DRUMMER CAFE

Greetings and salutations gang.

I'm wanting to extend my musical palate and want to experience more latin stuff.
I think seeing as I had a very meat-and-potatoes-british-rock-n-pop upbringing as a kid, it's only been the past few years that I've pushed myself to learn about jazz and funk and other styles.

I understand that Latin is a really big area in which the drummer might get to fully 'work out'.

To start me off are there any key grooves, beats or songs that would get me going?

Thanks 

I only have a limited exposure to this as well, but I have Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez's Italuba CD and it is great.  He has another one out also, I think it's just called Italuba 2.  He is on the Modern Drummer 2000 DVD, and the Drum and Bass Day 2002 DVD. 

Antonio Sanchez is on the Modern Drummer 2003 DVD and he's phenomenal as well. 

Poncho Sanchez is a well known conga player that might be interesting to you.  You may also go back in time a bit and look for old Tito Puente CD's too.

EDIT:  Also check out Ignacio Berroa's new CD called Codes.  That got a nice write-up in MD not long ago...

Pick up anything by Michel Camilo, Irakere, Paquito Guzman, Tito De Gracia, etc. Arturo sandoval has some good latin Jazz stuff, of course all these are recommendations for "trap" drums, if you want to get into all types of percussion stuff the list can go on and on a lot of great suggestions by skittle.

See if you can find a Best of Santana Cd as well.