Tata Güines

Tata Güines born Federico Aristides Soto in 1930 in Güines, Cuba was a master of the tumbadoras. He originally wanted to play the bass but fell madly in love whenever he heard a drum even though at that time percussionists had to travel on the running boards of the cars. He was a member of Los Amigos, a Cuban jazz group that recorded classic descargas (jam sessions), with Frank Emilio Flynn, piano; Guillermo Barreto, drums; Papito Hernandez, bass; and Tamayito, guiro. “I was starting to feel the need to make people understand that drums have their own nature, that it is necessary to get to know them.“