and pointed the way to a new musical form, setting the standard for Latin jazz.
Mongo was born in 1917 in the Jesús María barrio of Havana, famous for its traditions of Cuban rumba. Although his first instrument was the violin he became accomplished on conga and bongo, starting his career in Cuba playing with the orchestras of Armando Romeu and the original Mr. Babalú, Miguelito Valdés. Working as a postal carrier by day and playing bongos with the Sans Souci Hotel band in 1948 he received an invitation to play with a husband and wife duo known as the Cuban Black Diamonds who were performing in Mexico City. He jumped at the opportunity and by 1950 had made his way to New York City, the new center for Latin music. He played first with the charanga group of Gilberto Valdés, then with the original Mambo King, Dámaso Pérez Prado, before being invited to join the popular orchestra of Tito Puente where he remained for six years. A close confidant of Puente, Mongo became an integral part of his orchestra and show during the era of the cha cha chá and the heyday of the storied Palladium ballroom in New York City. During this time Mongo made his first recordings, Tambores Afro-Cubanos (1952 Spanish Music Center) and Changó drums and chants (1955 Tico), later released as Drums and Chants (1978 Vaya), comprised strictly of Afro-Cuban folkloric music. Mongo convinced Puente to bring in the young Willie Bobo on bongo and together the percussive trio developed stage routines trading solos and inspiring the composition “Ti-Mon-Bo” (short for Tito-Mongo-Bobo). They would participate in the recording of the landmark recordings Puente in Percussion (1956 Tico) and Top Percussion (1957 RCA).
When Mongo and Willie Bobo played on jazz vibraphone player and composer Cal Tjader’s Mas Ritmo Caliente (1957 Fantasy) it provoked an angry reaction from Puente leading to acrimonious departure. So, in 1958 the two of them relocated to the West coast to join an elated Tjader and his ensemble in San Francisco. Tjader had already been playing Afro-Cuban jazz, but now his small ensemble had more rhythmic textures. Together they pointed the way to more refined, less bombastic style of Latin jazz that would cross over to a wider audience. Together with top-notch drummers and percussionists under the name Mongo Santamaria y sus Ritmos Afro Cubano he had the opportunity to record Yambu (1958 Fantasy). This well produced folkloric record would become a classic as countless students of drumming and percussion over the years would use it like a school textbook. Mongo (1959 Fantasy) was his own first recording working with fellow jazz musicians and contained the original composition “Afro Blue,” which John Coltrane would turn into a touchstone of modern jazz. The two albums would later be combined into the CD release Our Man in Havana (1993 Prestige) making Vibe magazine’s list of the “100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century.”
In 1960 Mongo returned to Cuba with Willie Bobo for an important Santería event and took advantage of the opportunity to record with an all-star cast of Cuban musicians. Featuring the great Niño Rivera on tres guitar Our Man in Havana (1960 Fantasy) is an excellent recording of Cuban son and charanga. Also recorded at the same time is the folkloric Bembé (1960 Fantasy) featuring the legendary voices of Merceditas Valdés and Carlos Embale. It would be the last time Mongo would return to Cuba, being told in no uncertain terms by the Cuban-American community that his career would be over if he ever broke the embargo again. Returning to California Mongo left Tjader in 1961 with Bobo in tow to form a charanga group with Pupi Legaretta on violin, flautist Rolando Lozano, Jose “Chombo” Silva on violin and saxophone, pianist René Hernández, bassist Victor Venegas, and vocalist Rudy Calzado, releasing Sabroso (Fantasy) in 1962. As part of the pachanga craze or charanga revival Mongo gave this traditional Cuban form (strings and flute up front) more of a jazz spirit, avoiding the parlor feel. He would record several more charangas for Fantasy, two of which, Viva Mongo (1962) and Mighty Mongo (1962), were released as the CD, At the Blackhawk (1994 Fantasy).
He returned to New York City in 1962, dropped the charanga and reconfigured his group with trumpeter and arranger Marty Sheller, who would work with Mongo for most of his career. They added two saxophones and created a heavier jazz tone. One fateful evening that year with Herbie Hancock sitting in as a substitute on piano the band took advantage of a disastrous gig to jam around on Hancock’s composition “Watermelon Man.” With Mongo now signed to Riverside Records they rushed into the studio to record the tune which broke into the pop charts in 1963 giving the prestigious jazz label it’s one and only top ten single. That same year he released Mongo introduces La Lupe (1963 Fantasy) helping re-launch the career of the melodramatic and idiosyncratic Cuban singer. Enjoying success as never before Mongo cruised through the sixties doing a mix of original compositons and covers of soul and pop tunes on albums such as El Pussycat (1965 Columbia), Hey! Let’s Party (1966 Columbia), and Mambomania (1967 Columbia). The groove continued with Soul Bag, Stone Soul, Workin’ on a groovy thing, and All Strung Out (all released by Columbia in 1969). Situated at the crossroads of Afro-Cuban, soul and jazz music, his popular ensembles served as training ground for a whole generation of musicians including pianist Chick Corea and flautist Hubert Laws.
Author of The Latin Tinge and musicologist John Storm Roberts says, “During the 1960s, percussionists Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo essentially created the Latin-jazz-funk that was the basis of the 1970s disco sound. Feelin’ Alright and Mongo ’70 (both released by Atlantic in 1970) continued a long string of moderate market success and Mongo at Montreaux (1971 Atlantic), recorded live at the prestigious European jazz festival, solidified his stature on the international stage. With the explosion of salsa Mongo returned more to his Afro-Cuban roots recording Up from the roots (1972 Atlantic) and Fuego (1973 Vaya). He then joined the triumphant Fania All Stars opening up for them and then joining them on stage in the historic 1974 concert in Yankee Stadium; his set was captured on Mongo Santamaria Live at Yankee Stadium (1974 Vaya). Most of his ‘70s recordings fall into the jazz-funk vein and sometimes wander down a smooth jazz path that sounds dated. Afro-Indio (1975 Vaya) sports a larger band and introduces the heady sax playing of Justo Almario that even makes the cover version of “Lady Marmalade” interesting. Sofrito (1976 Vaya) may be marred by it’s over-use of dated keyboards but is redeemed by the folkloric “O Mi Shango” featuring the nasal-toned Cuban singer Papaito. In a departure from his jazz-soul excursions, Mongo teamed up with salsa singer Justo Betancourt on Ubane (1976 Vaya), a great record with stellar musicians and arrangements that range from salsa to Latin jazz and afro-folklore. In 1977 Mongo won a Grammy for Amanecer- Dawn (1977 Vaya), the first for New York’s storied Fania records. The title cut features vocals by Ruben Blades and Adalberto Santiago and Mongo shines on “Manteca,” the classic Chano Pozo/Dizzy Gillespie composition. Images (1980 Vaya) was the last record he made for the Fania New York salsa mafia.
Mongo performed again in the Montreaux jazz festival in 1980 with jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie and harmonica wizard Toots Thielmans. Their set of long jams was released as Summertime (Original Jazz Classics/Pablo 1981). Without a major record deal Mongo recorded the excellent Espiritú Libre (Free Spirit) (1985 Tropical Buddha). He then began his association with Concord records, and maintained his long-term relationship with ace arranger Marty Sheller, releasing Soy Yo (1987 Concord Picante); the album includes a guest appearance by pianist Charlie Palmieri on “Mayeya” and a cover version of Sade’s “Smooth Operator.” Now fronting an octet that included the brass trio known as The Bronx Horns Mongo released Soca Me Nice (1988 Concord Picante), Olé, olá (1989 Concord Picante), and Live at Jazz Alley (1990 Concord Picante). Brazilian Sunset (1995 Candid) is another live recording of the octet from a concert in 1992 at Birdland in New York City. On Mambo Mongo (1993 Chesky) he brings back of touch of charanga with two guest master flautists, Hubert Laws and Dave Valentin, closing a solid set with the nine-minute-plus “La Mogolia.” He hooked up with Tito Puente’s Golden Latin Jazz All Stars enjoying the elite company on Live at the Village Gate (1992 Tropijazz) and In Session (1994 Tropijazz) and performed with Puente as part of “The Golden Men of Latin Jazz” at the Royal Festival Hall in London in July, 2003.
Mongo Santamaria continued to perform and electrify audiences even when, crippled by arthritis, he had to resort to playing his congas with a stick. Hospitalized in Miami after suffering several strokes he passed away February 1, 2003. With a career that lasted over fifty years he leaves us with a vast catalogue of music that spans the range from afro-Cuban folklore to classic Cuban son and charanga, to soul-jazz and Latin jazz. A true maestro on the conga drums he also composed some timeless classics and helped bring Afro-Cuban rhythms into the mainstream of musical consciousness. Moreover, as a bandleader he was brilliant at cultivating young talent and his concept of the modern Latin jazz ensemble was truly visionary. Que Viva Mongo!
