Public Media from Michigan State University

Remembering Mongo Santamaria

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Jazz percussionist Mongo Santamaria dies on Feb. 1 at 85. Santamaria scored a Top-10 hit with his version of Herbie Hancock's jazz-funk classic "Watermelon Man" in 1963. He also wrote the song "Afro Blue," later performed and made famous by John Coltrane. NPR's Elizabeth Blair has a remembrance.

Copyright 2003 NPR

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Elizabeth Blair is a Peabody Award-winning senior producer/reporter on the Arts Desk of NPR News.