The creativity
and drive Tomasito's conga tumbaos put him in the very upper echelon
of the most competive Latin music scene in the world. It took Tomasito
very little time to rise to the top of the Miami Latin music scene,
playing with Manolin, el Medico de la Salsa, Willie Chirino, Celia
Cruz, and many others. He also has a thorough mastery of bongo,
bata, and a deep understanding of Cuban music as a whole.
The
Tomás Cruz Conga Method
Conga Technique as Taught in Cuba
Vols. 1, 2, 3
by Tomás
Cruz & Kevin Moore
& Mike Gerald & Orlando Fiol
music books and DVDs
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.
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!
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.
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
Volume 1
