Percussion, Conga, & Bongo Rock




Historically, "jungle" records could mean old novelty-rock 45s capitalizing on the success of "Tarzan" movies and the 1950s obsession with the bongo drum. "Bongo rock" came and went, but Latin soul (popularized by Mongo Santamaria) evolved into the conga funk of soul jazz. Next, a great many American soul and jazz musicians explored all things African in the late 1960s and early 1970s (reviving a trend begun by 1950s jazz pioneers). Congas became the "power" drum to complement the extremes of electric guitar.

Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band nailed the quintessential breakbeat ("Apache"), while Dennis Coffey's Detroit Guitar Band came up with the ultimate bongo-rock success, "Scorpio." England's Mandingo ground out a handful of albums of semi-exotic but mostly tedious drum rock. Many of the great albums by top soul-jazz percussionists do not emphasize percussion. Instead they are the drummer's turn at being leader and arranger.

Buying: Breakbeat and funky conga LPs always are in great demand. Fortunately conga is ubiquitous throughout soul jazz, funk, and Latin.



Percussion, Conga, & Bongo-Rock LPs

Rating
8Charly Antolini: Drum Beat; Saba 15.086; 1966 (MPS 15059)
7Charly Antolini: Soul Beat; Saba 15.195; 1968 (MPS 15058)
8Charly Antolini's Power Dozen: Atomic Drums; Odeon C-062-29462; 1972
6Charly Antolini: Knock Out; Gema/Jeton 100.3304; 1979
7Louis Bellson/Shelly Manne/Willie Bobo/Paul Humphrey: The Drum Session; Inner City 6051; 1979/1974
9Ben & his Platano Group: Paris--Soul; Barclay/Dare Dare DD-003 (France)
Big Black -- see African Jazz
Willie Bobo: Tomorrow is Here; Blue Note BN-LA711-G; 1977
7Candido: 1,000 Finger Man; Solid State SS-18066; 1970/1969 (Candido Camero)
8Candido: Beautiful; Blue Note BST-84357; 1970 (Candido Camero)
8Candido: Drum Fever; Polydor PD-5063; 1973 (Candido Camero)
8Bobby Christian: Jazz Dance Session; Orion LP-101 (drums/bongo bop; Alan Swain, Maurie Laurie, Warren Kime; prod. Gus Giordano)
7Bobby Christian: All That Jazz; Orion LP-106 (prod. Gus Giordano)
6Billy Cobham: A Funky Thide of Sings (sic); Atlantic SD-18149; 1975
7Joe Dukes with the Brother Jack McDuff Quartet: The Soulful Drums of; Prestige PRST-7324; 1964
8Preston Epps: Bongo Bongo Bongo; Original Sound OSR-LPS-8851; 1960/1959
8Preston Epps: Bongola; Top Rank RM-349; 1961 (bongo/bongo bop/exotica/bongo rock; prod. Sonny Lester; stereo version exists; other Epps LPs & 45s listed elsewhere)
8Siegfried Fink/Das Wurzburger Percussions Ensemble: Talking Drums; Gema/Capella/Thorofon MTH-124 (breakbeats & more)
7Gus Giordano: Jazz Hand--modern jazz dance routines; Orion LP-143 (percussion; funky rock; soul jazz)
7Bobbye Hall: Body Language for Lovers; 20th Century T-534; 1977 (w/Dorothy Ashby, Andy Belling)
7The Chico Hamilton Quintet [Plays Jazz Themes for the Sound Track of...] Sweet Smell of Success; Decca DL-8614; 1957
6Chico Hamilton: The Head Hunters; Solid State SS-18050; 1969
6Chico Hamilton: El Exigente/The Demanding One; Flying Dutchman FDS-135; 1970
7Chico Hamilton: Chico the Master; Stax/Enterprise ENS-7501; 1973
7Chico Hamilton: Peregrinations; Blue Note BN-LA520-G; 1975
6HARYOU Percussion Group (Luv n'Haight LHLP-012)
7The Louis Hayes Group: Variety is the Spice; Gryphon G-787; 1979 (w/Leon Thomas)
->Paul Humphrey -- see funk
8Bobby Hutcherson: San Francisco; Blue Note BST-84362; 1971 (w/Harold Land, Joe Sample)
7Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band: Bongo Rock; MGM/Pride PRD-0028; 1972
6Incredible Bongo Band: The Return of; Atlantic/Pride PD-6010; 1974
8Montego Joe: Wild & Warm; Prestige PRST-7413; 1965 (Roger A. Sanders)
8Montego Joe: Arriba! Con Montego Joe; Prestige PRST-7336; 1964
Jo Jones Trio; Everest LPBR-5023
6Jo Jones/Milt Hinton: Percussion & Bass; Everest LPBR-5110; 1960
7Jo Jones: The Drums; Jazz Odyssey JO-008/BX2 (France; 2-LP w/inner leaves; instructional, partly spoken)
7Quincy Jones: The Hot Rock ST; Atlantic/Prophesy SD-6055; 1972
8Craig Kupka: Modern Dance Technique Environments; Hoctor HLPS-4247 (exotic soul-jazz percussion; production/dance-instruction)
Craig Kupka: Modern Dance Technique Environments 2; Hoctor
6Craig Kupka: Modern Dance Technique Environments 3; Hoctor HLPS-4384; 1983 (exotic soul-jazz percussion; production/dance-instruction)
8James Last: Voodoo-Party; Polydor 2371-235
6Mandingo: The Primeval Rhythm of Life; EMI Studio 2 TWO-400; 1973
Mandingo III; EMI
6Mandingo: Sacrifice; [unlisted label] C-062; 1977
7Mandingo: Savage Rite; EMI EMC-3217; 1977
->Sabu Martinez
6Ralph McDonald: Sound of a Drum; T.K./Marlin 2202; 1976
5Ralph McDonald: The Path; T.K./Marlin 2210; 1978
7Rasheed Mohamed: East Indian Drums of Tunapuna, Trinidad; Cook 5018 ("The Moslem Drums that can be heard five miles away")
7Joe Morello: Another Step Forward; Ovation OV-1402; 1969 (ex-Brubeck, with Les Hooper, Buddy Terry..; soul-jazz drums/breakbeats/mod soul)
8Idris Muhammad: Black Rhythm Revolution; Prestige PRST-10005; 1971
7Idris Muhammad: Peace And Rhythm; Prestige PRST-10036; 1972 (partly vocal; some spiritual soul jazz)
5Idris Muhammad: Power of Soul; Kudu KU-17; 1974 (arr. Bob James)
Grassella Oliphant: The Grass Roots; Atlantic SD-1438; 1966?
7Grassella Oliphant: The Grass is Greener; Atlantic SD-1494; 1967 (w/Grant Green John Patton, Harold Ousley, Clark Taylor)
8Johnny Pate/Four Tops: Shaft in Africa ST; ABC ABCX-793; 1973
8Percussion Trio: The Jazz Class; Orion LP-108 (Bobby Christian, Maurie Laurie, Yalcin Oral; prod. Gus Giordano)
7Stu Phillips: Run Angel Run ST; CBS/Epic BN-26474 (funky drums/biker/Moog/jaw harp-mouth harp)
6Bernard Purdie: Soul Drums; Date TES-4006
6Bernard Purdie: Stand By Me--Whatcha See is Whatcha Get; Flying Dutchman; 1971
6[Bernard] Pretty Purdie: Soul Is...; Flying Dutchman FD-10154; 1972 (w/Horace Ott)
6Bernard Purdie: Shaft; Fantasy/Prestige PRST-10038; 1972
6Bernard Purdie: Lialeh ST; Bryan BRS-102; 1974
8Bernard Purdie's Jazz Groove Sessions in Tokyo; Lexington LLP-1001 (2-LP w/Melvin Sparks, Houston Person..)
7Buddy Rich: The Roar of '74; Groove Merchant GM-528; 1974/1973 (12-piece horn section; NOT your typical Buddy Rich record)
6Buddy Rich: Very Live at Buddy's Place; Groove Merchant GM-3301
9Emil Richards: Yazz Per Favore; Del-Fi (w/Francisco Aguabella; Palladium PLP-105; 1988)
9Emil Richards & the Microtonal Blues Band: Journey to Bliss; Impulse A-9166; 1968
9Emil Richards & the Microtonal Blues Band: Spirit of 1976 (Live at Donte's); Impulse A-9182; 1969
8Emil Richards: New Time Element; MCA/Uni 73003 (mod percussion)
9Emil Richards: New Sound Element--"Stones"; MCA/Uni 73008 (Moog/percussion)
7Al Sigmund: Culmination--Dramatic Drums; Gema/Coloursound CS-66 (production/drums)
8Various: De Wolfe Music Library--Sound Book Part One; Irma la Douce 812-LP; 1998 (2-LP compilation)


Partly Percussion, Conga, & Bongo-Rock LPs

Rating
6Davie Allan & the Arrows/Various: The Wild Angels ST; Tower T-5043; 1966 (biker/bongo rock/psyche; Mike Curb, Arrows, Hands of Time, the Visitors)
8The Cabildos Three: Cross Fire; Vroommm VRL-609 (soul-jazz piano/conga-percussion "African Jewel"/funky rock "Devilry Time"/Brasil-bossa "Max's Movida"; reissued in Italy as Schema SCEB-903LP; title cut is essentially James Brown: "Hot Pants" with guitar)
8The Cannonball Adderley Quintet: Pyramid; Fantasy F-79455; 1974 ("Cannon Suite Part 1")
7The Back-Wash Rhythm Band: The Golden Breed ST; Capitol ST-2886 (surf/guitar/bongo rock; "In the Curl"; Jerry Styner, Mike Curb, Harley Hatcher, Mike Clifford)
4Terry Baxter, his Orchestra & Chorus: 108 Now Hits; Columbia DS-1069; 1973 ("Black Magic Woman"--bongo rock)
8René Bloch: Mucho Rock with Rene Bloch; Andex S-4002 (Latin, Latin jazz, & Latin rock w/Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Modesto Duran..)
8Bongo Teens/Preston Epps: Surfin' Bongos; Original Sound OSR-LPS-8872/OSR-LPM-5009; 1963 (surf/bongo; mostly Bongo Teens; reissues Epps at least)
6Tony Bruno: Hell's Angels '69 ST; Capitol SKAO-303; ("Chase of Death"; biker/conga/flute/country funk)
7Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band: Evolution; Buddah/Sussex SXBS-7004; 1971
7Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band: Electric Coffey; Buddah/Sussex SXBS-7021; 1972
8Don Cunningham Quartet: Something for Everyone (overrated rarity reissued as Ubiquity LP-038; 2003)
7George Duke: I Love the Blues She Heard My Cry; MPS MC-25671; 1975 (Emil Richards' "Mashavu")
8King Errison w/the Lou Adams Orchestra: Drums of Nassau; Bahamian Rhythms BRH-52 (Latin jazz/bongo/conga/calypso jazz)
9Johnny Frigo [LPs in the Gus Giordano series; see Soul Jazz for details]
8The Gaturs: Wasted; Funky Delicacies DEL-LP-0001; 1984/['70s] ("Yeah, You're Right": New Orleans funk/soul jazz/psyche funk/disco funk)
6Joseph Gershenson/Jimmy Daley & the Ding-a-Lings: Summer Love ST; Decca DL-8714 (rock/bongo rock/calypso rock; w/Henry Mancini, Rod McKuen)
7[The Back-Wash Rhythm Band:] The Golden Breed ST; Capitol ST-2886 ("In the Curl")
7[Michael Viner's] Incredible Bongo Band: The Thing with Two Heads; MGM; 1972 (Bongo Rock; MGM/Pride PRD-0028; 1972)
8The Mark Lewis Trio ["Works Hard and Plays Well"]; C&M LPS-1001 (lounge act/breakbeats/funk/funky rock/soul jazz; note: jacket number may be incorrect--it's NOT LPS-1000)
7Enoch Light & the Light Brigade: The Brass Menagerie 1973; Project 3 PRSD-5060; 1972 (mod, funky; w/Candido conga, Vinnie Bell electric sitar, Dick Hyman Moog)
7Malon: Rebellion; Philips 6397032; 1976
6Noro Morales: Coma Esta; Tico SLP-1068; 1961 ("Rock-A-Bong")
8Dawan Muhammad: Deep Stream; Evidence Artistic 1004; 1979/1976-78 ("Tambu")
8Rolley Polley: Mad Drums; Capitol ST-1454 (bongo/bongo bop/bongo rock/percussion/Latin jazz; "Rolley Polley" pseudonym for Pepe Dominguin)
8Riccardo Rauchi--Italy's Most Exciting Saxist; Capitol T-10235 ("Mambo Mono")
7The Rip Chords: Three Window Coupe; Columbia CS-9016 ("Big Wednesday")
7Leonard Rosenman: Beneath the Planet of the Apes ST; Amos AAS-8001 (exotic rock/spoken/apes/percussion: "March of the Apes"; mostly spoken, has "The only good human is a dead human" speech)
7Hal Serra & his Orchestra: Tap Concert wth Yvonne Craig; Statler 1129 ("Bongo Rock"; otherwise '20s/big band)
8Gene Shaw: Carnival Sketches; Argo LP-743; 1964 (jazz w/Latin/bossa theme; "Street Dance")
7Mel Taylor & the Magics In Action!; Warner Bros. WS-1624 (drums/bongo rock/guitar/spy/mod/mod Latin)
7Sam "the Man" Taylor & Dick Hyman: Rockin' Sax & Rollin' Organ; MGM E-3553 ("Congo Mombo")
7Piero Umiliani: El Corpo ST; Easy Tempo ET-933; 1999/1974 & unreleased (2-LP, [exotic] funk/Moog funk/soul-jazz percussion)
7Joni Wilson & the Exciting Debonaires; Gateway GLP-3002 ("Burnt Jello")
9Uncredited 10"; Audio/Background Music Publishers BMP-134; 1968 (production)
6Uncredited: [Production Music]; Robert Hall/New World W-294/295 (funky Moog/disco/drums)
7Various: Hot Rod Drag Races; Almor AS-109/A-109 (hot rod/Latin rock/bongos/mod soul twist/guitar; Dick Dale, Surfaris, Fireballs)
7Uncredited: Jazz Power; Statler/Avant AVLP-123 (jazz class/conga/disco/mod jazz/mod twist)
9Various: Rare Funk Vol. 6--Mod Funk; Cobalt COBLP-1009 (Gus Giordano: "Do Whatever Sets You Free")
8Various: [Black Power Presents:] Suono Libero--A Trip Through Obscure '70s Jazz-Funk Tracks from Italian Music Library (sic); IRMA/La Douce 806; 1997/1968-84 (funk/soul-jazz organ/soul-jazz vibes/soul-jazz piano/soul-jazz flute/soul-jazz horns/soul-jazz conga/Brasil)
8Various: Super Funk 2; BGP BGP2-137; 2001 (2-LP; 1st release of Preston Epps: "Funky Bongo")
8Various: Trunk Presents the Super Sounds of Bosworth Vol. 2; Trunk Barked 2; 1996 (production; reissue-compilation)


[Partly] Percussion, Conga, & Bongo-Rock 45s

Rating
7Bilal Abdurahman w/Jack Stubbs & Latif Abdul-Zahir: Innovative Rhythmic & Tonal Textures [for Little Ones]; Folkways FC-7535; 1976
7The Aire-Dales: Drumsville/Just Plain Mess; Roulette R-4505 (drum rock; prod. George Goldner & Doug Fowlkes)
8The Allisons: Surfer Street/Money; Tip 1011 (A-side soul rock/drum rock)
9Charly Antolini: Charly's New Drums/Charly in Town; Gema/Cornet 3125 (German; picture sleeve)
8Billy Blackwood: Gospel Drums/You Were on his Mind; Billy Blackwood 691219; 1969? (drums/gospel)
8The Congo Kid: Trinidad Swing/Slap Happy; Bull Dog 104
9Jack Costanzo: I Got a Bongo/Barracuda; Liberty F-55194 (bongo twist)
7Diablito: The Jungle/Merengue Potatoes; Parkway P-850
8Preston Epps: Bongo Rock/Bongo Party; Top Rank 140; 1959 (Original Sound O-4 or OS-11; A-side on LP)
9Preston Epps: Bongola/Blue Bongo; Top Rank TR-2067X; 1960 (Top Rank RA-2067; both sides on "Bongola" LP RM-349; bongo/bongo bop)
8Preston Epps: Bongo Boogie/Flamenco Bongo; Majesty 1300; 1960
7Preston Epps: Bongo Bongo Bongo/Hully Gully Bongo; Original Sound OS-09; 1960 (A-side on LP)
7Preston Epps: Bongo Rocket/Jungle Drums; Original Sound OS-17 (B-side abridged version of LP cut)
Preston Epps: ?/?; Embassy; 1962
8Preston Epps: Mr. Bongos/B'wana Bongos; Donna 1367
Preston Epps: ?/?; Admiral; 1965
8Preston Epps Trio: Say Yeah/My Lost Love; Polo 214 (A-side mod boogaloo; singer Andre Franklin)
Preston Epps: Love is Only Good/Afro Mania; Jo Jo 107; 1969
Preston Epps: Afro Mania/Africa; Jo Jo; 1969
8Billy Graham & the Escalators: Oop-Poo-Pa-Doo/East 24th Ave.; Atlantic 45-2372 (B-side conga)
7Dick Hyman w/Sam (the Man) Taylor: I'll Get By/Congo Mombo; MGM K-12404 (B-side bongo rock/R&B w/organ)
8The International Bongo Band: Hey Mr. Bongo Man/Congo; Challenge 59312
7Larry Lawrence & the Band of Gold: Bongo Boogie/Goofin' Off; Balboa 008; 1959 (A-side bongo rock)
8Kahuna Kawentzmann: GoGo Sitar/Road to Estoril; Jazzman/Stark Reality Stark.012; 2001 (bongo rock/funky Moog/sitar; UK; rec. in Germany)
8Public School 13: Help [Kick the Habit]/Recess; Juggernaut 406 (B-side; prod. Juggy Murray)
6Bernard Purdie: Soul Bossa Nova/Modern Jive; Date 1587; 1968/1967 (as on Soul Drums but longer!)
8[Bernard] Pretty Purdie & the Playboys: Heavy Soul Slinger/Good Livin' (Good Lovin'); Flying Dutchman FD-26024; 1972 (w/Horace Ott; best 2 from Soul Is...)
9Gene Shaw Sextet: Street Dance Parts 1 & 2; Argo 5495; 1964 (from LP-743)
8The T-K-O's w/Hank Jacobs at the Organ: The Charge/Can You Dig It; Ten Star T-105 (boss organ/guitar/bongo-rock
7Gloria Walker: Talking About My Baby/The Chevelles: The Gallop; Flaming Arrow 45-FA-35 (B-side)
8Ivan Ward & the Swingsters: 66 Rock/Congo Glide; Savoy 1591
9Various: [no title]; Berry/Conroy Music Library BMLP-097; 1972 (production; Afro-Beat B-side by W. Farley; A-side by Power/Walter/Hawsworth/Graham)
8Various: Look Who's Surfing Now; King 882; 1964 (rare!; Gene Redd: "Surfin' Beat"; also a super-rare James Brown instrumental)
7Various: Music in the Streets; Folkways FD-5581; 1957 (1 street-drum cut)


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