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Artist Portrait

Mongo Santamaria

cng, bgo, 1917-2003 CU, Havana
Musician / Composer of Latin and Jazz
A.k.a. Ramón Santamaría Rodríguez

Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría Rodríguez (April 7, 1917 – February 1, 2003) was a rumba quinto master and an Afro-Cuban Latin jazz percussionist. He is most famous for being the composer of the jazz standard "Afro Blue", recorded by John Coltrane among others. In 1950 he moved to New York where he played with Perez Prado, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Fania All Stars, etc. He was an integral figure in the fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with R&B and soul, paving the way for the boogaloo era of the late 1960s. His 1963 hit rendition of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.

     
Instruments
  • Congas
  • Bongos
  • Drums
  • Percussion
Genres
  • Latin
  • Jazz
  • R&B/Soul
Popular Tracks   
Sofrito on Sofrito by Mongo Santamaria
Linda Guajira on Our Man In Havana by Mongo Santamaria
Watermelon Man on Mr. Watermelon Man by Mongo Santamaria
Watermelon Man on Watermelon Man by Mongo Santamaria
Afro Blue on Afro Roots by Mongo Santamaria
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay on Soul Bag by Mongo Santamaria
Cloud Nine on Mongo Santamaria's Greatest Hits by Mongo Santamaria
Me And You Baby (Picao Y Tostao) on Santa Maria by Mongo Santamaria
Mama Papa Tu on Santa Maria by Mongo Santamaria
Bésame on Fuego by Mongo Santamaria

Track list and 30sec audio provided by


Band Members
Discography



Title Artist Year Type
Que Viva Mongo!Mongo Santamaria2017Compil.
Use It Before You Lose It / Sunshine Of Your LoveBobby Valentin / Mongo Santamaria2017Single
Sabroso + Más SabrosoMongo Santamaria2012Compil.
Funk Down (The Sacred Rhythm LP Version)Mongo Santamaria2011Single
Live In The NetherlandsMongo Santamaria2011Album
Afro RhythmMongo Santamaria2011Compil.
Saturday Night / Esperitu LibreHerbie Hancock / Mongo Santamaria2007Album
At The Black HawkMongo Santamaria2006Compil.
Funk Up / Funk DownMongo Santamaria2004Single
Mongo (Best Of Vaya Recordings 1973-1980)Mongo Santamaria2004Compil.
Instant PartyMongo Santamaria2004Compil.
Montreux Heat!Mongo Santamaria2003Album
Afro-Indio / A La CarteMongo Santamaria2002Compil.
The Best Of The Fania YearsMongo Santamaria2001Compil.
Mucho Mambo MongoMongo Santamaria2000Compil.
Afro American LatinMongo Santamaria2000Album
Skin On Skin: The Mongo Santamaria Anthology 1958-1995Mongo Santamaria1999Compil.
Mongo's Way/Up From The RootsMongo Santamaria1999Compil.
Mongo'70/Mongo At MontreuxMongo Santamaria1999Compil.
Salsa Masters - Best Of - Mongo SantamariaMongo Santamaria1998Compil.
Afro BlueMongo Santamaria1997Compil.
¡Arriba!Mongo Santamaria1996Compil.
Les Incontournables Warner JazzMongo Santamaria1996Compil.
Mongo's MagicMongo Santamaria1995Compil.
Montreux Jazz Festival - Mongo & RayMongo Santamaria & Ray Bryant1995Compil.
Brazilian SunsetMongo Santamaria1995Album
Mongo ReturnsMongo Santamaria1995Album
Watermelon ManMongo Santamaria1995Compil.
Our Man In HavanaMongo Santamaria1993Compil.
Our Man In HavanaMongo Santamaria1993Album
Mongo Explodes/Watermelon Man!Mongo Santamaria1993Compil.
Mambo MongoMongo Santamaria1993Album
MambomongoMongo Santamaria1993Compil.
Our Man In HavanaMongo Santamaria1993Album
Skin On SkinMongo Santamaria / Fania All Stars1992Compil.
Live At Jazz AlleyMongo Santamaria1990Album
Olé OlaMongo Santamaria1989Album
Soca Me NiceMongo Santamaria1988Album
Cast Your Fate To The Wind / Watermelon ManVince Guaraldi / Mongo Santamaria1988Single
Soy YoMongo Santamaria1987Album
Mongo's GrooveMongo Santamaria1987Compil.
Watermelon Man / Soul SauceMongo Santamaria / Cal Tjader1984Single
Slap ItMongo Santamaria1984Album
Mongo MagicMongo Santamaria1983Album
"Summertime" - Digital At Montreux 1980Mongo Santamaria With Dizzy Gillespie And Toots Thielemans1981Album
ImagesMongo Santamaria1980Album
Turn On The TapRichard Tee ∙ Wilbert Longmire ∙ Bob James ∙ Mongo Santamaria1979Album
Red HotMongo Santamaria1979Album
Watermelon Man / A Mi No Me Engañan (You Better Believe It)Mongo Santamaria1979Single
SambitaMongo Santamaria1979Single
Dawn (Amanecer)Mongo Santamaria1978Single
Mongo - MongoMongo Santamaria1978Compil.
A La CarteMongo Santamaria1978Album
Happy As A Fat Rat In A Cheese FactoryMongo Santamaria1977Single
Dawn (Amanecer)Mongo Santamaria1977Album
Viva! MongoMongo Santamaria1977Album
No Me Importa / MananaMongo Santamaria1976Single
Cantadole Al Amor / MiedoMongo Santamaria & Justo Betancourt1976Single
No Me ImportaMongo Santamaria1976Single
UbaneMongo Santamaria & Justo Betancourt1976Album
SofritoMongo Santamaria1976Single
SofritoMongo Santamaria1976Album
SkinsMongo Santamaria1976Compil.
You Better Believe It / Watermelon ManMongo Santamaria1975Single
Lady Marmalade / The Promised LandMongo Santamaria1975Single
Afro-IndioMongo Santamaria1975Album
Mambomongo / Song For YouMongo Santamaria1975Single
Live At Yankee StadiumMongo Santamaria1974Album
CoyuldeMongo Santamaria1974Single
Naked (Desnudo) / Dr. GascaMongo Santamaria1974Single
Watermelon Man / My SoundMongo Santamaria1974Single
LeahMongo Santamaria1974Single
The Watermelon ManMongo Santamaria1973Compil.
SpringtimeMongo Santamaria1973Single
Crazy Lady / BesameMongo Santamaria1973Single
BoogalooMongo Santamaria1973Compil.
FuegoMongo Santamaria1973Album
Up From The RootsMongo Santamaria1972Album
Afro Roots Vol. 1Mongo Santamaria1972Compil.
Last Tango In Paris / Teminha Pra BebeMongo Santamaria1972Single
Afro RootsMongo Santamaria1972Compil.
Dock Of The BayMongo Santamaria1971Compil.
Mongo At MontreuxMongo Santamaria1971Album
Mongo's WayMongo Santamaria1971Album
Mongo '70Mongo Santamaria1970Album
Feelin' AlrightMongo Santamaria1970Album
Wind Jammer / Mo' Do'Mongo Santamaria1970Single
Mongo Santamaria's Greatest HitsMongo Santamaria1970Compil.
All Strung OutMongo Santamaria1970Album
We Got Latin SoulMongo Santamaria1969Single
Sunshine Of Your LoveMongo Santamaria1969Single
No Puedo Tenerte Junto A Mí (I Can't Get Next To You)Mongo Santamaria1969Single
Workin' On A Groovy ThingMongo Santamaria1969Album
Twenty-Five Miles / El TresMongo Santamaria1969Single
Feeling AlrightMongo Santamaria1969Single
Stone SoulMongo Santamaria1969Album
Mongo SoulMongo Santamaria1969Compil.
We Got Latin SoulMongo Santamaria1969Single
Twenty-Five Miles / El TresMongo Santamaria1969Single
Cloud NineMongo Santamaria1969Single
The Now GenerationMongo Santamaria1969Single
Green Onions / In The Midnight HourMongo Santamaria1969Single
Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay / Cold SweatMongo Santamaria1968Single
Chili BeansMongo Santamaria1968Single
In The Midnight HourMongo Santamaria1968Single
Soul BagMongo Santamaria1968Album
Chili BeansMongo Santamaria1968Single
I Wanna Know / Bossa-NegraMongo Santamaria1967Single
BloodshotMongo Santamaria1967Single
Call MeMongo Santamaria1967Single
MongomaniaMongo Santamaria1967Album
Watermelon ManMongo Santamaria1967Single
MongomaniaMongo Santamaria1967Single
MongomaniaMongo Santamaria1967Album
There Is A Mountain / Funny ManMongo Santamaria1967Single
Mongo Santamaria Explodes At The Village GateMongo Santamaria1967Album
Mongo's BoogalooMongo Santamaria1967Single
La Bamba / SummertimeMongo Santamaria1966Single
Hey! Let's PartyMongo Santamaria1966Album
Mongo's Greatest HitsMongo Santamaria1966Compil.
I Got You (I Feel Good)Mongo Santamaria1966Single
Hey! Let's PartyMongo Santamaria1966Single
El Bravo!Mongo Santamaria1965Album
El Pussy CatMongo Santamaria1965Album
La BambaMongo Santamaria1965Album
El Pussy CatMongo Santamaria1965Single
Streak O' LeanMongo Santamaria1965Single
El Pussy Cat / Black-Eyed PeasMongo Santamaria1964Single
Watermelon Man!Mongo Santamaria1963Album
Mongo At The Village GateMongo Santamaria1963Album
Corn Bread Guajira / Sweet 'Tater PieMongo Santamaria1963Single
Latino Con Cal TjaderCal Tjader Featuring Mongo Santamaria1962Album
Mighty MongoMongo Santamaria1962Album
Arriba-La PachangaMongo Santamaria1961Album
MongoMongo Santamaria1959Album
Drums And Chants (Authentic Afro-Cuban Rhythms)Mongo Santamaria1957Album
Latin Golden Goodies For Dancing Vol. 2Vicentico Valdés, Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Machito, Mongo Santamaria, GracielaCompil.
Tell It / Hippo WalkMongo SantamariaSingle
Do It Do ItMongo SantamariaSingle
Twine Time / Watermelon ManAlvin Cash & The Crawlers, Mongo SantamariaSingle
Tumba Le Le / The Cha-Cha BluesMongo Santamaria, Mongo Santamaria And His Afro-Latin GroupSingle
Yroco / Abacua Ecu SagareMongo SantamariaSingle
Cold SweatMongo SantamariaSingle
Watermelon Man / Fat BackMongo SantamariaSingle
Sugar Cane HombreMongo SantamariaSingle
Mongo In Havana Bembé!Mongo SantamariaAlbum
Latino!Cal Tjader With Willie Bobo & Mongo Santamaria & Vince GuaraldiCompil.
Para Ti/Mongo's ThemeMongo SantamariaSingle
Tacos / Hammer HeadMongo SantamariaSingle
Drums And Chants Chants Et Rythmes Afro-CubainsMongo SantamariaSingle
Tumba Le Le / The Cha-Cha BluesMongo Santamaria, Mongo Santamaria And His Afro-Latin GroupSingle
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Acknowledgements
To all the music fans that are contributing on Discogs, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Thanks to Franz Flückiger for providing Storygram used to visualize band membership.
Other Search Results
Mongo Santamaria And His Afro-Latin Group Latin, Jazz and R&B/Soul
Mongo Santamaria Y Sus Ritmos Afro-Cubanos Latin and Jazz
Universal Link: https://music.metason.net/artistinfo?name=Mongo%20Santamaria
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