Jay Bereck's Skin on Skin Part1

Jay Bereck made drums for such greats as Mongo Santamaria, Ray Baretto, Ghiovanni Hidalgo and Francisco Aguabella.
Note that Jay is retired, and is not taking any more orders.
This video is posted by Cara Bereck Levy, Jay's daughter.
About Jay
My father signs the inside of every every conga in English and Hebrew - the mark of an authentic Skin-on-Skin.
Jay developed the entire drum-making process himself, beginning with a trip we made to the Grand Army Plaza branch of the Brooklyn library to take out books on cooperage, which is the craft of barrel-making. This is because the conga, as we know it today, was fashioned by West African slaves working in the rum and sugar trade in Cuba. They took barrels, stretched mulehide across the top, and recreated the rhythms of home. These original rhythms developed, changed, and borrowed from other musical traditions.
My father re-created and refined the barrel-making process. He created templates for the drum staves, cut them, fit the bottom sections into a metal ring together, steamed and bent the staves into a top ring to form the finished drum, and dried it. Once dry, he turned the drum shell on a lathe, sanded it, finished it, and mounted the hardware much of which he hot-forged by hand--and finally, mounted the skin.
I was a young teen when he began working out the process in the basement of our Brooklyn home. There was a lot of trial and error; many trips to the library. I remember a discussion we had about steam pressure and expansion--I was taking physics at the time, but I don't think I was of much help :-) Jay invented and built many of the devices he uses himself, some of which were intended to save physical effort--make no mistake, making hard-wood drums by hand is physically hard, sweaty work.
My father devoted over 35 years of his life to making some of the finest drums ever made, and I am incredibly proud of him.
The conga and its rhythms appear in a number of musical forms - but what I love best is Latin/Afro-Cuban jazz, with rhumba and guaguanco not far behind. Funny thing--when I was growing up, my house was filled with many kinds of music: classical, bebop, Gershwin (who, according to my mom, z"l, was in a class by himself) folk (not Peter, Paul,and Mary, and definitely not Bobby Zimmerman but Theodore Bikel), irreverent Tom Lehrer, the occasional cantorial, the Lomax recordings...I could go on.
But Latin/Afro-Cuban jazz was played more than any other, and for a good part of my adolesence, I dismissed it as being my 'parent's music'. Luckily, I outgrew that stupidity--had I not, my life would be an inifinitely poorer place.
I want to end this with the following anecdote: many years ago, my father was invited, by the Smithsonian Institute, to show his drums in an exhibition of folkloric musical instruments. He sent a set of cherry congas. However, when the Smithsonian wanted a set for permanent exhibition, he refused. He had a year-long waiting list of customers who had put down deposits, and he was not going to make them wait while he made a set of drums for the Smithsonian.
That's my dad.
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[@nubian47]

Jay and I were neighbors until he moved out of Flatbush, he let watch VHS copy of this of this documentary. Really nice guy

[@asinger8238]

My deepest condolences I knew your dad and uncle for many years and have cherished my Skin on Skin since the 1970’s . The best construction and sound still in great condition . Aaron Singer

[@ricardotorres9183]

truly an Artist and a Craftsman RIP!

[@andrewhite428]

Bought a Tres Golpe from Jay in the mid 80's. While I'm ordering, Ray Baretto comes in the store. I almost fainted!

[@b0fjk80]

Cara.....Jay Bereck is not only a MASTER craftsman but he is also a good man, loving father & husband....and a good friend. I still remember the day I met him for the first time....I felt as if I knew him for years! I was in awe when he spoke about conga making and conga history....and I connected most with him when he spoke of your Mom. :) His contributions to this world are innumerable....that is your Dad. :)

[@shonuffgroove]

Hello !!! I`m from Athens- Greece and (around `92) I ordered 4 congas (white oak) from Jay Bereck !!! I still have them !! They`re still precious for me and I feel honored to have these instruments fabricated directly from Jay !!!

[@guaguancos.montunodcubop8923]

My boy Jay B. in the 80s bucket! I luv it😀

[@congatick]

Wonderful documentary and amazing drums and craftsmanship... Those congas were and still are my dream drums. I am just wondering why it says "filmed in 1998" as Jay himself said in this movie that he is 47... it means that it was filmed in 1985.

[@guaguancos.montunodcubop8923]

Whatever craft..its always fascinating watching a master at his craft. Jay made me a beautiful set of bongoces. He would always sit on the phone and talk shit with me for a while even though he stayed busy he would give me a little time. He was a real cool cat with me. Old school..blunt lol no bullshit in him. And a master craftsman. Traditional styling on his drums how it should be. SOS have a beautiful simplicity to them. Definitely a heavyweight in the game and a legend of afro cuban instruments continuing the lineage of the greats like G.Vergara,C.Requena,B.Guerra,L.Martinez,A.Zayas,R.Travieso, and the few others and also the famous metal workers in El Barrio Chino.. whos names have been lost in time. A dying art but with us who play and collect it will live on. Cara your father is a LEGEND! LONG LIVE JAY! -Guaño(Lil'🐝)

[@Chambelona59]

Halloween..... love it!!! haha!

[@guaguancos.montunodcubop8923]

Señor Sanders..its Guaño. Years ago i found out about SOS from u(your site). 08' got my SOS bongoces. I'll be buried with them lol. Gracias Señor Sanders! And LONG LIVE JAY!

[@MaTTheWish]

PRO.

[@victormartinez-ir8ms]

Gracias.

[@r.c.a.7570]

Lost art his instruments are priceless

[@af049486]

Carlos Embale - llora como llorè I had to find that song in the Halloween part

[@thomasdesantis995]

The WORLDS BEST - IMHO