music book & dvd description
instructional & demonstration
level: beginning - intermediate - advanced

Tomas "Tomasito" Cruz was born and raised in Cuba in the middle of the musical revolution of the 90's. By the time he relocated to Miami he had become one of the top congueros in Cuba, playing in what most Cuban music experts consider one of the two or three best Timba bands ever assembled, the 1997-98 incarnation of Paulito FG y su Elite.

Book/DVD Volume 1
In Volume 1, Tomasito reveals the time--tested conga method which he himself studied with "Changuito" and other master congueros at the ENA conservatory in Havana. Volume I starts at the absolute beginning and is designed for the person who has never touched the congas, but is also of great value to the advanced player who wishes to understand the foundation and rudiments of the approach that has allowed the ENA and the other Havana conservatories to consistently turn out so many world class congueros each year.

Volume 1 begins with simple exercises to develop technique and systematically works its way through rudiments and “recursos” for use in solos and fills and basic rhythm patterns such as Salsa, Cha-Cha and Bolero. These are presented using the unique Step by Step DVD Method, which enables the student to learn the patterns by watching the DVD and imitating Tomasito as he builds the patterns stroke by stroke. This, combined with a special type of notation designed to be simple for those who don't read music, results in a conga course that really works, rather than just another reference book to add to the bookshelf!

Book/DVD Volume 2
Volume 2 is aimed at two distinct categories of readers: 1) Intermediate players who are ready for a wider range of rhythms to study and use in live playing situations; and 2) Experienced congueros who have digested Volume I and now seek to understand the roots of the modern Cuban conga style. Having assimilated the material in Volume I, the student should be able to play basic Son Montuno, Salsa, Chachachá, and Bolero.

Volume 2 moves on to Guaguancó, Iyesá, 6/8, Changüí, Afro, Mozambique, Pilón, Songo, Merengue, Bomba, Cumbia and other rhythms that a professional conguero will be expected to know. Each rhythm is accompanied by an article reflecting on its history and role in the "big picture" of Latin music and offering listening recommendations. Like Volume I, it uses the Step by Step DVD Method. A special 8-page appendix explains the often infuriatingly complex subject of "clave" with an unprecedented level of clarity and insight.

Book/DVD Volume 3
Volume 3 is the first educational product to tackle the complex subject of Timba, the new musical genre which has been played in Cuba since 1989. Timba represents a quantum leap for all the instruments of the rhythm section and especially the congas. The recordings of Tomás Cruz are considered the most advanced examples of Timba conga-playing and so fascinated the three coauthors that they sought out Tomás Cruz and spent a year and a half studying his style and meticulously documenting it before even considering the idea of publishing it. After many hundreds of hours of passionate research, this "labor of love" eventually reached fruition as Volume 3. Volumes 2 & 1 were then written to trace the roots of the style and to understand the path Tomás took to arrive at his phenomenal level of technical mastery and rhythmic creativity.

Much more than a collection of patterns or exercises, Volume 3 analyzes Timba arrangements from beginning to end, explaining the role of the congas in each section, the relationship to the "clave", and Tomasito's creative process, including an exercise which teaches the reader to invent his own Timba conga parts. It was the intricacies of the material of Volume 3 which inspired the creation of the Step by Step DVD Method, which enables the reader to learn these exciting new rhythms in a fraction of the time it would take working with only written music and audio recordings.

Tomasito's new group is the
The Cuban Timba All Stars from Miami.
click here for more info on this band