On The Dial: The Historiography and Listening Guide to The Bongo Drums

How well do you know about what goes into the music you’re listening to through your infotainment system? Not just the song itself, but rather the arrangements and the instrumentation. Also, do you even think about the history of the music itself? More specifically, the instrumentation?

Before you touch that dial, here’s a little Historiography…

When it comes to Afro-Latin music, there is an argument of which hand drum came first. The conga has the most prominent lineage, dating back its West African origins – perhaps to the kpalongo from Ghana. Although some ethnomusicologists will argue about a lineage back to Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Congo River region. This is based on the tragic movement of humans based on the Transatlantic slave trade. 

What about the bongó?

First, let’s address the spelling above. We English speakers call the instrument consisting of two small hand-performed drums attached by a bridge piece “bongos” or “bongo drums.” In the Spanish language world, it is spelled as above. For the sake of your reading comprehension, I will use the Anglicized spelling and terminology. 

The bongos also have African roots. It was stated that a two-drum instrument was used in the Yoruba culture, as well as other cultures across the Congo River region and among the Bantu people. That tradition ended up in the midst of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, despite having the drums taken away upon landing in the Western Hemisphere. 

After the end of slavery in eastern part of Cuba, these drums were reborn and developed as an integral part of the Changüi music in the late 1800s. Compared to their modern successors, the original bongo del monte drums were larger in height and diameter and were played between the knees.

For those of you are are unfamiliar with older styles of Cuban music, Changüi came from the rural areas of the Oriente province. It would play a huge part of that country’s musical tradition in the next century. 

By the 1910s, the bongos were transformed to what we’re familiar with today. Compared to the bongo del monte, they became smaller in height and higher in tone than the bongo del monte. By using the martillo (or “hammer”) rhythm, they created the basis of Son Cubano. Son is the root of all Afro-Latin music, influencing the many styles played across parts of the Caribbean and the Americas. 

Eventually, the conga, the bongos, and the timbales merged into all sorts of Afro-Latin-based music. In the 1940s, the big ensembles were adding all of these rhythm instruments as they performed inside the clubs in Havana, Miami and New York City. After World War II, they were fused into Cubop – a mix of bebop, jazz, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. 

We can’t talk about the progression of the bongos without acknowledging those who laid down the martillo. Before WWII, there was Oscar Sotolongo and his mastery of the instrument in the 1920s with Sexteto Habanero. After the war, there was Jose Mangual, Jr. and his appearance in the bands and sparking its eventual popularity.

When it comes to the popularity of the bongos in this country, it all comes down to Jack Constanzo. The Chicago native of Italian heritage was dubbed “Mr, Bongo” as he truly incorporated the two-headed rhythm maker into jazz and some popular music. He played with Nat King Cole, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, Stan Kenton, Peggy Lee, Dinah Shore…you name it. He was so well-known that he appeared in an interview with Marlon Brando on Edward R. Murrow’s CBS talk show in the early 1950s. 

Why do I point to Constanzo? It is the way he played. Sure, he had the martillo down, but he added his own flavor. In some cases, an urgency that sped up the beats to keep the audience mesmerized – and dancing. He helped popularize the mambo craze during the 1950s. 

At the same time, the bongos were seen as the “cool” instrument for the “cool” kids. It would be the beat of the Beatnik movement and of rebellious teens of the era – including James Dean. They were portable enough for players to tickle the skins between their knees to the beat of the spoken word. Or, at any given beach party with Annette Funiccello. In turn, it defined a couple of genres – "surf rock" and "exotica."

Even a nuclear physicist played them. While not perfecting the atom, Nobel prize winner Richard Feynman would rock on his bongos as part of his mischievous and playful demeanor. We can also add actor/singer Danny Kaye as a bongocero.

The bongo drums have since emerged as an integral part of modern music. You can hear them on Salsa tracks to rock, hip-hop and beyond. The high pitch and cutting tone is attractive to musicians, composers, arrangers, and producers to add context and flavor to a given recording. 

There is something to consider when listening or even considering playing these drums, One should be mindful of accusations of cultural appropriation – and there will be. Although, the point is that these drums have crossed many genres and played by many musicians of all stripes.

Why am I talking about this musical instrument in this column specifically? Well, I own a pair of bongos. In fact, I just took delivery my third one over 37 years. All three have been the same model – a Latin Percussion Matador wood model in a dark finish. While portable, they are on the heavier side than most other bongos – just below 14 pounds. These are among the best bongo drums available in the world used in recordings and live performances. 

It is worth mentioning that all of these references in this historic look at the bongos can be found on your phone or music apps that are a part of your vehicle’s infotainment. You can easily get into an ethnomusicological bingefest by diving into your Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music or other streaming music services. Be forewarned of the meandering your ears will take you once you enter key words to your search. 

Just like automobiles, we have our hobbies and passions. Well…welcome to one of mine (again). Hopefully, you'll use the search function of your favorite music streaming service to listen along to the sweet sounds of that two-headed rhythm maker. Oh, and take the groove way back, too! \

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Special thanks to Reverb.com, ProAudioStar in Brooklyn, NY and Latin Percussion for the great purchase experience.

All photos by Randy Stern and George Torline