Artist:Candido
Song:Jingo
Album:Dancin' and Prancin'
Candido was a pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz mostly as a sideman. He occasionally recorded as a leader. Some fans might be surprised to know that the 1979 single Jingo was a dance club hit. I think it may be a song that folks have heard but they don't know the artist. Candido Camero Guerra was born Apr. 21, 1022 in Havana, Cuba. His uncle was a bongo player so he taught Candido to play. His father taught him to play the tres which is a Cuban guitar. The problem was Candido couldn't read music. He didn't need to read music to play the congas. He played on Cuban radio and the Tropicana. He was also in Chano Pozo's band. After Pozo was murdered in 1948, Dizzy Gillespie hired Candido to replace him. That brought hum to New York where he was a sideman and session musician. Candido first recorded as a leader for ABC-Paramount in 1956. He also recorded for Roulette, Tico, Solid State, Blue Note and Polydor. He joined Salsoul for the 1979 album Dancin' and Prancin'. Producer Joe Cain convinced Candido to try disco which was popular at the time. Candido knew Cain from the 60s studio scene. The single Jingo did very well in clubs and hit the dance charts. Jingo was written by Nigerian musician Babatunde Olatunji. Musicians are Louis Small on keyboards, Sandy Santana on guitar and bassist Norman Durham and drummer Woody Cunningham of the band Kleeer. The version of this album that is available as a digital download was released by the British reissue label Cherry Red on their Big Break division. It includes several versions of Jingo including a Shep Pettibone remix. Candido returned to work as a sideman and session musician until his death on Nov. 7, 2020 at age 99. Here's a video for Jingo by Candido.
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