| Dates or Sequence |
Narrative including Bands & Personnel
and Musical Influences |
| 2001/04/06 |
I finally had another conga job
after about 2 years! My friend Roy Gonzales called me to substitute for
him substituting for the regular conga player. I played with a quartet at
the Calypso Cafe in Encinitas, Ca. I had not played with this group before
and I was out of shape but the job went well! My chops were starting to
come back by the second set. The group played mainly American tunes with a
Latin flavor and a few Latin tunes. It turned out that the the piano
player, Ron Iganta, knew and worked with many of the musicians I knew in
the SF Bay Area including Wally Chillcott who gave him Latin piano
lessons! I am scheduled to play with them again on 04/13 and I am really
looking forward to it especially since Roy will be playing timbales
substituting for the regular timbale player. |
| 2001/04/13 |
I played again at the Calypso
Cafe. This time Roy and I switched places a couple of times and I got to
play timbales (first time in a group for many many years!). It was fun and
their timbale player will not be playing with them any more so it looks
like I might get to play timbales with the group when Roy cannot make the
job. RMAL's Clayton Leander and his lady Beth managed to get to the place
for the last 1/2 hour we were playing! |
| 2001/04/15 |
A mini Harlow-type dinner with
Clayton Leander and Beth O'Brien...PR roast, gandule rice, PR beans,
tamales, salad and cheese cake...Mary made everything except for the
cheese cake. During dinner we watched a Banco Popular video and then Clay
asked me to show him a couple of things on timbales and Beth asked about
the pattern on congas. After the drum lessons with Mary dancing all the
time, Clayton asked Mary to show him a few steps and then Beth asked me to
show her the basic box step and later Clayton asked me to show him. A
whole lot of dancing! We basically listened to two CDs, Charlie Palmieri's
"Giant Step" and Fruko's "Power Salsa".
Most of the dancing was to Fruko! Mary also presented Clayton with the
chekere she had made for him a couple of years ago in thanks for his
taking me to Dave Harvey's conga/bongo/bell making shop and for
introducing me to Orestes Vilató. A good time was had by all.
|
| 2001/04/27 |
Tonight was my first official
job as timbalero with Luna Llena (Alex Galucho, leader/congas/singer; Ron
Iganta, piano; Paul Hormmick, bass; Califa, timbales) at the Calypso
Club...my first timbale job since probably about 1973! I substituted for
Alex a couple of weeks ago and he called me to play timbales with the
group and, after the job, he said "see you next Friday"! While
not the heaviest duty Latin job, at least, I am playing again (and
timbales are easier than congas to lug around and to play!!!).
20010504 - when I asked if we were playing next week,
Alex said that we play almost every Friday, so i guess I am an official
member of the group!
20010615 - new bass player Jeff "Sly" Simon!
Tonight was the best night so far, good grooves, good dynamics, best 6/8
bell groove I have ever played (bass started out with strong accent on one
with my stick on drum and after the lock, he played against the 1 and it
cooked! Alex played straighter and with good dynamics and taste. I really
enjoyed tonight.
|
| 2001/05/22 |
Although it is definitely not
music related, today I received my 35 years of service appreciation plaque
from the University of California. Retirement is (hopefully) on the
horizon and maybe then I can get seriously back into playing music again!
|
| 2001/06/09 |
I just talked with Wally
Chilcott on the phone (I haven't talked to him for about 10 years!). He is
still playing piano. Sometimes he plays with Johnny Polanco's band in L.A.
He will let me know if he is going to play in San Diego and I will try to
visit him when I go to mom's house. Ron Iganta used to take piano lessons
from Wally! |
| 2001/06/17 |
I guess Luna Llena is really
Cal-Son! This was a busy weekend...Fri, Sat & Sun nights! Tonight, at
The Nautical Bean, an outdoor coffee shop at Oceanside Harbour, the group
was recorded with decent equipment and a good engineer. I finally will
(hopefully) get a recording of me playing timbales. I plan to post some of
the recording here on the site. |
| 2001/07/02 |
SILVER PR 10 Pesos Cuba 1997 Dance The Rumba.
I just won this coin on an ebay.com auction, I am
going to have it made into a pendant. |
| 2001/07/11 |
2001/07/11 Wed - Arrive Oakland
- dinner at Tropix, tour of Jack London Square, and movie (Laura
Croft) with Clayton Leander
2001/07/12 Thu - I called and left a message for Chuy
Varela...we had planned to get together and talk about the old days and
about the possible use of some of my old photos in a book or article he is
preparing...but I did not get a call back?
2001/07/13 Fri - Harlow rehearsal and dinner with the
band; back to Harlow's hotel room for a couple of hours. Before the music
began, we took some pictures including Mike with Larry! Armando Tam also
showed up (he and his friend were at the last Harlow dinner). A DJ (I
can't remember his name....must be old-timers disease catching up with me)
came up to me and asked if I was Califa and when I said I was he called a
couple of his friends over to meet me (I must be notorious)!
Band members:
Larry Harlow - keyboard; Orestes Vilato - timbales;
David Belove -bass; Raul Rekow - congas (Raul was sick so another young
fellow played congas on Sun night); Karl Perrazo - bongo, bell, quiro,
coro; Abel Figueroa - trombone; Julius Melendez - trumpet; Ron Stallings -
sax; Orlando Torriente - vocal; Eduardo Herrera - vocal
2001/07/13 Fri - Harlow concert -
Mike Doran
After the concert I was standing outside having a smoke
and Luis Ramirez (timbalero and band leader of Mazacote in S.F.{LatinJazz
participant} came up and introduced himself, we chatted a while and while
we were chatting, a fellow came up to say goodnight to Luis, I said
"you look familiar" and he said his name was John Santos! I said
I was Dennis Reed "Califa" and he smiled and shook my hand...I
had corresponded with John in the past and we had planned to meet on one
of my visits to the Bay Area but it had not yet come about...maybe next
time!
2001/07/14 Sat - afternoon with Mike including Berkeley
music stores and Sproul Plaza drum circle - Mexican dinner at with Gigi,
Irma, Rudi, Stan and Kerry Ginn then Harlow concert - Clayton missed us
for the dinner but showed up for the concert
2001/07/15 Sun - afternoon Thai lunch, lessons and
discussions, then Vietnamese dinner with Stan - Harlow concert
2001/07/16 Mon Leave Oakland - arrive San Diego and sick
with the flu for a week :>( |
| 2001/08/05 |
Eddie Rosario finally gets to
San Diego and to one of Mary's dinners!
photos pending |
| 2001/08/10 |
Cal-Son: first time playing drum
set with group, Alex in Cuba |
| 2001/09/21 |
First night using timbale drum
set combination with Alex back from Cuba and he said that this is the
combination he wants me to play. |
| 2001/10/07 |
Played a basically jazz job on
drum set (first time ever!), I felt I was at a real disadvantage because I
lack drum set chops but everyone seemed happy with my playing. This is a
real prompt for me to begin developing my chops, rudiments and reading.
Hopefully I will have more such opportunities to play such jobs. |
| 2001/10/26 |
Still playing timbales with
Cal-Son. A new piano player started last week, 20 year old Danny ? and
dynamite player and knows the older Cuban music!!! I have been using a new
timbale setup; i.e., timbales with 20" bass drum from my Traveler
drum set and a remote high-hat which allows me to put the high-hat a bit
behind the larger timbale and provides access to cascara on both drums. I
am waiting for a new set of 14"& 15" timbales and a snare
drum with a floating head...I am hoping that the floating head hardware
will work on the 14" timbale as a snare when required and still allow
a proper timbale sound. If this works, it will also put a tom on my left
which will be useful for sambas and other rhythms which would otherwise
require cross-sticking. |
| 2002/09/00 |
The floating head snare hardware
does work in the 14" timbale and the cascara sound is good (a bit muted but
still good)! I would like to find floating head snare hardware for my 13"
timbale but they seem to be somewhat rare and expensive. I also got a 18"
chrome tom and bass spurs; I will make the tom into a matching bass drum for
the timbale setup which will fit under the timbales when played sitting
down. I will provide pictures of the timbale setup with bass drum and hi-hat
and pictures of the new music room when I get a chance. |
| 2002/09/01 |
Still playing timbales
occasionally with Cal-Son but much less frequently. |
| 2002/09/14 |
Visited Ted Rivera for his
birthday party. After many years, Rudi Coronado and I finally got to talk
for several hours about our musical careers and about the history of Latin
American music in the SF Bay Area and the western US. We found many
correspondences in our musical lives and much overlapping of friends and
bands. Rudi is going to check his musical photo albums to see if we ever
played in the same band(s)...we have known each other for many years but we
can't recall if we played in the same bands other than just sitting in on
occasion. |
| 2002/12/01 |
RETIREMENT AT LAST!
After some 36+ years with UCSD, I have retired. Now I should
be able to find time to finish the music room and time to get my chops back
on congas, bongos, timbales and drums! I also plan to finally study
rudiments and maybe even some keyboard! |
| 2003/08/00 |
Rehearsed a few times recently
with a Latin group: guitar/cuatro/tres, bass, congas, timbales. I played the
timbales. |
| 2003/09/00 |
Nothing happening with the Latin
group but the guitar player (Ray) asked me to play drums with an
pop/jazz/funk/rock/Latin group: 2 guitar players, bass and drums with
occasional other instruments sitting in. Great fun and it helps me to
keep/develop my chops. |
| 2003/11/14 |
Lost the bass player a couple of
weeks ago. Now playing bongos and bell with the 2 guitars. Sounds pretty
good. Trumpet player Luis Gasca has come to listen to the group with the
bass and without the bass. Tonight he complimented me on my bell
playing...when I play bell I usually play the hembra like the large
timbale/conga...with a basic 2 and 4 beat or a semi-guaguancó. |
| 2003/12/25 |
Rehearsed with Ray this
afternoon tres, bass, and bongos. The bass play is Cubano Ignacio Arango...here
from Cuba just 7 years. What a joy to play with such a solid foundation...it
reminds me of the good old days! :>) :>) :>) |
| 2003/12/28 |
Got a call from Ray to play
bongos in a Latin jam at some club (? Monkeys ?),,,full band, piano, bass
(Ignacio again!), trumpet, trombone, tres, vocal, timbales, congas and
bongos. what a joy to play big band again. I was the only one not miked and
I could be heard fine...guess I have not completely lost my chops. After the
break I got several compliments from fellows in the band (I only knew Ray
and Ignacio) and when Ignacio complimented me again on my playing (it really
pleases me to get compliments from a real Cuban heavyweight) and I mentioned
that I was not miked, he just broke into a big smile. I guess most congas
and bongos are miked today most of the time. |
| 2003/12/29 |
Yearly pics of Mary and me
(probably July 2003):
 |
| 2004/10/01 |
Absolutely no music since last
December??? |
| 2005/12/17 |
Virtually no music for another
year but today I played a private party on bongos with Ray and Duke. |
| 2006/03/09 |
Another job with Duke...guitar,
fluegel horn, upright bass and bongos...nice 1 hour job! |
| 2006/06/10 |
Another job with Duke...guitar,
upright bass and bongos...nice 1 1/2 hour job!
I have messed around with a 12/8 martillo but never had the
opportunity to play it with a band...this evening the band played a very
very slow jazz ballad and it was so slow that the normal 4/4 martillo
would have been very empty sounding so I tried the 12/8 martillo and it
worked great!
I played it as follows:
1&a2&a3&a4&a
IffMffIffFff
RLLRLLRLLRLL
mmmmmmmmmhmm
I=index finger
f=fingers tap
M=middle finger
F=2 or 3 fingers
R=right hand
L=left hand
m=macho
h=open hembra
|
| 2006/06/12 |
Yesterday afternoon I went to
Robert Felcher's house for a get together with Robert, Jack Costanzo, Ralph
and Mark Flores whose dad was the owner of Valje and several other guys.
Robert buys and sells congas and bongos and skins...I would guess he
currently has over 100 drums including some GonBop bongos with 5 tuning rods
on each drum!
I took my Valje bongos with the comfort rims for the brothers to see and,
although they had not been tuned for over 15 years, they sounded pretty good
with those old thin kip skins! Even Jack said they sounded pretty good. But
everyone was surprised at how good my cheapo World Beats sound.
I got a chance to talk with Jack for quite a while and we shared "war
stories" regarding playing and shared opinions regarding our favorite conga
and bongo players (and those who did/do not move us musically even though
they had/have great chops). I also got a chance to play some of Robert's
congas including the new 3 drum set he got from Ralph (Ralph build the
congas).
We all went to a new Cuban restaurant for dinner...the food was great but I
had my first mojito and I did not think it was anything special :>(
And then everyone except Jack went to see Robert play with one of his
groups: pretty good Latin and Latin-Jazz music (piano, bass, congas and
drums and a guest singer and a guest sax player).
After the first tune, Robert handed me his bongos...I played one tune and
then asked if it would be OK for me to go get my bongos (the cheapos)...I
ended up playing bongos and bell for about 3 1/2 hours (the longest and
hardest I have played for quite a few years)...my hands/fingers held up well
even though I was playing harder than usual...I got compliments on the sound
quality of my bongos and the band seemed pleased with my playing.
And I have 1 1/2 hour job around dinner time tonight with the guitar, bass,
and bongos group I have played with lately. |
| 2006-2007 |
I have played several times with
the trio during the year...all interesting jobs. |
| 2007/05/19 |
First I played with the jazz
trio (guitar, bass, bongos) I have been playing
with for a couple of years...about 6 months since we last played...jazz
tunes, sambas, bossa novas and a couple of semi-Latin tunes. Then the bass player took me to see an all Cuban group (keyboard/bass,
trombone, trumpet(s), güiro, clave, tres, vocals, congas and bongos)...the
real thing...older style music...I was told that the tres player would have
been in the Buena Vista Social club movie because he hung out with all the
Cuban old timers but he was in Europe when the movie was made. I was
impressed with the percussionists (and the whole band) and, on a break, the
my friend, the bass player, acted as translator while I asked a few
questions regarding technique of the conga player....I then met the
bongo/bell player, checked out his Matador bongos (he gets a very good
sound)...I hit a few licks to check them out...I then asked if he would like
to see my bongos (the cheapo WorldBeat bongos), he said yes and I got them
out of the car....he was really impressed with both the bongos and the hand
bell I have had for years...he played my bongos and bell on a couple of
tunes...then I was asked to sit in on a couple of tunes on bongo and bell! I
have not played that kind of music since the early 70s and then I was
playing congas...I loved it...during the tunes, the conga and bongo players
were all smiles...they asked me several times to play more tunes on bongos
and even congas but I had to decline...I have not played congas for years
and I have not touched the bongos until tonight for 6 months and I am
definitely out of shape and endurance :>( when they finished playing for the
night, I thanked the guys and the bongo player kept shaking my hand and
giving me hugs and without my asking he gave me his phone number! he also
asked me where to the the synthetic head I use on my macho...my friend, the
bass player, said they liked my playing...it was also very nice to hear my
bongos and bell played by someone who knows how to play...it is difficult to
judge how drums sound out in front of the band because they do not sound the
same as when one plays them. What a night! I am totally bushed! |
| 2008/03/27 |
I have not played with the trio
for almost a year :>( Rey called and said he wanted
to jam with a new guitar player so maybe I will start playing again soon. |
| 2008/03/29 |
Got Herschel Levi's phone number
from Sonny Crockett. She gave me James' phone number, I called and talked
with James Levi after some 40 years! |
| 2008/03/30 |
I got an email from a fellow who
found a reference to Tim Small in this autobiography asking if I knew how to
contact Tim. I replied that I had not see Tim for over 40 years but that I
had been looking for Juanita Oribello for many years. He replied with a
reference to a phone number for Juanita! I called and talked with Juanita Oribello after some 40 years. |
| 2008/04/19 |
Got together with Rey (guitar/tres/cuatro),
Dominic (keyboard/bass), another fellow on guitar, and a fellow on violin
for a jam session party at Rey's place. I played drum set mainly...conga on
a couple of tunes. Nice to play again! |
| 2008/06/25 |
just a partial (editted/cleanedup)
copy of an email posted to thebongogroup by its founder, Matthew Debuque:
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:38 AM
Subject: BongoGroup: Re:When the music is over, by The
Doors video
Santana was one of the LOUDEST bands ever.
Bill Graham used to have Armando Peraza's mikes cut regularly; he felt his
solos were too long and they wanted the band to appeal more to the female
teenage demographic, like Steve Perry and Journey.
I actually witnessed this happen in concert.
After they cut his mikes, Armando started playing with his slaps even
louder. The band resumed playing at a deafening level and Armando was so
furious (he eventually left the band for this and other reasons after 20
years) that he REALLY started slapping loud and you could hear that his
slaps were louder than the band, louder than Carols' deafening solo.
You can confirm all of this with Armando. His slaps are as loud as
gunshots. Unlike the modern conga style that does not use many high slaps,
he DOES NOT sound like a tabla. His high slaps are as loud as ANY rock
band.
Dennis has world class high slaps.
It's that simple.
You should hear him. I have heard both Armando's and Dennis' high slaps up
close and personal (within 2 feet) and I assure you
personally that Dennis does not need to be miked.
Perhaps the new generation needs to.
But Dennis has the velocity and the power that is required to do so.
Matt
--- In
TheBongoGroup@yahoogroups.com, jpbongo@... wrote:
>
> I'd like to see you go down to Cafe Sevilla in downtown S.D., on any given
night when the salsa bands are playing and sit in on bongo without a mic,
then let me know how it goes. Or play the Mayan, Rumba Room, J.C.
Fandango's, Mama Juanas, Sevilla
or anywhere in L.A. with no mics.
>
> "No mics"?? Its just not practical in todays day and age...
>
> Best of luck...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Dennis M Reed \"Califa\"" <dmreed@...>
>
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:48:13
> To:<TheBongoGroup@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: Re: BongoGroup: Re:When the music is over, by The Doors video
>
> between 1960 and 1975, with one group, I played 6 nights with one night
after hours...no mikes....with other groups, I played congas with no mikes
with 5-12 piece groups 3-6 nights per week 4-5 hour jobs sometimes with
additional afternoon tardeadas...no mikes.
>
> bongos I have played only 3-5 nights a week with small and big
groups...no mikes.
>
> in the old days, many folks who had decent technique and knowledge could
not really play live because percussion was no miked and their hands/fingers
could not take the beating...some of us apparently have hands/fingers and,
for congas, upper arm strength to manage these kinds of jobs.
>
> I stand by my original statement regarding mikes!!!
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <jpbongo@yahoo. <mailto:jpbongo%40yahoo.com>
com>
> To: <TheBongoGroup@ <mailto:TheBongoGroup%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 2:38 PM
> Subject: Re: BongoGroup: Re:When the music is over, by The Doors video
>
> > Denis wrote;
> > "the only time I use mikes is in a recording studio."
> >
> > Try playing "Macho/fuerte" 4 or 5 nights a week with no mics. "No mics",
is not sound advice (IMO) There are a couple guys that can do it and
on carpet but even they have admitted that it can't be done all the time.
> >
> > Good luck.
> >
> > Just ask someone with years of pro experience, ask Dandy....
> >
> > Bongos tend to be harder on the hands than congas.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: "Dennis M Reed \"Califa\"" <dmreed@dmreed.
<mailto:dmreed%40dmreed.com> com>
> >
> > Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:22:01
> > To:<TheBongoGroup@ <mailto:TheBongoGroup%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com>
> > Subject: Re: BongoGroup: Re:When the music is over, by The Doors
video
> >
> > then think about the time when you might begin to play with a
group...can you hold your bongos firmly for a minimum of 45 minutes, take a
15 minute break...and do that 4 times a night? that is why I suggest lighter
weight bongos. regarding volume, I play wood bongos (my cheapo WorldBeat
bongos) and, even when playing with big Latin bands, I do not use a mike and
I can
be heard! I think most bongoceros now use mikes especially with big bands
and even with smaller groups so volume should not be a problem for you.
> >
> > the only time I use mikes is in a recording studio.
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: abel morales <mailto:am_cuba@yahoo.
<mailto:am_cuba%40yahoo.com> com>
> > To: TheBongoGroup@ <mailto:TheBongoGroup@
<mailto:TheBongoGroup%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 10:43 AM
> > Subject: BongoGroup: Re:When the music is over, by The Doors video
> >
> >
> > Hello Dennis:
> >
> > No i don't play with a group, but how i am an apprentice i just want a
very nice set of bongos to be prepared for the opportunity when it comes :),
and i am just wondering wich one is better between the Valje and the LP
Generation III. If someone can tell me the difference between them, will be
awesome.
> > Thanks
> > Abel
> >
> > --- El sáb 21-jun-08, Dennis M Reed "Califa" <dmreed@dmreed.
<mailto:dmreed%40dmreed.com> com>
escribió:
> > De: Dennis M Reed "Califa" <dmreed@dmreed.
<mailto:dmreed%40dmreed.com> com>
> > Asunto: Re: BongoGroup: Re:When the music is over, by The Doors video
> > A: TheBongoGroup@ <mailto:TheBongoGroup%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com
> > Fecha: sábado, 21 junio, 2008, 5:49 pm
> >
> > you are welcome and you deserve it!
> >
> > my question for you is you say you can handle them...do you play to
play them in a live group? if so, consider that you will may have to grip
them harder to play harder...and usually for 45 minutes straight 4 times a
night!
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: abel morales <mailto:am_cuba@yahoo.
<mailto:am_cuba%40yahoo.com> com>
> > To: TheBongoGroup@ yahoogroups. com <mailto:TheBongoGroup@
<mailto:TheBongoGroup%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com>
> > Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2008 2:29 PM
> > Subject: BongoGroup: Re:When the music is over, by The Doors video
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks Dennis for your comment about the video, i appreciate it I have
tried the Gen II at the Sam Ash store, they are heavy, but not so much, so i
think i can hadle them, my question is wich one has a better sound, the
Valje or the Gen III? In other words... are the Valje the better bongoes
from LP? I will appreciate any advice about that.
> >
> > --- El sáb 21-jun-08, Dennis M Reed "Califa" <dmreed@dmreed.
com>
> > escribió:
> > De: Dennis M Reed "Califa" <dmreed@dmreed.
com>
> > Asunto: Re: BongoGroup: When the music is over, by The Doors video
> > A: TheBongoGroup@ yahoogroups. com
> > Fecha: sábado, 21 junio, 2008, 11:51 am
> >
> > make sure you try out any bongos before buying them...some are so heavy
as to be very uncomfortable. ...some have hardware that is heavy and can
"bite" into your legs.
> >
> > personally I prefer lighter weight bongos.
> >
> > BTW very nice video, nice clean variations, keep up the good work!
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "." <am_cuba@yahoo. com <mailto:am_cuba%40yahoo.com>
>
> > To: <TheBongoGroup@ yahoogroups.
> > com <mailto:TheBongoGroup%40yahoogroups.com>
>
> > Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 11:09 PM
> > Subject: BongoGroup: When the music is over, by The Doors video
> >
> >> Hello Matt:
> >>
> >> I want to share with you and the group a video playing around at home,
trying to get an approach to a non conventional style of music with my
bongos, of course i made some mistakes but i am trying to improve my skills,
i just got a new head and the sound is better. I am thinking very seriously
to buy a brand new LP bongoes, and the best value is in
www.drumworks. com, do you think is a
good idea get them from there? wich one you think is better, the Valje or
the Gen III? they are in the same range there of $280. Thanks and any
suggestion is more than welcome.
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