Benavides has earned her ‘Bony Fides’ as a premier conguera!
By CP Christopher Peppas
Telling Bony Benavides, local conguera (female conga player) that she plays like a girl, it may very well be taken as a compliment.
It’s not clear whether or not the musical “Annie Get Your Gun” made its way to Bony’s hometown of Bogota, Colombia, but the mantra of one of the songs sure does apply: “Anything you can do, I can do better!”
It’s not that Bony was immune to comments like: “You have such small hands” or “You’re not strong enough,” all she needed to do was play to prove them wrong.
It’s very likely that Bony’s education early on inoculated her from being leveled by the criticism. She went to an All-girls high school, so EVERYONE played like a girl.
“I got started very young (age thirteen),” Bony said in a recent interview. “I’d play percussion for the traditional dances of Colombia. I had an amazing music teacher. She taught me how to create space. It was very hands on, we were taught to play, try and learn
from there.” Bony tried some other instruments, but always returned to her first love. “I flourish with the congas,” Bony said.
At age nineteen, Benavides moved to that magnet for Colombian emigres, Kenosha, to be with her sister and “check it out.” “I knew NO English,” Bony said. “It took longer than I expected” to settle in.
But settle in, Bony did.
She
enrolled in UW-Parkside’s music program where she studied percussion under Dave Bayles. Dave, of course, is a recent interviewee for this here publication and is the percussion guru at the Milwaukee Jazz Institute.
Despite having to start from scratch, Bony earned a Master’s Degree in Ethno-musicology at Arizona State University (Go Sun Devils!).
Spending some time out in Los Angeles and seeing the Latin Grammys, Benavides was exposed to all manner of salseros like Ruben Blades, Mark Quinones, Tito Puente, Sheila E (“Girl Power!” as Bony said) and a more traditional bomba from Puerto Rico, Edwin Cepeda.
Bony has been a traveling music teacher for MPS for the last seventeen years. “I teach technique and support for the bands.
Benavides devotes a good deal of her spare time to “Bembe Drum & Dance,” a nonprofit, grant-
supported organization that gets drums and lessons to kids who may not otherwise have access and a chance to play.
“It allows me to connect with my roots,” Bony said. “I’m part of a great team.”
Bony credits some big names in our musical community for the strides she has made. Early on, she’d be invited to sit in with the likes of Eric Jacobson, Mitch Shiner, Joey Sanchez, Neil Davis and Roberto Lopez.
Benavides praises The Transfer for consistently being there as a place to play. “Now, we have Bar Centro, too.” And the Jazz Estate, after a brief hibernation, is back having shows and is also hosting a jam.
Bony is also a part of a traditional pan-latin, folkloric duo, Cana Brava, with Darele Bisquerra, who sings and plays guitar.
For Benavides, the bottom line is: “If you’re into it, you can make it happen. There are no limits, not age, not gender,” she said.
Don’t pass up an opportunity to see Bony perform!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CP Christopher Peppas is a Journalist, Jazz Vocalist and Conga Player in the Greater Milwaukee Area and Correspondent at Large for the Jazz Unlimited Newsletter and Content Manager/Chief Contributor to CreativProse, Ltd. (sic), Social Media, Brand Management.
