3/5 Nice, but fast and brief
  by Mario Diaz (Miami, Fl USA)
This video is nice, but goes very fast and not much depth to it, more like a crash course overview of the thing. Great audio and video. Definitely begginer level so don't bother if you are past that stage.

4/5 Whirlwind Tour- Hold onto your seats.
  by Naoise O'hannain (Dublin, Ireland - Europa)
with Pablo Chino Nunez [Latin Percussion]
Whirlwind Tour- Excellent Play Along.
More for improvers and intermediates not so for the complete beginners. They would be better advised to initially go for Tony Morazon's 'Basic Afro Cuban Rhythms'[Berklee Music]ISBN:087639030 & Richie Gajate-Garcia's excellent references - see below.
Excellent - well done to all.
A quick intro and play along for Congas, Bells, Snares, Guiro, Marachas, Bongos.
Play along (cha cha cha, Son Montuno, Guaracha & Latin Rock)
- Congas (Tumbao,cha, cha & Mambo/Guajira )
- Bongos (martillo & repique if you did not blink)
- Bell-Campana (cha, cha, son montuno, mambo, son, Latin Rock)
- Snares (Cascara, block, bells etc).

With the play along excellent opportunity to view crossovers, breaks etc and also get some practice in.
What I really liked is after introducing each instrument there was a play along in each section with in-screen shots of the instruments playing simultaneously - top marks.
Also enjoyed the menu layout.
On the other side a bit too brief (33 minutes is this the norm for LPerc DVDs ?) and NO sheet music hence only 4 *.
Why not have a continuous play loop capability in the play along section, others do it and make instructional videos multi-region. This would give it a 5*
If it is too fast paced, focus on one hand, then the other and finally combine the hands.
Excellent though overall, well worth the money.


If you are into Latin Music for information on roots and influences an excellent book+CD is 'From Afro Cuban Music to Salsa' by Dr. Olavo Rodriguez [Piranha Berlin]ISBN:3980586308 .

For Congas:
For beginners to intermediates I would recommend 'Conga Drumming' by Dworsky & Sansby ISBN:0963880101, Richie Gajate-Garcia Book+CD ISBN:0769296572 and also Richie's DVD 'Close Up on Congas' [Warner Bros]ISBN:0757915566.
For Intermediates DVD 'Modern Congas - Timbas Modernas' with Roberto Quintero [Hal Leonard]ISBN:0634055429.
For intermediate to advanced DVD 'Conga Virtuoso with Giovanni Hidalgo' [WB]ISBN:0757913970 and Pancho Sanchez's 'Conga Cookbook' ISBN:1575603632. For Nortenos a 'Dots' reference 'Authentic Conga Rhythms'[WP]ISBN:0769220185.
What a shame that Changuito's 'Evolution of the Tumbadora & History of Songo' and Miguel Anga Diaz'z 'Anga Mania' ae not available yet on DVD.

Listen to Changuito (Van Van) and Giovanni Hidalgo, 'Mongo Santamaria and his Afro-Cuban Drum Beaters'[CCD519 Caney-Barcelona] (from Nov. 1952-one of the original folkloric recording), Potato Valdez 'Ritmo y Candela', Miguel Anga Diaz (Irakeri) in 'Echu Mingua' [World Circuit], Muniquitos De Matanzas etc.

For Bongos:
I would recommend Kalani's Ultimate Hand Percussion: Ultimate Bongo Jam ASIN: B000EU1OPQ DVD.
For beginners to improvers I would recommend Richie Gajate-Garcia Book+CD 'Play Bongas and Hand Percussions'ISBN:0757910653, 'The Bongo Book' by Trevor Salloum[Mel Bay]0786620714 and 'Bongo Drumming Beyond the Basics' by Salloum ISBN:0786643846 and the 'Drum Solos Revisited'

For Timbales:
Check out Ralph Irizarry, Oresto Vilato and Walfredo de los Reyes Sr.
'The Art of Playing Timbales'[MimFilms]0967309824, 'Tito Puente's Drumming With the Mambo King' ISBN: 0634019562 and 'Changuito: A Master's Approach to the Timbales' by Quintana & Silverman ISBN: 0769214355.
Try Giovanni Hidalgo and Horacio El Negro Hernandez excellent DVD 'Travelling Through Time' ISBN:0757917305 for advanced Conga and Drumset interaction and the 'Drum Solos Revisited' DVD. 'Conversations in Clave' with Horacio El Negro Hernandez ISBN:0769299474 'Afro Cuban Co-ordination for the Drumset' with Maria Martinez[Hal-Leonard]ASIN:0634084186, 'Afro Cuban Rythms for the Drumset' by Frank Malabe [Warner]0897245741.
'The Art of Playing Timbales' by Victor Rendon, 'Drumset Artists of Cuba' by Chuck Silverman,'The New Method for Afro-Cuban Drumming' by Jimmy Branley (of Cuba).
A shame Changuito's 'A Masters Approach to Timbales' and Ignacio Berroa's 'Mastering Afro-Cuban Percussion'[WB] is only available on Video and not yet on DVD.

Percussions:
You will need to check out Descarga for their comprehensive percussion offerings.
For instance 'Giovanni Conga Virtuoso' (Congas, Bongas & Timbales) [WB]ISBN:0757913970 for intermediate to advanced levels
and 'Drum Solos Revisited' DVD (Congas, Bongos and Timbales) with Ralph Irizarry and friends[WB]0757923615. 'Secrets of Hand' by Dworsky & Sansby ISBN:0963880160, 'Rumba-Quinto Licks & Soloing' by Cliff Brooks[Mel Bay]0786659548.
Also check out excelent folkloric material from Descarga such as 'The Music of Santeria' by Steven Cornelius [White Cliffs]0941677702 and 'Rumba Guaguanco Conversations' by Arturo Rodrigues [Mel Bay]0786646934, 'Mozambique Cuban Style' (a location in Cuba) by Kim Atkinson[DVD-Pulsewave Percussion]8971800917, 'Speaking Rythm-Cuban Makuta - Vol6' by Kim Atkinson, 'Afro Cuban Concepts' by Arturo Rodriguez. 'Afro-Latin Polyrythm' by Trevor Salloum[Mel Bay], 'The Latin Real Book' [Sher Music].
(for Uruguay y Argentina -Dots y CD) 'Candombe y Murga' by Quintino Cinalli [ElliSound-Buenos Aires]ISBN:9879646835,

For Piano:
'Play Latin Piano'[Faber Music] and 'Ultimate Latin Riffs for Piano' by Carlos Campos [ADG Production].
Listen to Alfredo Rodriguez (of Cubanismo)-'Cuba Linda' and Ivan Melon Gonzales in 'Los Terry Guyo', Ruben Gonzalez & Roberto Fonseca etc.

For Fiddle:
'Latin American Fiddler' by Edward Howe Jones[Bowsey&Hawkes] and 'Latin Violin' by Bardfeld [Gerard&Sarzin]0962846775.
Listen to Lewis Kahn(NYC), Felix Ferrar, Dogoberto & Lazarito Gonzalez (Orchestra Aragon) and Pierre Blanchard etc.

For Flute:
'Play Latin Flute' by Alan Gout [Faber Music], 'Play Latin Clarinet'[Faber Music]
Listen to Eddy Zervigon, Enrique Navarro and many others.

Gallo-Vocals:
'Ultimate Latin Songs'[Hal Leonard]063402180X etc etc.

Band Setup:
'The Essence of Afro-Cuban Percussion & Drum Set' by Ed Uribe [WB]1576236196 & 'The Salsa Guidebook' by Rebeca Mauleon[Sher Music]0961470194, 'Guide to Bands' by Faue and 'Muy Caliente' by Mauleon, Stagnaro & Vilato [Sher Music]1883217083.