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Ramón " Mongo " Santamaría Rodríguez (April 7, 1917 – February 1, 2003) was a Cuban percussionist and bandleader who spent most of his career in the United States. Primarily a conga drummer, Santamaría was a leading figure in the pachanga and boogaloo dance crazes of the 1960s.
Find out how Mongo Santamaria joined a group of jazz musicians and were able to achieve mainstream success without diluting their music.
Feb 4, 2003 · Mongo Santamaria, the pioneering Cuban percussionist who was among the most acclaimed exponents of Latin jazz and whose 1963 Top 10 hit “Watermelon Man” stands as a precursor of pop crossover...
May 7, 2018 · Early in 1963, Mongo Santamaria accomplished something that even then was a rarity in the world of American pop music. His band’s instrumental single reached the Top Ten on Billboard Magazine’s official best-seller chart.
in 1962, Mongo Santamaria returned to New York City and recorded his 1963 version of Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man,” which brought Mongo to a national and international audience. As legend goes, Mongo Santamaria’s pianist did not show up for practice.
Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría Rodríguez was born in Havana, Cuba, in a family that valued music and their African heritage. At a young age, Santamaría picked up the violin, but the popularity and familial affinity for rumba music led him to a musical career in percussion.
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Oct 14, 2003 · Mongo Santamaria enjoyed a long and successful career in Latin music. His recordings and concert performances ranged from the authentic percussion music of Afro-Cuban religious rituals through to Latin-jazz reworkings of American jazz and pop hits.
