CONGAS IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Book excerpt: Pop music does not define a fixed musical style. It is a musical genre with many influences. It can be inspired by all existing musical styles: African music, Brazilian music but why not Indian music etc. Without being a specialist in all these musics, the percussionist playing a repertoire of Pop music must have notions of Jazz, R&B, Funk, Rock and World Music as broad as possible. He may need to imitate this music. This constitutes a know-how in its own right. The conga player must have many qualities in addition to adaptability. He must be versatile and multi-percussionist with the practice of as many instruments as possible. It must be open to world music because today, music mixes and merges more and more. In conclusion, this book offers a number of patterns in various styles noted over time. It is up to you to adapt them to your taste, your needs and your style.