Percussionist Jose Mangual has lent his talents to numerous recordings over the years, many of which have been for some of the most renowned jazz recording artists of all time -- Count Basie, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Tito Puente. Born in Juana Dias, Puerto Rico, sometime in 1924, Mangual perfected the bongos, congas, and timbales, which lead to steady session work beginning in the late '40s. Some of the albums that Mangual has appeared on over the years include Basie's April in Paris (1955), Davis' Sketches of Spain (1959), Gillespie's Talkin' Verve (1957), Puente's Babarabatiri (1951), as well as numerous Parker compilations, among many others. ~ Greg Prato