Manny Oquendo

Manny Oquendo (January 1, 1931 – March 25, 2009) was a percussionist of Puerto Rican ancestry. His main instruments were bongós and timbales. [See: “Timbales Demonstration” (Manny Oquendo) and “The Martillo [Bongo] Pattern” (Manny Oquendo)

Oquendo grew up in New York City and began studying percussion in 1945. He worked in the bands of tropical and Latin music ensembles such as Carlos Valero, Luis del Campo, Juan “El Boy” Torres, Luciano “Chano” Pozo, José Budet, Juanito Sanabria, Marcelino Guerra, José Curbelo, and Pupi Campo. In 1950, he became the bongó player for Tito Puente. Following this he played with Tito Rodríquez in 1954 and Vicentico Valdés in 1955. He worked freelance in New York before joining Eddie Palmieri’s Conjunto La Perfecta in 1962, where he helped develop the New York style of the mozambique rhythm. He co-led Conjunto Libre (later simply Libre) with bassist Andy González from 1974 and had a worldwide hit with “Little Sunflower” in 1983.

Oquendo’s timbales solos were famous for their tastefully sparse, straight forward “típico” phrasing. The following five measure excerpt is from a timbales solo by Oquendo on “Mambo.” The clave pattern is written above for reference. Notice how the passage begins and ends by coinciding with the strokes of clave. Excerpt from timbales solo by Manny Oquendo, “Mambo” (1974). Incorporation of rumba quinto vocabulary

Oquendo’s solos also incorporated the rhythmic language of the folkloric quinto, the lead drum of rumba. The short excerpt below is from a timbales solo by Manny Oquendo on “Cuba Linda” (1975). This is a quinto crossing phrase that groups the regular pulses in sets of three. Manny Oquendo timbales solo excerpt “Cuba Linda” (1975). Discography:

Con Salsa, Con Ritmo, Vol. 1, (Salsoul Records, 1976) Con Salsa, Con Ritmo Vol. 2 – Tiene Calidad, (Salsoul Records, 1978) Los Líderes de la Salsa (Salsoul Records, 1979) Libre Increíble (Salsoul Records, 1981) Ritmo, Sonido, y Estilo (Montuno Records, 1983) Mejor que Nunca (Milestone Records, 1994) Muévete! (Milestone, 1996) Ahora (Milestone, 1999) Los New Yorkinos (Milestone, 2000)

With Paul Quinichette

Moods (EmArcy, 1954)

Videos:

Credits

Year Album Artist 2010 Looking From The Top Caché Composer Mambo on Broadway 2009 Tito Puente Bongos, Congas [BMG] Beginner’s Guide to 2008 Primary Artist Salsa 2008 Paul 2008 Plays Quincy Jones Bongos Quinichette The Complete 78s, Vol. 2008 Tito Puente Main Personnel 1 Putumayo Presents: 2007 Primary Artist Latin Jazz Year Album Artist The Essential Ray 2007 Barretto: A Man and Ray Barretto Quotation Author His Music Composer, Primary 2006 Cigar Lounge, Vol. 4 Artist African Drums, Electronic 2006 Earthspeaker Barrett Martin Sounds, Hand Percussion 2006 Havana Bar Primary Artist 2005 Coffee Lounge Primary Artist The Salsoul Bongos, Congas, 2005 The Anthology Orchestra Timbales The Essential Tito 2005 Tito Puente Bongos, Congas Puente 2004 1950-1952 Billy Taylor Bongos Gilberto Santa 2004 Auténtico Bongos Rosa Candido & Main Personnel, 2004 Inolvidable [Hybrid] Graciela Percussion Percussion, 2004 Jazz Lounge Best Primary Artist, Timbales Bells, Bongos, Guira, Maracas, 2004 Ritmo Afro-Cubano Primary Artist, Timbales, Timbalitos The Best of Tito 2004 Rodriguez & His Tito Rodriguez Bongos, Congas Orchestra, Vol. 1 Year Album Artist The Rough Guide to Composer, Primary 2004 Mambo Artist Bells, Bongos, 2003 Cigar Lounge, Vol. 3 Timbales 2003 Cuba 1923-1995 Bongos 2003 Nosotros Tito Rodriguez Bongos Bandleader, Rough Guide to Latin 2003 Percussion, Jazz Primary Artist Rough Guide to Salsa Bandleader, 2003 de Puerto Rico Primary Artist Bongos, Primary 2002 Mojito Mix [Ariola] Artist, Timbales Performer, 2001 Cigar Lounge Primary Artist Jazz Lounge, Vol. 3 2001 Primary Artist [ZYX] Latin: The Essential 2001 Primary Artist Album New York City: Global Beat of the Boroughs – Composer, Primary 2001 Music From New York Artist, Timbales City’s Ethnic…. Newman’s Own: Salsa 2001 Primary Artist Songs Nelson 2001 Pa’ los Treseros Bongos, Timba Gonzalez The Complete RCA 2001 Tito Puente Bongos, Congas Recordings, Vol. 2 The Salsa Dance Class: 2001 Primary Artist The Real Deal Year Album Artist 2001 Under the Influence DJ Spooky Composer Discover the Rhythms Arranger, Primary 2000 of Salsa Dura Artist Bongos, Composer, Percussion, Fantasy Presents Latin 2000 Primary Artist, Jazz Producer, Timbales Arranger, Bongos, Percussion, 2000 Libre Increible Manny Oquendo Primary Artist, Producer, Timbales Bongos, Composer, Guiro, Leader, Maracas, Mixing 2000 Los New Yorkinos Manny Oquendo Engineer, Primary Artist, Producer, Timbales Manny Oquendo y su 2000 Manny Oquendo Primary Artist Conjunto Libre Musica Negra in the Performer, 2000 Americas [2000] Primary Artist 2000 Salsa Jazz Bongos Salsa, Sweat & Soul: Performer, 2000 The Best of New York’s Primary Artist Latin Scene Today 2000 Salsarican, Vol. 1 Primary Artist Year Album Artist Arranger, Bongos, Composer, Guitar, Maracas, Primary 1999 Ahora Manny Oquendo Artist, Producer, Timbales, Vocals (Background) 1999 En el Rincon Chocolate Banjo, Timbales 1999 Libre Manny Oquendo Primary Artist 1999 Tiene Calidad, Vol. 2 Manny Oquendo Primary Artist Coleccion Estelar de Performer, 1998 Latin Jazz Primary Artist Commit to Cowbell, 1998 Memory/Paunetto’s Bobby Paunetto Percussion, Point Tumbadora Pacheco y Su Charanga, 1998 Johnny Pacheco Percussion Vol. 2 1998 Riddim Warfare DJ Spooky Keyboards Sabroso: The Afro- 1998 Drums Latin Groove Uno Dos Tres: Latin 1998 Drums Jazz Grooves Charlie Guest Artist, 1997 ElectroDuro Palmieri Timbales Bongos, Coros, Nu Yorica 2!: Further Leader, Adventures in Latin 1997 Percussion, Music Chango in the Producer, New World Timbales Composer, Primary 1997 Rough Guide to Salsa Artist 1997 Timeless Eddie Palmieri Multi Instruments Year Album Artist Nu Yorica! Culture 1996 Bongos, Timbales Clash in New York City Bongos, Composer, On the Move! Leader, Primary 1996 Manny Oquendo (¡Muevete!) Artist, Producer, Timbales Bongos, Cowbell, Guiro, 1996 Steve Turre Steve Turre Percussion, Timbales Talkin’ Verve: Roots 1996 Cal Tjader Drums of Acid Jazz The Very Best of the Cuban Percussion, 1996 Cha Cha Cha, Vol. 1 Percussion Bells, Bongos, Chico 1995 Pure Emotion Unknown O’Farrill Contributor Role Bongos, Guiro, 1995 The Perez Family Maracas, Timbales Yambeque: The Cuban Percussion, 1995 Progressive Side of Tito Puente Percussion Tito Puente 1994 El Timbral Tito Puente Bongos Year Album Artist Arranger, Associate Producer, Bells, Bongos, Composer, Guira, Leader, Mejor Que Nunca 1994 Manny Oquendo Maracas, Marimba, (Better Than Ever) Percussion, Primary Artist, Timbales, Timbalitos, Vocals The Best of Tito Bongos, Guest 1994 Tito Rodriguez Rodriguez, Vol. 3 Artist Aldemaro 1992 Almendra Percussion Romero Cuando Suenan Los 1992 Tito Puente Congas Tambores Composer, Guiro, 1991 Right There Steve Turre Timbales 15th Anniversary Stash 1989 Timbales Sampler 1987 Viewpoint Steve Turre Timbales Viewpoints and Primary Artist, 1987 Steve Turre Vibrations Timbales Kid Creole & Vocals 1983 Doppelganger the Coconuts (Background) Bongos, Ritmo, Sonido, Y Percussion, 1983 Manny Oquendo Estilo Primary Artist, Timbales Year Album Artist Arranger, Bongos, Leader, 1981 Incredible Manny Oquendo Percussion, Primary Artist, Timbales Bongos, Leader, Percussion, 197? Incredible Conjunto Libre Producer, Timbales Bongos, Con Salsa, Con Ritmo, Percussion, 1979 Manny Oquendo Vol. 2 Primary Artist, Timbales Bongos, Los Lideres de la Percussion, 1979 Manny Oquendo Salsa Primary Artist, Timbales Grupo Folklorico y 1978 Lo Dice Todo, Vol. 2 Timbales Experimental Nueva Yorquino 1977 Cachao Cachao Bongos Grupo Folklorico y Bells, Bongos, 1977 Lo Dice Todo Experimental Maracas, Timbales Nueva Yorquino Year Album Artist Arranger, Bongos, Composer, Coro, Leader, Con Salsa…Con Ritmo, Percussion, 1976 Conjunto Libre Vol. 1 Primary Artist, Producer, Timbales, Vocals (Background) 1976 Dos Cachao Timbales The Salsoul 1976 Nice ‘n’ Naasty Percussion Orchestra Mongo 1976 Ubane Bells, Bongos Santamaria Charlie 1975 Impulsos Bongos Palmieri The Salsoul 1975 The Salsoul Orchestra Percussion Orchestra 1972 Abran Paso! Ismael Miranda Bongos Harlem River Congas, Cowbell, 1971 Harlem River Drive Drive Timbales Bongos, 1971 Superimposition Eddie Palmieri Percussion, Timbales Bongos, 1970 Justicia Eddie Palmieri Percussion Orchestra Harlow 1968 Presenta a Ismael Ismael Miranda Bongos Miranda 1967 Molasses Eddie Palmieri Bongos, Timbales El Sonido Nuevo: The 1966 Cal Tjader Drums New Soul Sound Year Album Artist Azucar Pa’ Ti (Sugar 1965 Eddie Palmieri Bongos, Timbales for You) 1965 Mozambique Eddie Palmieri Bongos, Timbales 1962 La Perfecta Eddie Palmieri Percussion 1961 Pacheco y Su Charanga Johnny Pacheco Percussion Hello Operator Irisation Composer Arranger, Associate Producer, Bells, Bongos, Composer, Latin Jazz [Fantasy] Guira, Leader, Maracas, Primary Artist, Timbales, Timbalitos Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Oquendo