The Best of Giovanni Hidalgo - Artículo Breve

Latin Beat Magazine, April, 1999

GIOVANNI HIDALGO

(TropiJazz)

Recognized as the ultimate conguero (conga player) of the nineties and one of the top overall Latin percussionists of our times, Giovanni Hidalgo is constantly evolving as a musician and always seeking new possibilities from hand drums. He has shared the stages of the world with Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Paquito D'Rivera, Cachao, Ruben Blades, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, McCoy Tyner, Santana, and George Benson, to mention a few. His quick hands can be heard on Mickey Hart's Grammy winning CD Planet Drum, where his versatility and skills as a complete master drummer impressed percussionists from all musical forms. Giovanni has recorded four CDs as a leader and laid hundreds of tracks with the top names of the world of Latin music, jazz, rock, and world music. This compilation, titled The Best of Giovanni Hidalgo, takes tracks from his last three recordings under the TropiJazz label. The CD opens with his tasty version of the jazz classic It Don't Mean a Thing. Also included are several of his collaborations with pianist Michel Camilo like And Sammy Walked In, Call of the Jungle Bird, and Cristo Redentor. A taste of some of the music from a living legend of the conga drums. (RM)