This article discusses the art of playing Latin percussion instruments, specifically timbales, bongos, and congas. It emphasizes the importance of understanding clave, melodic phrasing, and listening to influential players to develop a strong rhythmic vocabulary. The text highlights the need for a musical approach to solos, encouraging players to practice traditional phrases and riffs while maintaining a focus on the stylistic nuances that differentiate Latin percussion from standard drumset playing. Overall, it serves as a guide for musicians to enhance their skills and musicality in Latin percussion.

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Beginners on timbales sometimes sound too much like drumset players playing timbales. This is usually due to a lack of understanding of the stylistic language, touch, and a premature flash of technique in the wrong places. While I was directing the Latin Jazz Ensemble at Lehman College one day, the drumset player decided to play timbales on one tune. He hit a rimshot. Rather than producing a good ringing tone, it sounded more like a “thud.” I yelled out, “You sound like a drummer!” He yelled back, “I am a drummer!” What I was getting at is that a player will play the way that he or she hears it in their mind. One must have a good mental image of how to approach the instrument in order to get the appropriate sounds. 

Any good jazz drummer has spent countless hours listening to the timekeeping and solo ideas of such drummers as Warren “Baby” Dodds, “Papa” Jo Jones, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, and so on. The same holds true for Latin percussion instruments. In order to truly become proficient and knowledgeable on these instruments, one must study their legacy. 

A good starting point for the study of Latin percussion (bongos, congas, timbales) solos are the so called “old school” players. Their style is relatively simple and easy to understand. Yet, their approach is very melodic and has a lot of soul and swing. As the old saying goes: “No rolls, just butter” vs “All rolls, no butter.”

You can clearly hear the clave direction in many of their figures. Listening to how they phrase and structure their solos will give you the vocabulary and touch from which to build on. That is our ultimate goal. There are too many players to mention. Some of the players mentioned below are not percussion “household” names. However, they should be sought out as essential listening. Most of them were/are also proficient on all instruments.

Bongos: Antolin “Papa Kila” Suárez, Rogelio Iglesias “Yeyito,” John “Dandy” Rodriguez, William Correa aka Willie Bobo, José Mangual Sr. and Jr., Ray Romero.

Congas: Federico Aristides Soto Alejo aka Tata Güines, Cándido Camero Guerra, Ramón “Mongo” Santamaria Rodriguez, Tommy Lopez, Ray Barretto.

Timbales: Osvaldo “Chihuahua” Martinez, Papi Pagani, Raymond Muñoz Rodriguez aka Monchito, Ray Mantilla, Ray Romero, Manny Oquendo, continuing with Tito Puente, Willie Bobo, Guillermo Barreto, Nicky Marrero, Orestes Vilató, and José Luis Quintana aka Changuito, into the present. 

PHRASING 
Solos should be approached from a musical standpoint. Randomly hitting notes will not give you the organization and continuity necessary for a logical musical statement. Latin-style solos are often played to a two- or four-bar montuno phrase. That makes it easier for the soloist to think in two- and four-bar phrases and build on them to develop longer solos. 

One of the easiest ways to learn solos is to start with one-bar phrases. The one-bar phrases in the next section are taken from The Art of Playing Timbales. They were written for timbales but can be applied to other instruments as well. They work well as a repeated phrase. 

All accents can be played as a rimshot along with the suggested sticking. Start by playing four measures of time at a comfortable tempo and then play the one-bar phrase four times. Return to playing time and repeat the process for each example. Memorize the examples and experiment with different sounds and stickings for each. This will help in developing stock phrases or “licks” that will serve as a base foundation that you can always fall back on if you need it. 

These phrases were not arbitrarily written. They are taken from various solo transcriptions and notes of several timbaleros. Many of them are traditional “licks” that are played by many players. You’ll find many of the phrases throughout transcriptions and recordings. You’ll also find that some of the phrases are rhythmically the same but voiced on different surfaces. This was purposely done so that one can start seeing how one pattern can be used in a number of ways. 

Some figures may seem too easy and simple. Keep in mind that these phrases were taken from actual recordings. They were chosen for their melodic content rather than technique display. Each phrase has a melody of its own that makes it stand out. Spend some time reading the passages and singing the melodic riffs to yourself so that they eventually become ingrained in your mind. 

PLAYING SOLOS AND FIGURES IN CLAVE
Soloing in clave is important. Often, if you keep the clave in mind and you listen to the rest of the rhythm section while you are playing, the figures will come out “in clave” automatically. Clave sense is something that develops from listening and playing experience. However, there are some basic guidelines that will help you know if something is in the correct clave. Here are some examples of figures in 2-3 clave. Notice how some of the clave beats meet with the figures. There is also a natural tendency to play more downbeats on the “2” side of the clave and more upbeats on the “3” side of the clave.

2-3 clave

BONGOS
The basic pattern for the bongos is the martillo played in straight eighth notes. Variations or riffs called repiques are then played according to the “feel” of the music. These riffs are also played in clave. At PASIC, Yasuyo Kimura will present various “repique” patterns in 2-3 and 3-2 clave, demonstrating how they can be developed into longer phrases. The first example shows the martillo followed by four common repiques played by bongoceros. Examples are in 2-3 clave.

Key: T = tips of fingers TH = side of thumb O = open tone on the low drum

Martillo

Repique riffs in 2-3 clave

CONGAS/TUMBADORAS
Wilson “Chembo” Corniel will discuss and demonstrate various conga solo techniques that he has learned and used throughout his experience in the New York City scene. Many of these ideas come from renowned players. “Quinto” rumba riffs will also be discussed and demonstrated as in the following.

3-2 Rumba Clave

All these ideas will be covered and elaborated on at the clinic. It may be helpful to bring a print copy of this article or have your copy of Percussive Notes open on whatever device you use for the online edition so that you can refer to the various music examples. 

Text and music excerpts used by permission of Music in Motion Films.
The Art of Playing Timbales by Victor Rendón
The Art of Playing Tumbadoras/Congas by Wilson “Chembo” Corniel and Victor Rendón