Jose Mangual, Sr José Mangual was born in Puerto Rico on March 18, 1924, and came to New York at the age of 14 (just weeks from the day I was born). In 1956, I first saw José Mangual play at a Monday night jam session at New York City’s famous jazz club, Birdland. I remember being amazed at how so much music could come out of the small pair of bongos between his legs. I also vividly remember the look of confidence on Mangual’s face as he massaged every bit of music from those drums. It was a look that I later got to know on a first hand basis, when he and I became friends. My friendship with Mangual was one that was forged by a chance meeting in a Spanish Harlem after-hours club. He set a standard in bongo playing and was considered by many to have the greatest sound on the instrument. He played for years with the Machito Orchestra, a Latin dance band that had the opportunity to performed in jazz settings in the 1940’s and 1950’s with such legends as Charlie Parker, Buddy Rich and Flip Phillips. Through this exposure to broader musical idioms, José Mangual, who was often referred to as Buyú by his close friends, left the Machito band to join Herbie Mann around 1961. He also toured Africa with his favorite rhythm man, Carlos “Patato” Valdez, and went on to accompany Abbie Lane and Nancy Ames. A Christmas Eve long ago, José Mangual who had who played guitar in addition to percussion, demonstrated a tune for Kenny Gomez in an apartment on 116 Street. Besides performing as a sideman with various singers, Mangual did quite a bit of recording work in New York. It was through working with Erroll that he traveled Europe and the States extensively, playing jazz for a broader audience than he had played before in his prior career. Mangual eventually came to work with piano great Erroll Gardner until the pianist’s sudden death.The work with Erroll paid well, and everything associated with the job was first class. When Erroll died, there weren’t any jobs of this caliber to replace the gig. Rather than work in musically inferior situations, Mangual started the Cheveré Social Club on 116th Street in NYC, where he would host card games of locals. I spent many nights “hanging out” with him there, absorbing as much as I could about what went into creating the brilliant music he was associated with. I was so impressed with Mangual’s musicianship that, in 1977, I produced his only solo recording, Buyú. The album enjoyed critical acclaim, without financial success. Immediately prior to Mangual’s death, Latin Percussion began working on the re-release of this recording which featured Mangual on bongos, Tito Puente on timbales, Carlos “Patato” Valdez on conga, Steve Gadd on drumset, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and a host of other musical greats. Mangual is survived by his six children: José Jr., Luis, Fifi, Sandy, Carmen, Georgie, his loving sister, Gloria, along with lots of grandchildren and great-grand children. Though Jose Mangual Sr. is no longer among us, his spirit and legacy live on in our hearts and minds through his music. By Martin Cohen on www.Congahead.com Credits: 2013 The Original Mono Recordings Miles Davis Percussion 2012 Eight Classic Albums Art Farmer Percussion The 100 Best Jazz Tunes of 2011 Bongos the 1950’s The Complete Masters Charlie 2011 Bongos 1941-1954 Parker 2009 Original Album Series Ray Charles Bongos The Collection: Sketches of 2009 Spain/Kind of Blue/In a Miles Davis Percussion Silent Way The Complete Studio Albums, 2009 Héctor Lavoe Coro Vol. 2 Main 2008 Jazz Profiles Gil Evans Personnel, Percussion 2008 Paris 1972/Copenhagen 1971 Erroll Garner Percussion Sketches of Spain/’Round 2008 Miles Davis Percussion About Midnight The Complete Studio Albums, 2008 Héctor Lavoe Bongos Vol. 1 2008 The Kerouac Connection Brew Moore Bongos Charlie 2007 Anthology 1948-1953 Bongos Parker 2007 El Cantante Marc Anthony Coro, Vocals Life in Time: The Roy Haynes 2007 Roy Haynes Bongos Story [Bonus DVD] Manteca: The Roots of Afro- 2007 Bongos Cuban Jazz Primary 2007 New York Latin Shuffle Artist Luisito Primary 2007 Percussion Maddness Revisited Quintero Artist 2007 Planet Latino Composer Bongos, Member of 2007 Relax & Mambo Machito Attributed Artist 2007 Turin Concert Erroll Garner Congas Art Farmer Latin 2006 Brass Shout/The Aztec Suite and His Percussion, Orchestra Percussion Charlie 2006 Charlie Parker for Lovers Bongos Parker Golden Years of Jazz Varied 2006 Bongos 1948-1955 Artists Mambo Jambo: Vintage Mambo 2006 Bongos 1948-1955 Luisito 2006 Percussion Madness Composer Quintero 2006 Roots of Mambo 1930-1950 Bongos The Complete Norman Granz Chico 2006 Bongos Recordings O’Farrill The Quintessence New York – Charlie 2006 Los Angeles – Toronto, Vol. Bongos Parker 2: 1947-1954 2005 1952-1953 Billy Taylor Bongos Dizzy: The Music of John Dizzy Bongos, Main 2005 Birks Gillespie Gillespie Personnel 2005 Fever (Adam Freeland Remix) Sarah Vaughan Percussion For Lovers: Billie Billie 2005 Holiday/Nina Simone/Sarah Percussion Holiday Vaughan Dizzy Bongos, 2005 NEA Jazz Masters Gillespie Percussion Pure Genius: The Complete 2005 Atlantic Recordings Ray Charles Bongos (1952-1959) Charlie 2005 Retrospective 1940-1953 Bongos Parker 2005 Swinging Latin Nights Luis Barreiro Bongos The Complete Clef/Verve Count 2005 Basie Fifties Studio Count Basie Percussion Recordings 2005 The Essential Tito Puente Tito Puente Bongos The Progressive Years: Cowbell, 2005 Stan Kenton 1941-1947 Timbales Charlie 2005 The Yardbird Sessions Bongos Parker 2005 Verve Remixed/Unmixed, Vol. 3 Percussion 2005 Verve Unmixed, Vol. 3 Percussion 20th Century Masters – The Charlie Bongos, Main 2004 Millennium Collection: The Parker Personnel Best of Charlie Parker Charlie 2004 BD Jazz Series Bass Parker Charlie 2004 Modern Jazz Archive Bongos Parker 2004 Ritmo Pa Gozar Machito Bongos Paquito 2004 Tribute to Cal Tjader Percussion d’Rivera Charlie 2003 1951-1952 Banjo Parker 2003 Carnival Miami Marco Rizo Bongos 2003 Cuba 1923-1995 Bongos 2003 Diva Sarah Vaughan Percussion Lullaby of Birdland [Giant 2003 Bongos Steps] Playtime, Vol. 2: Pure Latin Primary 2003 Soul and Boogaloo Artist 2003 Sarah for Lovers Sarah Vaughan Percussion The Complete Verve Master Charlie 2003 Bongos Takes Parker 2003 Verve Remixed, Vol. 2 Percussion 2003 Verve Remixed/Unmixed, Vol. 2 Percussion 2003 Willie Bobo’s Finest Hour Willie Bobo Percussion 2002 Cool Christy June Christy Bongos Mambo Mucho Mambo: The Machito & His 2002 Bongos Complete Columbia Masters Afro-Cubans 2002 Ritmo Caliente Machito Bongos The Alternative Takes, Vol. Charlie 2002 Bongos 4: 1948-1950 Parker Cowbell, 2001 Kenton Plays the Standards Stan Kenton Timbales Saoco! Masters of Afro-Cuban 2001 Bongos Jazz The Essential Miles Davis 2001 Miles Davis Percussion [Columbia/Legacy] Charlie 2000 1947-1949 Bongos Parker 2000 Blen Blen Blen Machito Bongos 2000 Broasted or Fried Percussion Primary 2000 Buyu [LP Music] Jose Mangual Artist Con su Conjunto y Chano Pozo, Arsenio 2000 Bongos Machito & Orchestra Rodríguez 2000 Latino Blue Bongos 2000 Sarah Vaughan: Finest Hour Sarah Vaughan Percussion Bongos, Afro-Cuban Grooves, Vol. 4 1999 Vocals [Melodie] (Background) 1999 Bucabu Machito Bongos Unknown 1999 Cuban Rhythms Chano Pozo Contributor Role 1999 Lo Mio Carlos Santos Bongos Charlie 1999 Talkin’ Bird Bongos Parker That’s My Kick/Gemini/Magician/Gershwin Congas, 1999 Erroll Garner & Kern/Dreamstreet/One World Percussion Concert/Now Playin Primary 1998 Dandole Color Jose Mangual Artist Primary 1998 Latin Rhythm & Moods Jose Mangual Artist Primary Jose Mangual Artist, 1998 Que Chevere Jr. Vocals (Background) Sabroso: The Afro-Latin Bongos, 1998 Groove Percussion 1998 Tampico [Memoir] June Christy Bongos Dizzy 1998 Ultimate Dizzy Gillespie Percussion Gillespie Uno Dos Tres: Latin Jazz 1998 Timbales Grooves West Coast Jazz Box: An 1998 Percussion Anthology of California Jazz Fiesta Picante: The Latin 1997 Bongos Jazz Party Collection Bongos, Percussion, 1997 Ritmo Sabor Y Clave Jose Mangual Primary Artist Performer, 1997 Salseando Con Uno Primary Artist Dizzy 1997 Talkin’ Verve Percussion Gillespie 1997 Talkin’ Verve Willie Bobo Percussion The Best of Miles Davis & Gil 1997 Miles Davis Percussion Evans The Complete Jerome Kern 1997 Bongos Songbooks Yardbird Suite: The Ultimate Charlie 1997 Bongos Collection Parker Yesterdays: The Jerome Kern 1997 Bongos Songbook – Instrumentals Cuban Blues: The Chico Chico 1996 Bongos O’Farrill Sessions O’Farrill 1996 Dancing Salsa USA Mix, Vol. 2 Composer Jammin’ in the Bronx: A Live 1996 Bongos Concert Tribute to Machito Performer, Mascara Salsera Gold Stars: 1996 Primary Gozando! Artist Miles Davis and Gil Evans: 1996 The Complete Columbia Studio Miles Davis Percussion Recordings Talkin’ Verve: Roots of Acid 1996 Cal Tjader Timbales Jazz Bongos, 1996 Verve Jazz Masters 56 Herbie Mann Congas Ismael 1995 Cantar o No Cantar Composer Miranda Confirmation: The Best of the Charlie 1995 Bongos Verve Years Parker Bongos, 1995 Easy Living Julio Salgado Maracas South of the Border: The Charlie 1995 Bongos Verve Latin-Jazz Sides Parker The Complete Capitol Studio Cowbell, 1995 Recordings of Stan Kenton Stan Kenton Timbales 1943-1947 The Girl from Ipanema: The Antonio 1995 Percussion Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook Carlos Jobim Conjunto Guiro, 1995 Tus Dulces Labios Clasico Maracas Cuban Yambeque: The Progressive 1995 Tito Puente Percussion, Side of Tito Puente Percussion Bongos, 1994 Forever Mon Rivera Vocals (Background) Spanish Grease/Uno Dos Tres 1994 Willie Bobo Percussion 1-2-3 1994 The Best of Dance Mania Tito