Straight Ahead! Bongos & Congas
The creative team at Straight Ahead Samples had always longed for deeply sampled bongo and conga sets. Using the same technique that we created our drum libraries (long dynamic performance loops paired with thoroughly-sampled multi kits) we finally made our wish come true. Performed by a true master of hand percussion, with grooves across many genres of latin, latin-jazz and pop music, SA! Bongos & Congas is a straightforward but deep and dynamic set of instruments that will add that much needed rhythmic energy to your tracks.
Hector “Coco” Barez
Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1976, he is one of the most active musicians of the new wave of young Puerto Rican percussionists today. Hector “Coco” Barez began his musical career in 1998 performing with many different Puerto Rican folkloric groups including the Official Puerto Rican National Folkloric Ballet’ Areyto.
Coco attended classes at The Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico, the LA Music Academy and The Interamerican University Of Puerto Rico but attributes his highest education to the streets of San Juan. There he had the opportunity to learn and work with such notable percussionists as Javier Oquendo, Paoli Mejias, Efrain Toro, Héctor Calderón, Felipe del Valle, Victor Emmanuelli, Raul Rodriguez, Sammy Gascot and Luis Vélez.
He was a founding member and toured 7 years with the highly popular and award-winning alternative Latin band Calle 13. While working with Calle 13 he toured the world playing sold-out stadium shows throughout Latin America and Europe. The band was also awarded numerous Grammys and featured on MTV Latino.
Coco has had the opportunity to record, collaborate and perform with a wide variety of Latin and World music artist including Bio Ritmo, Alma Tropicalia, Don Omar, Bacilos, Mana, Alejandro Sanz, Shakira, Ruben Blades, William Cepeda (Puerto Rican Folk Jazz), Cultura Profetica, Calma Carmona, Diana Fuentes, Jerry Rivera, Jerry Medina & La banda, Tego Calderon (Hip-Hop), Jossette Reily (Flamenco), Furia Flamenca, to name a few. He has been involved with the production of various Puerto Rican music documentaries. In between his busy performing schedule, Coco finds time to give private lessons and percussion workshops
Bongos & Congas Features
- Set of 3 conga drums (quinto, conga & tumbadora) and standard 2-drum bongos (macho and hembra)
- 3 microphone positions w/ user-controlled interface
- Multiple articulations including open, slaps, rolls, muffled, flams and many more
- Tons of grooves w/ variations including bolero, cha-cha, swing, son, rumba, merengue and many more
- Numerous fills and options for half-time and double-time playing
- Full version of Kontakt 5.5.8 or higher required
Availability
This virtual instrument library is available here.
