TAUMBU

LOS ANGELES NATIVE SON

INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED WORLD MUSIC MASTER CONGUERO

“Taumbu” (ne’ Hal Ector, August 11, 1944, in Los Angeles) – legendary conguero, bandleader, composer, educator, craftsman and visual artist – will be given a Heartfelt Birthday and Get Well Fundraiser which will take place on

Saturday, August 15, 2015,

 1:00PM – 5:00PM, in Leimert Park at

The Barbara Morrison Performing Arts

Center, 4305 Degnan Boulevard, Suite 101, Los Angeles, CA 90008.

The Concert features Alumni of The Taumbu International Ensemble, including Matt Amper, Dwayne Augustine, Don Littleton, Phil Ranelin, Michael Session, Jessie Sharps and Steve Smith; The Phil Ranelin Jazz Ensemble; also The Bobby Matos Afro Latin Jazz Band and many other stellar musicians including: Andrew Acosta, Justo Almario, David Amper, Pablo Calogero, Rafael Feliciano, Dawan Muhammad, Derf Reklaw, Eddie Resto, Manny Silvera, Dwight Trible,

Admission: $20 = Suggested Minimum Donation

Those who cannot attend, but wish to contribute to TAUMBU can go to his Gofundme website: 

This event is co-sponsored by Don Littleton, Phil Ranelin and all the musicians performing gratuitously with Love in support of their colleague, friend and champion of this great music, Taumbu. It is also co-sponsored by the following in-kind supporters:

Ken Moore and Howling Monk, Barbara Morrison and The Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center, Dalili Pierson and Rebuild Crenshaw Arts Committee and the entire Leimert Park arts community.

TAUMBU-Master Conguero & Percussionist

Taumbu was born in Los Angeles, California. He is a producer, composer, musician, visual artist, craftsman and founder, director and leader of The Taumbu International Ensemble. He has over fifty years in the music world performing and recording with numerous groups from many countries. It is from this rich accumulation of experiences [in folklore and Jazz] that he formed the exciting and exotic Taumbu International Ensemble. With his ensemble, he has performed around the world, including Haiti, Mexico and the Virgins Islands, etc His performance credits include Horace Tapscott, Archie Shepp, Guy DuRosier and Joe Henderson.

Taumbu’s mastery of the instrument is enhanced by his deep knowledge of the history and spiritual philosophy which accompany the myriad African rhythms he calls upon during performances. He produced and published the band’s exciting CD Song to the Ancestors and another CD Encantado. Taumbu is also a gifted visual artist, master bamboo flute maker and he has taught percussion workshops in Mexico. Taumbu is also known internationally as an instrument maker and instructor. He has made web instructional videos on how to make and play bamboo flutes and shekeres. Born from the ashes of the Second World War, raised in the urban jungle of South Central Los Angeles, Taumbu believes that, “this music is a testimony of our survival and our struggle for a place in this world.” He plays congas and percussions on the film soundtracks of I Build The Tower, Watts Prophets, The Gap, and Masters of Invention, an H.B.O. Documentary which used his original composition “Song to the Ancestors” as its theme song.

Both his self-produced CDs are very sought after and have been chosen on various radio programs as records of the week/month/year. Taumbu’s recording credits include Sweet Baby J’ai, Henry Franklin, Richard Buxton, Randy Tico, Dale Fielder, Phil Ranelin, Lorraine Fielder, Onaje Murray, Horace Tapscott, Dawan Muhammad, Nopalera and Splash. Taumbu is featured prominently on Ranelin’s A CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE VERY BEST KIND due to Ranelin’s insistence upon a strong African rhythmic foundation as part of the identity of The Phil Ranelin Jazz Ensemble. To visit Taumbu’s web art gallery and for additional information, please visit: www.taumbu.com.

This picture of Brian Swartz was taken at my 40th Birthday party. Brian walked in and said “Happy Birthday LeRoy, here is your gift”. It was sheet music with the title “Down with Downs”. I replied, “What is This?” with a gigantic grin on my face! He wrote a song for me as a gift for listening to my show on the radio, late night on the way home after all of those gigs. I am deeply indebted for that! 

Here in 2014, he has composed original music for several people such as Jaco Pastorius, Alice Coltrane, his mother, myself and a few others. Please support another beautiful musician who believes in original music and strives to create that beauty and capture moments of our life composition. Music is really a gift for you so let’s celebrate the music and ourselves! Please contribute to “Portraiture”

Click Picture of Brian and Bobby Zeno for Interview excerpt