Miguel "Angá" Díaz

One of the key percussionists in timba"> timba's development — Miguel "Angá" Díaz was a conga player whose deep Afro-Cuban religious background informed the percussive character of the timba"> timba groups he worked with.

About

Angá Díaz was a percussionist rooted in the Afro-Cuban religious traditions of Havana batá, rumba, and conga — who brought that foundation to the timba"> timba context. His work helped establish the character of timba"> timba percussion: the way Afro-Cuban religious rhythms are incorporated into the popular dance framework, the dense polyrhythmic layering, the energy level that distinguishes timba"> timba's rhythmic texture from earlier Cuban popular music.

He died in 2006, cutting short a career that was central to understanding how Afro-Cuban tradition and contemporary popular music connect in timba"> timba.