Patato Valdes

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Carlos M. "Patato" Valdés (born November 4, 1926 in Havana (Cuba), † December 4, 2007 in New York ) was an American Latin jazz percussionist who performed particularly well on the small conga drum Quinto.

Live and act

Valdés received guitar lessons from his father from the age of twelve and then learned to play the conga. He worked with well-known Cuban groups such as La Sonora Mantancera , Conjunto Azul and with Chano Pozo before moving to the United States in the early 1950s after a stint in New York City . There he played with Machito (1953-1959), with Tito Puente (1957-1959) and then with Herbie Mann (until 1962). In 1957 he was involved in Art Blakey's album Orgy in Rhythm . With Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones he went on a European tour. He then played for Willie Bobo Kenny Dorham , Elvin Jones , Benny Golson , Duke Pearson , Johnny Griffin , Cal Tjader , Mike Longo , Hilton Ruiz , Dave Liebman , Charlie Rouse , Oliver Nelson and Roy Hargrove . In 1991 he toured Europe with Mario Bauzá , but was also on the road with Tito Puente and with his own groups (including Alfredo Rodríguez ). In 1994 he made guest appearances in Europe with his own band “Afrojazzia”.

Valdés gave numerous master classes . He also developed the first tunable conga drums with Latin Percussion Patato Model Conga . He also appeared in Roger Vadim's film And Always Lures Woman (1956) with Brigitte Bardot .

Discographic notes

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personal data
SURNAME Valdes, Patato
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Valdés Galan, Carlos M .; Valdez, Patato
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American percussionist
DATE OF BIRTH November 4, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Havana
DATE OF DEATH 4th December 2007
Place of death New York City