Mongo Santamaria - 1962 - Go, Mongo!

Mongo Santamaria And His Afro-Latin Group 

1962

Go, Mongo!

01. Tumba Le Le 4:12
02. Happy Now 3:06
03. Country Song 3:22
04. Congo Blue 7:26
05. Carmela 5:18
06. Hombre (Pega Palo) 3:29
07. Chombolero 4:34
08. Not Hardly 4:14
09. African Song 3:18

Bass – Victor Venegas
Bongos – Mongo Santamaria (tracks: B1, B3)
Congas – Mongo Santamaria
Guitar, Percussion – Jose De Paulo
Percussion – "To-Tiko"
Piano – Armando Corea
Saxophone, Flute – Pat Patrick
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Al Abreu
Timbales – Julio Collazo
Trumpet – Paul Serrano

Vocals – Carmen Costa (tracks: A1), Elliot Romero (tracks: A3), Marcellino Guerra* (tracks: A3, B2)

Circa 1965-1966 stereo reissue with plain blue label with Bill Grauer Productions Inc. credit at bottom and no reel and mic logo at top.

(Riverside catalog list the recording dates as NYC, July 9 & 11, 1962

Also, the catalog lists Chick Corea as pianist whereas the back cover of the album lists Armando Corea)

Mongo Santamaria's first LP for Riverside ranged far and wide throughout Latin America, Africa, and even American blues for its rhythmic impetus. The album leads off adventurously with an African-tinged samba, "Tumba Le Le" and closes with a mysterious "African Song" while settling in with the mambo, Guajiro, cha-cha-cha, and other Latin rhythms most of the rest of the way. There are two of Santamaria's patented rituals on congas -- a bone-rattling one on a complicated mambo, "Carmela," and an unusual 6/8 meter workout, "Congo Blue." One Armando Corea -- aka Chick -- turns up as Santamaria's regular pianist (his first professional gig), comping along effectively in the Afro-Cuban manner. We don't hear the ebullience of Santamaria's hit period -- "Watermelon Man" was still a year away -- but Santamaria is clearly expanding his reach beyond the Afro-Cuban thing.