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 Born
in 1960 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Edgardo started his professional career
at age 9, singing Tangos and playing traditional "Bombo Leguero" (a
low pitch double headed drum, very popular throughout South America)
as well as the Uruguayan Candombe drums. He was originally self-taught.
When he turned thirteen, he heard Santana's "Abraxas" album. "I
got so excited that my father bought me a cheap bongo so I would stop
'playing' bongos on the back of my Spanish guitar!"
Cambon bought his first LP instrument when he was 15, an Original
Model Conga, while living in Buenos Aires. "It cost the equivalent
of three month salary, but was worth it and I had to have it," he
recalls fondly.
Cambon has performed and toured throughout South America, Europe and
Africa and resides in the USA since 1987. He has also traveled to Cuba
many times since 1989, where he studied at the ENA (National School
of Arts) in Havana. While in Cuba, he also studied privately with master
drummers Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana, Vizcano Guillot,
Octavio Rodriguez and Justo Pelladito among others, and performed at
the Havana Jazz and Benny Moré Festivals.
Edgardo has performed and/or recorded with artists such as "Chucho" Valdes
(Irakere), Carlos Santana, Joan Baez, Claudia Gomez, Keith Terry (Crosspulse),
Omar Sosa, Mark Levine, Jeff Narell, Andy Narell, Sovosó (formerly
Bobby Mc Ferrin's "Voicestra") Mike
Spiro, Rebeca
Mauleón,
Jackie Rago, Richard Olsen Big Band, Los Compas, Sol y Luna Band, Eddie
Montalvo, Johnny Rodriguez, Armando
Peraza and many others.
Edgardo is also an active educator, having taught workshops on Afro-Cuban
Percussion and vocals in many universities throughout the United States,
Europe and South America. He also taught percussion for five years
at Folsom State Prison, a maximum security institution, where percussion
was a part of the rehabilitation program. "Sometimes I get very
serious about my career and my progress as a player, then I have to
go back to the heart of it and remember that if I am not having fun,
I am neither playing it or teaching it right."
Edgardo leads his own Salsa/Latin Jazz band, "Candela",
in which he handles both the conga playing and lead vocal responsibilities
simultaneously! Candela just celebrated 20 years of continuous success,
making them one of the oldest and most re-known Salsa Bands in the
San Francisco Bay Area. Their 2000 recording, "Madre Rumba,
Padre Son," has been pre-nominated for a Latin Grammy in the Best
Spanish Male Vocalist category. The recording has earned great reviews
by the San Francisco Chronicle, The East Bay Express, The Bay Guardian,
Descarga.com, SalsaPower.com and The Latin Beat Magazine. Look for
their soon to be released CD: "Celebrando
20 Años".
Cambon would never settle for less than playing LP drums. "LP
instruments help me make the music that comes from my heart and they
are also durable enough to withstand my busy playing schedule," he
says. "Making people want to dance and have a great time is, to
me, what music is all about."
Equipment list: LP
Classic Model Congas , LP
Bongos,
LP
Tito Puente Timbales, LP
Cajon, LP
Chimes, Claves
and Cowbells.
To
learn more about Edgardo, please visit www.musicandela.com
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