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Bongo fever! That’s right, I have bongo fever.
It started when I was looking for a percussion instrument to provide the beat for a home recording of some ukulele songs. The standard drum kit seemed too daunting. I had fooled around a bit on the drums and knew couple of things but I wasn’t a drummer by any stretch. Electronic drums left me cold as well.
What is the percussion equivalent of the ukulele? Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning out of the blue – THE BONGO DRUMS!
Of course – the bongo drums. Like the ukulele, viewed more often as a toy or souvenir than a true instrument. The bongo drums also enjoyed a wave of popularity (like the ukulele did in the 20s and 50s) during the 50s and 60s, thanks to Jack Costanzo and Maynard Krebs. And like the ukulele, capable of incredible excitement, depth and even subtley in the hands of a master.
Plus, the fact that both Gilligan and the Fonz played the bongos was cosmic comedy at its finest (okay, at least to me).
I went on the Internet and saw a set of Schalloch bongos for $49.95. The reviews indicated a great value and good sound.
While waiting for them to arrive, I went on the Internet and found some great bongo resources – YouTube videos, a couple of websites dedicated to the bongos (notably bongomania.com) and a lot of bongo information lumped in with the conga and other latin percussion instruments.
By the time my bongos arrived, I was raring to go. And I fell in love from the first stroke! I play the bongos every chance that I get, and luckily, I have an INCREDIBLY LOVING AND TOLERANT WIFE who puts up with my noisemaking.
Playing the bongos takes me to another state of consciousness, where I am relaxed, yet focused. The stress of the day melts away, driven out by the beat of the drums.
So that’s how I got bongo fever. What’s your story?