Jazz Town: Percussion giant Candido Camero is coming to KC

A few lucky people are such standouts that they’re known widely by only one name. In jazz, we have Louis, Duke, Bird, Monk, Miles, Trane. And in the areas of jazz animated and illuminated by Afro-Cuban rhythms, there is conga drummer Candido.

He’s an innovator and master who has been heard with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Taylor, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Quincy Jones, Wes Montgomery, Count Basie and countless others. He’s said to be “the most recorded conga drummer in the history of jazz.”

Now Candido, properly Candido Camero, is 95 and still setting those rhythmic fires. Just a week ago, he played a climactic headlining set at the Chicago Jazz Festival; in the Chicago Tribune, Howard Reich wrote, “He came out in a wheelchair and he left in a blaze of glory.”

And this week, he’s coming to Kansas City.

Candido’s show on Friday at the Gem Theater is being presented in conjunction with an exhibition of photos from Cuba by Jesse A. Fernandez. The “Cuba Bound” show can be seen in three parts.

From Friday through Dec. 31, the Gem Theater’s mezzanine gallery will display images emphasizing the music and musicians of Cuba. A display at the Central Library’s Mountain Gallery, 14 W. 10th St., will emphasize the writers of Cuba, Thursday through Dec. 31. And a display in the Bloch Lobby at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art will showcase the artists of Cuba, Thursday through Dec. 31.

Candido came to New York in 1946, backing a dance troupe. Working with them, he developed a complex polyrhythmic style on the congas — he has explained that there simply weren’t enough percussionists with the group to play the things he wanted to hear, so he figured out how to play them himself. He has been called the “hands of fire” and the “thousand-fingered man,” and he has brought the fire to everything he has done since.

Best of all, the master is still bringing it.

His show is at 8 p.m. Friday at the Gem, 1615 E. 18th St. Tickets are $45; check americanjazzmuseum.org or call 816-474-6262.

Noteworthy

▪ There’s a newish weekly jam session at Madrigall, 1627 Oak St., led by tenor saxophonist Matt Otto. It’s at 8 p.m. Thursday. The core band also has vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Brad Williams.

▪ The Blue Room, 1600 E. 18th St., has the Jazz Disciples leading the Monday jam at 7 p.m. The quartet of bassist Gerald Spaits and reed man Charles Perkins performs at 7 p.m. Thursday. Tenor saxophonist Doug Talley adds singer Kathleen Holeman to his group at 8:30 p.m. Friday, and bassist James Ward’s band is on at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

▪ The Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand Blvd., has the band Heat Index at 6 p.m. Sunday, followed by pianist Andrew Ouellette’s trio at 9:30 p.m.; drummer Todd Strait’s trio at 5:30 p.m. Monday, followed by saxophonist Ernest Melton’s quartet at 9 p.m.; the band Dojo at 7 p.m. Tuesday, followed by bassist Karl McComas-Reichl’s trio at 10:30 p.m.; drummer Natalie Bates’ trio at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, followed by Strait’s quartet at 9 p.m.; guitarist Matt Hopper’s trio at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by drummer Kevin Frazee’s trio at 9 p.m.; and pianist Tim Whitmer’s quartet at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by keyboardist Max Groove’s quartet at 8:30 p.m. and organist Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 at 10 p.m. Bassist Gerald Spaits’ trio presents a jazz breakfast from 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday.

This story was originally published September 11, 2016 at 5:05 AM with the headline "Jazz Town: Percussion giant Candido Camero is coming to KC."