Anga Díaz
Encyclopedia
Miguel 'Angá' Díaz was a Cuba
n percussionist. With his explosive soloing and inventive five conga
patterns, Angá was widely acclaimed as one of the world's greatest congueros. He was committed to the development of the conga drum, breaking down traditional percussion barriers to perform traditional latin
rhythms, jazz
, jungle, funk
and hip-hop whilst retaining his distinctly Cuban roots.
Miguel Aurelio Diiaz Zayas was born in San Juan y Martinez in the Pinar del Río Province
in Cuba, an area known for its rumba
traditions. Angá is a nickname he shared with his father. He began playing prodigiously early, performing and recording professionally whilst still at college. He made his name as a member of the pioneering Latin jazz
Grammy award winning group Irakere
and it was with them he perfected his five drum technique.
Emerging in the mid-nineties as an independent musician, Angá was free to diversify and pursue a variety of different projects. He played with various Cuban artists including Afro-Cuban All Stars, Buena Vista Social Club
, Omar Sosa
, Omara Portuondo
and Orisha
. He likewise recorded and toured often with international musicians such as Steve Coleman
, Baba Sissoko
, Ry Cooder
, Pascal Coulon, Malik Mezzadri, Buddy Montgomery and John Patitucci
.
In 1994 he recorded Pasaporte with Tata Güines
, winning in 1995 the EGREM
Album of the Year award (the Cuban Grammy). Two years later Angá joins the acclaimed American trumpeter Roy Hargrove
with whom he releases the Grammy winning
Cristol Habana. In 2000 he recorded with Rubén González the Grammy-nominated Chanchullo and in that same year he collaborated with Pascal Coulon on the CD Arpa Fusion.
Angá's musical journey was a personal quest to explore and create new sounds and rhythmic fusions. More than just a performer, Angá further demonstrated his commitment to the development of his instrument by teaching master classes at various schools and universities across North America and Europe. For this purpose he released Anga Mania!, a tuition video which explained many of his techniques and his philosophy behind playing; it won in 2000 the Percussion Video of Drum Magazine
.
In 2005 Angá recorded Echu Mingua and in 2006 he embarked on his world tour by the same name. Miguel Angá Diaz died unexpectedly of a heart attack at his home in Barcelona
on 9 August 2006; he was just 45 years old.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n percussionist. With his explosive soloing and inventive five conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
patterns, Angá was widely acclaimed as one of the world's greatest congueros. He was committed to the development of the conga drum, breaking down traditional percussion barriers to perform traditional latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
rhythms, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, jungle, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and hip-hop whilst retaining his distinctly Cuban roots.
Miguel Aurelio Diiaz Zayas was born in San Juan y Martinez in the Pinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of the island of Cuba.-Geography:The Pinar del Río province is Cuba's westernmost province and contains one of Cuba's three main mountain ranges, the Cordillera de Guaniguanico, divided into the easterly Sierra del Rosario and...
in Cuba, an area known for its rumba
Cuban Rumba
In Cuban music, Rumba is a generic term covering a variety of musical rhythms and associated dances. The rumba has its influences in the music brought to Cuba by Africans brought to Cuba as slaves as well as Spanish colonizers...
traditions. Angá is a nickname he shared with his father. He began playing prodigiously early, performing and recording professionally whilst still at college. He made his name as a member of the pioneering Latin jazz
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...
Grammy award winning group Irakere
Irakere
Irakere is a Cuban band founded by Armando de Sequeira Romeu Music Director and composer, and by pianist Chucho Valdés in 1973...
and it was with them he perfected his five drum technique.
Emerging in the mid-nineties as an independent musician, Angá was free to diversify and pursue a variety of different projects. He played with various Cuban artists including Afro-Cuban All Stars, Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club in Havana, Cuba that held dances and musical activities, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s...
, Omar Sosa
Omar Sosa
Omar Sosa is a composer, bandleader, and jazz pianist.-Biography:Sosa began studying marimba at age eight, then switched to piano at the Escuela Nacional de Musica in Havana, where he studied jazz. Sosa moved to Quito, Ecuador, in 1993, then San Francisco, California, in 1995...
, Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo Peláez is a Cuban singer and dancer whose career has spanned over half a century. She was one of the original members of the Cuarteto d'Aida, and has performed with Ignacio Piñeiro, Orquesta Anacaona, Orquesta Aragón, Nat King Cole, Adalberto Álvarez, Los Van Van, the Buena Vista...
and Orisha
Orisha
An Orisha is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system....
. He likewise recorded and toured often with international musicians such as Steve Coleman
Steve Coleman
Steve Coleman, born , is an African American saxophone player, spontaneous composer, composer and band leader. His music and concepts have been a heavy influence on contemporary jazz.-Chicago:...
, Baba Sissoko
Baba Sissoko
Baba Sissoko is a musician and vocalist. Sissoko is a master of the talking drums...
, Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
, Pascal Coulon, Malik Mezzadri, Buddy Montgomery and John Patitucci
John Patitucci
John Patitucci is an American Grammy-winning jazz double bass and jazz fusion electric bass player.-Biography:Patitucci is of Italian descent and was born in Brooklyn, New York, where he began playing the electric bass at age ten, composing and performing at age 12, as well as the acoustic bass at...
.
In 1994 he recorded Pasaporte with Tata Güines
Tata Güines
Tata Güines was a Cuban percussionist on the tumbadora, or conga drum, as well as a composer. He was important in the first generation of Afro-Cuban jazz....
, winning in 1995 the EGREM
EGREM
is the oldest Cuban record label, it is located in Havana. It was founded in 1964 following the Cuban Revolution...
Album of the Year award (the Cuban Grammy). Two years later Angá joins the acclaimed American trumpeter Roy Hargrove
Roy Hargrove
Roy Anthony Hargrove is an American jazz trumpeter. He won worldwide notice after winning two Grammy Awards for differing types of music, in 1997, and in 2002...
with whom he releases the Grammy winning
Cristol Habana. In 2000 he recorded with Rubén González the Grammy-nominated Chanchullo and in that same year he collaborated with Pascal Coulon on the CD Arpa Fusion.
Angá's musical journey was a personal quest to explore and create new sounds and rhythmic fusions. More than just a performer, Angá further demonstrated his commitment to the development of his instrument by teaching master classes at various schools and universities across North America and Europe. For this purpose he released Anga Mania!, a tuition video which explained many of his techniques and his philosophy behind playing; it won in 2000 the Percussion Video of Drum Magazine
Drum magazine
A drum magazine is a type of firearms magazine that is cylindrical in shape, similar to a drum. Instead of rounds being stored flat, as in a more common box magazine, rounds in a drum magazine are stored in a spiral around the center of the magazine, facing the direction of the barrel.There are...
.
In 2005 Angá recorded Echu Mingua and in 2006 he embarked on his world tour by the same name. Miguel Angá Diaz died unexpectedly of a heart attack at his home in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
on 9 August 2006; he was just 45 years old.