Artist page · 04/07/2026
About
14 vinyl releases covering Afro-Cuban jazz classics; key albums feature grooves commanding steady collector interest.
Mongo Santamaría brought Afro-Cuban percussion to the forefront of jazz, blending traditional rhythms such as guaguancó and mambo with jazz, Latin, and funk styles. His career spanned decades, with numerous album releases and collaborations highlighting Latin jazz's rich diversity.
Collector interest remains steady, with notable LPs seeing reissues and pressing variants in Venezuela, the US, France, Canada, and Australia. His work is key to exploring Afro-Cuban jazz on vinyl.
Discography
Studio albums, EPs and notable live records, from newest to oldest. Drag the timeline to browse.
Concord Picante · 1996
Milestone · 1995
Candid · 1995
Chesky Records · 1993
Concord Picante · 1990
Concord Jazz Picante · 1989
Concord Jazz Picante · 1988
Concord Picante · 1987
Roulette · 1983
Pablo Live · 1981
Vaya Records · 1980
Tappan Zee Records · 1979
Vaya Records · 1978
Vaya Records · 1976
Vaya Records · 1975
Vaya Records · 1974
Vaya Records · 1973
Atlantic · 1972
Atlantic · 1971
Atlantic · 1971
Atlantic · 1970
Columbia · 1970
Atlantic · 1970
Columbia · 1969
Columbia · 1969
Columbia · 1968
Columbia · 1967
Columbia · 1967
Riverside Records · 1966
Columbia · 1966
Columbia · 1965
Columbia · 1965
Fantasy · 1964
Battle · 1963
Battle · 1963
Fantasy · 1962
Fantasy · 1962
Fantasy · 1962
Fantasy · 1960
Fantasy · 1959Playlist
The tracks that sum up Mongo Santamaría's career.
The essentials
Our pick, validated by the editorial team.
A signature album mixing soul-jazz, Latin jazz, and Afro-Cuban rhythms across 9 tracks including “Iberia” and “Sofrito.”
Features 9 tracks blending Latin jazz and cha-cha styles with songs like “Crazy Lady” and “Malcolm X.”
Afro-Cuban jazz album with a funk and soul edge, including tracks like “Tell It” and “Saoco.”
Go further
Artists who share part of Mongo Santamaría's musical DNA.
Collectors
The hidden side of the catalogue: rare pressings, sought-after matrices, Discogs values.
For each reference edition, these cards summarise the state of the global Discogs market. Market position places the average price of a copy between the observed min and max prices. Average price is the price seen for a mint-condition copy. Copies available counts listings currently for sale. Collectors who want it is the number of Discogs users who added it to their wantlist without owning it — a good signal of upcoming demand.
Face B
Studio secrets, touring anecdotes and B-sides worth the whole album.
"Mongo Santamaría’s percussion style brought Afro-Cuban rhythms into jazz with unmatched vitality."— Jazz historians
This original pressing on Vaya Records bears catalog numbers LPS-88.703 and LPS-88703, highly sought after by collectors interested in Afro-Cuban jazz history.
The album features nine Latin jazz and cha-cha tracks, available on an original US pressing with catalog number VS 18, prized among vinyl collectors.
'Up From The Roots' was originally released in 1972 on Atlantic Records and appears on LP format. It has multiple pressings including original US and an Australian reissue cataloged as SD 1621.
The album 'Mongo's Way' from 1971 includes 10 tracks and has seen numerous pressings in the US and Canada on Atlantic label, highlighting its enduring appeal.
FAQ
The most common questions about pressings, reissues and limited editions.
Mongo Santamaría was a Cuban jazz percussionist born in 1922, known for pioneering Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin jazz percussion styles.
He is best known for Afro-Cuban jazz, Latin jazz, funk, mambo, pachanga, and guaguancó rhythms.
Key albums include 'Sofrito' (1976), 'Fuego' (1973), and 'Mongo's Way' (1971), available on LP format with multiple pressings.
Vinyles.com currently lists 14 vinyl records by Mongo Santamaría, spanning Afro-Cuban, jazz, and world music genres.
Yes, some albums like 'Fuego' have reissues available in France, with catalogs such as VS 18 on LP.
Prices vary; for example, 'Fuego' original issues range from around 11 to 200 euros depending on pressing and condition.
Major releases are typically on LP albums, including mono and stereo versions for some titles like 'Mongo's Way'.
The track 'Sofrito' is featured on the 1976 album of the same name, available on LP format with several pressings.
Transparency
This page is compiled by the vinyles.com editorial team from public sources and our marketplace.
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