I have been in the Vera Cruz region of Mexico the last few weeks playing congas with my uncle's band. His conga player got pretty badly injured in a soccer game, so I'm filling in for him for the next month. Now is the very busy seasons with end of Mexican school year celebrations and graduations. Also the band has done several 27 and 52 year wedding anniversary that we're postponed due to COVID.

People love to celebrate down here. and the bands work their back sides off! The parties often go until dawn. The band does a 3 hour set takes an hour break and then another 1-3 hour set, hardly ever stops between songs. If they do stop, it's part of the act, with some funny jokes or audience participation type stuff.

Here's a cell phone video of yours truly on congas, playing an elementary school end of the year party. Interesting to note that in this day and age people still actually get dressed up, and kids, teens, adults (even elderly ones) all have fun together and get down to the same music. Sadly that's a very strange concept for us "gringos"

Greetings! Music sounds close to what your usual band plays; I imagine it's not easy to switch to percussions all of a sudden, or you play them often? Still, each instrument works with different muscles, to play the whole set can't be easy. I guess, most of us in Russia tend to be "gringos" as well, despite the officially declared values.

Yes, I'm familiar with the styles and songs they play! Also, drums and percussion are my first instrument, I even earned my degrees in percussion. Keyboards came latter, but having to do lots of vibes and marimba in college helped, plus we had to study a whole lot of piano in music school too...

As far as the values in Mexico, 'familia" is very important, Kids have no issues about going to big parties with the parents and grandparents. Most teens here in the US would be horribly embarrassed to attend a school dance with their whole family, and also kids in the US would probably just spend the whole time staring at their phone!

Arriba !!

Love that music

Loved the video, Paul. Brought back a lot of fond memories of dancing with my loving spouse at Latin parties that we attended nearly every weekend at my sister in laws parents home. They were originally from Puerto Rico and I learned nearly a dozen different types of dances, nearly all of which were very fast. I was very young then, so I had no trouble keeping up with the beat and steps, but I recall that the most difficult was the Pachanga, which the band seemed to perform forever. After 5 minutes of dancing the Pachanga, you needed an ice cold beer and a seat. WOW! Those were the days.



All the best,

Gary

muchas gracias, mi amigo, Bernie

Gary, I'm glad I could help bring back some memories of your Latin dancing days. My wife loves to dance, all sorts of Latin styles, in fact that's how I meet her, at a club dancing cumbia with her. I knew that very moment dancing with her for the first time, that I'd marry her. Here we are almost 30 years later, still dancing and making music together!