Mongo Santamaría nickname(s):
Mongo
Mongo Santamaría date of birth:
April 7, 1922
How old was Mongo Santamaría when died?
80
Where was Mongo Santamaría born?
Cuba
When did Mongo Santamaría die?
February 1, 2003
What is Mongo Santamaría nationality?
Cuban
What is Mongo Santamaría's occupation?
Musician
What genre is Mongo Santamaría's work?
Latin jazz, brown-eyed soul
What instruments does Mongo Santamaría play?
Congas
Short Biography
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.