Article
New York´s priest of rhythm
The percussionist and singer Milton Cardona, ´the Latin New Yorker´, is eminent among percussionists and bandleaders developing new personal concepts on the basis of traditional Afro-Cuban music and jazz. On the one hand he mixes the sounds of Puerto Rico and Manhattan, and on the other he mingles the Yoruba rhythms and orishas of the Santena cult with an innovative vocal style recalling at times the doo-wop-singing of the 50s. Milton Cardona lives in New York and has played on more than 700 CDs and records.
In his youth, Milton Cardona studied the violin for seven years then worked as a bass player. The street jams (spontaneous street concerts) in New York brought him into the field of percussion, whereby he was especially influenced by the music of Mongo Santameria. His main instruments apart from the congas are the batas, horizontally played double-headed drums with an asymmetrical narrowing of the barrel. The batas are the basic instruments of the Santeria cult, which after the Cuban revolution spread widely in the rest of Central America and in parts of North America. Milton Cardona is an ordained Lucumi priest of the Santeria and counts now as being the leading authority on the cult´s ritual songs and rhythms. His first solo-record Bembe is of an authentic Santeria ceremony.
Apart from playing in this traditional cult style, Cardona is also very much in demand for the salsa and Latin jazz. He not only uses familiar elements but also creates a new independent mixture marked by his deep knowledge and basic respect for all forms of traditional music. As a salsa musician he played for a long time in Willi Colon´s and Hector Lavoe´s bands, as also in Frankie Dante’s Orquestra Flamboyán, in the Grupo Folklórico Experimental Neoyorquino, Eddie Palmieri´s band and was one of the first players in Jerry Gonzalez’s Fort Apache Band.
In recent years he has worked on many projects with the eminent New York musician and producer Kip Hanrahan, who also produced his second solo-album Cambucha. He played in Hanrahan´s project Deep Rumba, which with eleven musicians, including the top percussionists Richie Flores, Horacio ´El Negro´ Hernandez, Changuito and Paolo Mejias explores and partly defines the limits of Afro-Cuban music concepts. His great versatility and stylistic range are likewise evident in his co-operation on the project Mega Drums from Reinhard Flatischler and his co-operation on The Sultan´s Picnic with the Libanese ´_d virtuoso Rabih Abou-Khalil, now living in Germany.
In 2001 Milton Cardona toured with the Latin jazz flautist Dave Valentin and played for Paul Simon in his musical project ´Songs from the Capeman´. In the unsuccessful Broadway version, Cardona had two bit parts.
(Translation: Phil Stanway)
Apart from playing in this traditional cult style, Cardona is also very much in demand for the salsa and Latin jazz. He not only uses familiar elements but also creates a new independent mixture marked by his deep knowledge and basic respect for all forms of traditional music. As a salsa musician he played for a long time in Willi Colon´s and Hector Lavoe´s bands, as also in Frankie Dante’s Orquestra Flamboyán, in the Grupo Folklórico Experimental Neoyorquino, Eddie Palmieri´s band and was one of the first players in Jerry Gonzalez’s Fort Apache Band.
In recent years he has worked on many projects with the eminent New York musician and producer Kip Hanrahan, who also produced his second solo-album Cambucha. He played in Hanrahan´s project Deep Rumba, which with eleven musicians, including the top percussionists Richie Flores, Horacio ´El Negro´ Hernandez, Changuito and Paolo Mejias explores and partly defines the limits of Afro-Cuban music concepts. His great versatility and stylistic range are likewise evident in his co-operation on the project Mega Drums from Reinhard Flatischler and his co-operation on The Sultan´s Picnic with the Libanese ´_d virtuoso Rabih Abou-Khalil, now living in Germany.
In 2001 Milton Cardona toured with the Latin jazz flautist Dave Valentin and played for Paul Simon in his musical project ´Songs from the Capeman´. In the unsuccessful Broadway version, Cardona had two bit parts.
(Translation: Phil Stanway)
Author: Richard Berkowski
Bio
Milton Cardona began in the 50s by learning the violin then changed after seven years to the bass, while also learning percussion and song, to which he devoted all his attention in the later 60s. His singing combines sacred songs of the Santeria cult, traditional call and response structures and the doo-wop of the 50s. He is said to be one of the world´s most versatile percussionists and has worked on over 700 CDs ranging from traditional orishas, salsa and Latin jazz to world-music and experimental projects. Milton Cardona lives and works in New York.
Works
Records and CDs which Milton Cardona has played on (choice)
Published Audio,
2003
Adela Dalto, Papa Boco, 1996
Brian Lynch, Spheres of Influence, 1997
Cachao, Dos, 1995
Celia Cruz, Willie Colón/ Only they could have made this Album, 1977
Celia Cruz, Celia, Johnny, Pete, 1980
Celia Cruz, Willie Colón/ Celia & Willie, 1981
Conj. Clásico, Los Rodríguez, 1979
Conj. Clásico, Si No Bailan Con Ellos, No Bailan Con Nadie, 1981
Conj. Clásico, Llegó La Ley, 1985
Conj. Clásico, Así Es Mi Pueblo, 1986
Conj. Clásico, Felicitaciones, 1988
Conj. Clásico, Mas Clásico Que Nunca, 1989
Conj. Clásico, Sensaciones/con Rafael de Jesús, 1990
Conj. Clásico, Las Puertas Abiertas, 1992 re-issue
Conj. Clásico, Tus Dulces Labios, con Rafael de Jesús, 1992
Conj. Clásico, El Panadero 1996, reissue
Conjure, Music for the Texts of Ishmael Reed, 1983
Conjure, Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon, 1988
Conrad Herwig, The Latin Side of John Coltrane, 1996
Eddie Palmieri, Sueño, 1992
Edward Simon, Edward Simon, 1995
Flora Purim/Airto Moreira, Humble People
Frankie Dante y Los Rebeldes, Los Rebeldes, 79
Daniel Ponce, Changó Te Llama, 1991
Danilo Pérez, The Journey, 1994
Danny Rivera, Tiempo al Tiempo,1992
Dave Valentín, Musical Portraits, 1992
Dave Valentín, Red Sun, 1993
Dave Valentín, Tropic Heat, 1994
Dave Valentín, Primitive Passions, 1996
David Byrne, Rei Momo, 1989
David Byrne, Uh-Oh,1992
David Sánchez, The Departure, 1994
David Sánchez, Street Scenes, 1996
David Sánchez, Sketches of Dreams, 1995
Don Grolnick, Medianoche, 1996
Grupo Folklórico y Experimental Nuevayorquin o, Concepts in Unity, 1975
Grupo Folklórico y Experimental Nuevayorquino, Lo Dice Todo, 1976
Hector Lavoe, De Ti Depende, 1976
Hector Lavoe, Van Lester, The Master and the Protege, 1993
Hilton Ruíz, Island Eyes, 1997
India, Llegó La India, Via Eddie Palmieri, 1992
Ismael Miranda y Junior Gonzales, Cantar O No Cantar, 1995
Jerry González & The Fort Apache Band/ Ya Yo Me Curé, 1980)
Jerry González & The Fort Apache Band/ Obatalá, 1993
J.J. Johnson, The Brass Orchestra, 1997
Johnny Pacheco, Pupi Legarreta, Los Dos Mosqueteros, 1977
Johnny Pacheco, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez Jícamo, 1985
Johnny King, The Meltdown
José Mangual, Jr., Tribute to Chano Pozo, 1989
José Mangual, Jr., Mis Mejores Exitos, 1994
José Mangual, Jr., Tribute to Chano Pozo 1996
Junior González, Lo Pasado es Pasado, 1993
Kip Hanrahan, Desire Develops An Edge 1982
Kip Hanrahan, Vertical´s Currency, 1984
Kip Hanrahan, Tenderness, 1990
Kip Hanrahan, Exótica, 1994
Kip Hanrahan, All Roads are made of the Flesh, 1995
Larry Harlow, El Dulce Aroma Del Exito, 1980
Latin Jazz Orchestra, Havana Blues, 1998
Lobatón, Mi Vida Salsera, 1994
Louie Ramírez/Ray de la Paz, Otra Noche Caliente, 1992
Manny Oquendo y Libre, Ritmo, Sonido y Estilo, 1991
Manny Oquendo y Libre, Ahora, 1994
Manny Oquendo y Libre, Increíble, 1994
Manny Oquendo y Libre, Mejor Que Nunca, 1995
Margareth Menezes, Elegibo, 1990
Maridalia Hernández, Amorosa, 1993
Mario Bauzá, My Time is Now, 1993
Marlena Shaw, Dangerous, 1996
Michael Brecker, Now you see it, now you don´t
Mon Rivera, Forever, 1978
Oscar D´León, La Formula Original, 1999
Paul Simon, Capeman, 1997
Rabih Abou-Khalil, The Sultan´s Picnic, 1994
Rabih Abou-Khalil, Blue Camel, 1992
Ramón Rodríguez, El Dulcero, 1992
Raulín, ¡Qué se Cuiden Los Soneros!, 1992
Ronnie Cuber, The Scene is clean, 1996
Rubén Blades, Metiendo Mano, 1977
Rubén Blades, Maestra Vida I, 1980
Rubén Blades, Maestra Vida II, 1980
Rubén Blades, Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos, 1981
Rubén Blades, The Last Flight, 1982
Rumba Profunda, Deep Rumba, 1998
Ryuichi Sakamoto, Beauty, 1990
Santiago Cerón, Mi Campeón Jukin, 1994
Sarabanda, A Golpe de Morea, 1993
Seis Del Solar, Decisiones, 1992
Steve Turre, Sanctified Shells, 1993
Steve Turre, Rhythm within, 1995
Steve Turre, Steve Turre, 1997
Tito Puente, India with The Count Bassie Orchestra, Jazzin´, 1996
Van Lester, My Way - A Mi Manera, 1996
Willie Colón, El Juicio, 1972
Willie Colón, Lo Mato, 1973
Willie Colón, Asalto Navideño 2, 1973
Willie Colón, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, 1975
Willie Colón, There Goes The Neighborhood, 1975
Willie Colón, La Gran Fuga, 1976
Willie Colón, Ismael Miranda, Doble Energía, 1980
Willie Colón, Corazón Guerrero, 1982
Willie Colón, Especial No. 5, 1987
Willie Colón, Rubén Blades, Tras La Tormenta, 1995
Wolfgang Puschnig, Mixed Metaphors, 1993
Yolandita Monge, Mi Encuentro, 1997
VA/ Global Meditation, Vol. 1 Chant - Voices of the Spirit, 1993
VA/ Global Meditation, Vol. 3 Percussion - Pulse of Life, 1993
VA/ Global Meditation, Authentic Music from meditative Traditions around the World, 1993
VA/ Pérez, Family Soundtrack, 1995
Cambucha, American Clave
Published Audio,
1999
Street Date
Published Audio,
1999
Bembé
Published Audio,
1994
American Clave
Street Date
Published Audio,
1994
Projects
This artist took part in the following project(s) organized/funded by the culturebase.net partner institutions.
The Back Room
(01 January 98 - 14 June 05)
