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Johnny Conga

 

 

 ABOUT JOHNNY CONGA: 

 

           Johnny Conga, a Volcano Percussion endorser, has been performing for 50 years, as a “multi-percussion-specialist”, in the Art of Afro-Cuban/Caribbean drumming and Latin Jazz music.

 

Creator of  A Hand to Drum Productions/Online Learning LLC 2012  to provide ONLINE Instruction on the Conga drum..

 

          Some of the Artists that “JC” have worked with cover the gamut of “styles” in music. Here is a short list:  Carlos Santana, Eddie Palmieri, Sergio Mendes & Brasil 77, Paquito D’Riviera, The Jackson 5, Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria,  Cerrone(France), Gloria Gaynor, Johnny Pacheco, Dave Valentine and over 100 other major artist’s in the United States and abroad. To date Johnny has been in 178 bands, over 200 recordings and has done 17 International World tours        

 

Please visit http://www.facebook.com/JohnnyConga http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/johnnyconga   My latest CD OYE!...

  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/congajohnny  also on Facebook,  and his popular  How to play the Conga drum videos on youtube.com http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnnyConga

 

Grammy Member (Pacific Northwest chapter)-Governor and “Latin-Rep” 2007-2011

Member of BMI as composer/arranger

Member of  N.A.R.A.S.  (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences) 

Member of L.A.R.A.S.   (Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences)  

Member of Percussive Arts Society

Endorsed by Volcano Percussion

 

 

 

Dance Companies:

 Olatunji Drummers and Dancers-New York City 1965-World’s Fair African pavilion

 Chuck Davis Afro-American Dance Co-New York City 1966-68

 New York City Ballet Co.-1972

 Mattie Lascoe Caribbean Splash-Los Angeles-1980

 Miami City Ballet Co.-Miami,Fla.-Venezuelan tour -1994-97

 Tania Leon’s  “Drummin”-Miami/Hamburg Germany tour-1997

Former Associate Professor at the University of Miami-Dept of  Perc.-1990-92 under the auspices of Professor Fred Wickstrom. Miami Florida.

 

Released first CD 1994 called Johnny Conga & Caribe + Roots of Rhythm on Skyward records.

Produced 2nd CD “Breaking Skin… http://www.cdbaby.com/congajohnny

Produced Award winning 3rd CD OYE!..2012   http://www.cdbaby.com/johnnyconga

 

Recognized by State of Florida as “Folklorist”-1997

 

Former P.A.C. E.(performing arts and cultural education) Artist for Dade County, Florida 1995

 

Recordings on Columbia-ABC-Polygram-Island-Roxbury-Skyward-Infinity-Cuni  and many others.

Producers: George S Clinton- Cheech and Chong-  Trevor Lawrence-John Arrias- Pete Moore(The Miracles), John Robinson, Ken Mansfield, Paul Dunlop,  Steve and Nat Kipner.(short list).

 

 

Education:

.  Studied   Djimbe and drum set at Jazzmobile-IS 201-NYCity, with Ritchie “Pablo” Landrum and Charlie Persip.

 Attended the  East 3rd St.  Music Settlement in 1972

 Johnny Colon School of Music NYC. Studied timbales and bongos with Manny Oquendo   and Nicky Marrero.

Studied   with  Ubaldo  Nieto(Machito Orchestra drummer) reading for timbales

Charlie Palmieri Salsa class orchestra at NYU 1973

Attended Los Angeles Community College 1976-78 Liberal Arts program studied percussion under  Dave Smith

 

50  years of performance in America, and to over 50 countries around the world.

 

Since moving to Seattle,WA  in 2002 I  have  taught at the following Institutions:

 

Former Adjunct faculty at Shoreline Community College as the 'first' Latin Percussion course ever in any Community College in Seattle.

 

 Former  staff  at  Cornish College of the Arts as ‘substitute’ since 2005 for the Latin ensemble for Jovino Santos Neto

 

Bellevue Community College Jazz Orchestra-workshop on Latin rhythms

Puget Sound Community College- Latin percussion workshop for Jazz ensemble with Dr. Chris Stover

 

Olympia Community College, Olympia WA.-substitute Instructor for percussion class

University of Washington-workshop on Afro-Cuban drumming and music with Teacher Michael Smolker

 

Former staff at “Music Works” Northwest-Bellevue, Seattle-2002-2003

 

My syllabus includes the Cuban method of learning how to play the Conga drums and the multitude of rhythms and styles of Cuban music, African, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and  Brasilian.

 

What I teach is up to 100 Afro-Cuban/Caribbean rhythms and modern styles ex.Pop,Jazz,etc.

 

 

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I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me and you can start adding your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. 

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me and you can start adding your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. 

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