Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría (April 7, 1917 in Havana, Cuba -- February 1, 2003) was an Afro-Cuban Latin jazz percussionist.
Mongo Santamaría was one of a handful of Cuban congueros ('conga players') who came to the United States in the 1940s and 50s.
He is best known as the composer of the jazz standard "Afro Blue" which John Coltrane made famous. In 1950 he moved to New York where he played with Perez Prado, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Fania All Stars, and many others. He played a central role in the fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with R&B and soul laying the foundation for the boogaloo era.
His 1963 version of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
Mongo Santamaría was one of a handful of Cuban congueros ('conga players') who came to the United States in the 1940s and 50s.
Here's how this particular tune came to be recorded:
Herbie Hancock filled in for pianist Chick Corea in Mongo Santamaría's band one weekend at a nightclub in The Bronx when Corea gave notice that he was leaving. Hancock played the tune for Santamaría at friend Donald Byrd's urging. Santamaría started accompanying him on his congas, then his band joined in, and the small audience slowly got up from their tables and started dancing, laughing and having a great time.
Santamaría later asked Hancock if he could record the tune. Santamaría recorded a three minute version, suitable for radio, where he joined timbalero Francisco "Kako" Baster in a cha-cha beat, while drummer Ray Lucas performed a backbeat. Santamaría included the track on his album Watermelon Man (1962).
