Remembering Willie Bobo: 1934-1983

© -Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.

“Whaddya’ holdin’ onto, diamonds? Relax your right hand; feel the groove.”

• Willie Bobo to me at a Latin Jazz drumming clinic.

“Bobo’s importance as a bandleader lay in his ability to combine elements of Jazz, Latin music, and rhythm and blues to create exuberant and entertaining performances.”

• Jeff Potter on Barry Kernfeld, ed., The New Grove Encyclopedia of Jazz.

“William Correa was playing on a record date with Mary Lou Williams when his name was changed to Willie Bobo at Miss Williams' suggestion.

Under one name or the other, Bobo has been a part of the scene for the better half of his 35 years. Born Feb. 28, 1934 in New York City's Spanish Harlem, he was introduced to music by his father, who played a 10-stringed, mandolin-like instrument.

His Puerto Rican heritage and a gradually developed love for jazz stirred his ambition to bridge two musical cultures.

At 14, he became Machito's band boy. Later he shared a long lasting percussive partnership with Mongo Santamaria, working with him in several bands. They were with Tito Puente in the middle 1950s, and then (from 1958-61) toured with Cal Tjader.

Bobo was with Herbie Mann for a year, then spent much of his time free-lancing on innumerable New York record dates before forming his own group. He established a Latin-jazz milestone in 1965 with Spanish Grease, an original by Bobo and cornetist Mel Lastie, and his group appeared this year [1969] at the Newport and Concord festivals.

This was Bobo's first Blindfold Test [12/25/1969]. He was given no information about the records. [Willie would also guest with Leonard on the August 11. 1977 Blindfold Test.]                                 

• Leonard Feather

“Timbales is an instrument that is not just to chop down, like a carpenter. A drum is a woman, a drum is a pulse and if it doesn’t have that pulse it’s merely living, existing.”

• Willie Bobo

Picture this; two drummers talking beside a drum kit that’s set-up inside the Professional Drum Shop on Vine Street in Hollywood, CA just across the street from Local 47, the Musicians’ Union.