Miguel 'Anga' Diaz R.I.P (15 June 1961 - 9 August 2006)
The late great Anga is without a doubt my favorite percussionist. Anga rose to fame as the conguero for Irakere, continuing the 5 conga tradition started by Jorge "El Niño" Alfonso. However Anga was also an incredible rumbero. Miguel Aurelio Diaz Zayas was born in San Juan y Martinez in the Pinar del Río Province in Cuba, an area known for its rumba traditions.
I was first intoduced to Anga's playing in the self titled album Cachaito by Israel "Cachaito" Lopez.
Anga's melodic conga playing on this album is truly some of the most beautiful conga playing to be heard. Of course the next album to follow was Echu Mingua, Anga's solo release. Truly this record is one of the most innovative and groundbreaking albums from Cuba.
The documentary of that album is excellent as well and offers incredible insight into this great conguero's mind.
Sadly, Anga left this earth at the young age of 45 and we will not be getting anymore music from this great artist. Instead, I have embarked on a mission to collect all his albums from past recordings. I have compiled here as complete a discography of Anga's as I could from various resources. Some of these recordings are readily available while others being quite obscure. For example, Anga Nascimentos, which I only heard about through the great percussion educator and author David Penalosa. David was kind enough to send me digital files of this album, as there is virutally no possibility of finding a hard copy, as it seems to have been only distributed by Anga himself at seminars. I'm uploading one track here for my readers enjoyment.
Rumbanga 2 by superbongos
Anga has also been an incredible influence on my rumba playing. A while back my friend provided me with a compendium of rhythms from one of the largest gatherings of Cuban music and culture held at Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta Canada, 1994. This book has an excellent set of rumba patterns with variations as presented by Anga. The book and the accompnaying sound tracks are constatnt source of study and inspiration for me. This incredible session also produced the wonderful Afrocuanismo album.
Here are a couple tracks from the Banff music seminar of 6/8's rhythms as presented by Anga.
anga 6/8 by superbongos
Anyways, here is my discography of recordings by Miguel 'Angá' Díaz, a work in progress. I have a feeling a few more Irakere albums need to be added to the list. I welcome any additions my readers have that I can include to make the discography more complete.
MIGUEL “ANGA” DIAZ COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY
as complied by Geordie Van Der Bosch.
- 69-96 / Magik Malik Orchestra
- A Lo Cubano / Orishas
- A Love Affair in Paris / Buddy Montgomery
- A Toda Cuba Le Gusta / Afro-Cuban All Stars
- Anga Nacimientos, Miguel “Anga” Diaz
- Arpa Fusion / Anga Diaz & Pascal Coulon
- Barbarismo / Frank Emilio Flynn y Sus Amigos
- Buena Vista Social Club Presents Manuel Guajiro Mirabal / Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal
- Buenos Hermanos / Ibrahim Ferrer
- Cachaito / Orlando Cachaito Lopes
- Central Avenue / Danilio Perez
- Chanchullo / Ruben Gonzales
- Chocalate / Alma Rosa
- Crisol Habana / Roy Hargrove
- Cubanismo / Jesus Alemany
- Distinto Diferente / Afro Cuban All Stars
- Echu Mingua / Anga
- En Chile (Con Chucho Valdes, Irakere e Isabel Parra) / Silvio Rodriguez
- Exuberencia / Irakere
- Flor de Amor / Omar Portuondo
- Formula Uno / Orlando Valle
- Genesis & the Opening of the Way / Steve Coleman
- Habana Secreta / Jose Maria Vittier
- Hajji: Kathy Kidd & Kongo Mambo / Kathy Kidd
- Havana Calling / Maraca y Otra Vision
- Indestructible / Irakere
- Latin Soul / Alma Rosa
- Live a FIP / Omar Sosa
- Live at Ronnie Scott’s / Irakere
- Live In Cuba CD / Mingus Amungus
- Maferefun / Tony Martinez
- Mambo Sinuendo / Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban
- Merengue a Quilo / Opus 13
- Paquito D'Rivera Presents Cuba Jazz / Paquito D’Rivera
- Pasaporte / Tata Guines & Miguel “Anga” Diaz
- Pasion Latina 1 / Raul Gutierrez & Irazu
- Presents Cuba Jazz / Paquito D'Rivera
- Que Llueva de Una Vez / Opus 13
- The Legendary Irakere / Irakere
- The Legendary Irakere In London - Volume 2 / Irakere
- Tratame Como Soy / Nora
- Ritmo Y Candela II: African Crossroads / Carlos 'Patato' Valdes
- The Very Best Of ¡Cubanismo! - ¡Mucho Gusto! / ¡Cubanismo!