Congo Conga by J&B Kings, Dubmatix, Bill King

Artist: J&B Kings
Title: Conga Congo + Extended & Groove Mixes
Genre(s): Afro-Cuban Funk
Label: 7 Arts
Jesse "Dubmatix" & Bill King Project

In the late 1930s, the Conga was a wildly popular dance featured in Hollywood “Latin” musicals – Too Many Girls (1940) with Cuban star Desi Arnaz jamming as a conga-playing Argentine student. Arnaz made a more significant impact in the Deanna Durbin feature, It Started With Eve – when Durbin and renowned actor Charles Laughton dance to the infectious rhythm in a nightclub.

The Conga originates from Cuban carnival dance styles – more hip movements and sensuous body movement the language shared between male and female partners. The dance - initially credited to African slaves brought over to the West Indies would eventually become a popular street dance in Cuba - played with a staccato beat and grinding rhythm. The dance patterns and craze eventually filtered it’s way to North America.

At times, Cuban politicians interceded and dampened down the impact of the music on its citizenry. During the dictatorship of Machado, the citizens of Havana were forbidden to dance the Conga. Rival parties would gather in the street and beat the hell out of one another with the Conga as the soundtrack.

The J&B Kings pay respect to a music style that would soon die on a "cartoon vine" when the very nature of its boldness, political will, and urban street chic had been eclipsed by Hollywood film buffoonery. The Kings bring a contemporary edge back to the music featuring New Orleans Chris Butcher and his Heavyweights Brass Band down the middle.

Tracklist

1.	Congo Conga	3:34

2.	Congo Conga (Extended Mix)	4:23

3.	Congo Conga (Groove Mix)	3:33

Credits

released April 28, 2020

Produced and composed by Jesse & Bill King
Sound Design/guitar/bass – Jesse “Dubmatix” King
Keyboards/Bill King
Mixing: Jesse & Bill King
Mastering: Jesse “Dubmatix” King

License