Bobby Valentín

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bobby Valentín (born June 9, 1941 in Orocovis , Puerto Rico ), actually Roberto Valentín, also known as "El Rey del Bajo" is a Puerto Rican salsa musician and band leader.

Career

Bobby Valentin learned to play the guitar from his father at an early age. When his mother died in 1947, the Orocovis family moved to Coamo. At the age of 11 he took part in a local talent competition with a music trio and won first prize as a singer. On the advice of a teacher, Valentin attended the José I. Quinton Academy of Music, where he learned to play the trumpet, among other things. In 1956 his family left Puerto Rico and moved to New York City , where Bobby Valentin attended George Washington High School and continued to study music. In 1958 he made the acquaintance of the musician Joe Quijano and played in the group of Willie Rosario , who grew up from the same area as him. In 1963 Bobby Valentin joined Tito Rodríguez's band and had several appearances in Venezuela . He had arrangements for Charlie Palmieri, Joe Quijano, Willie Rosario, and Ray Barretto. He played bass for Raphy Leavitt and Vicentico Valdés. In 1965 Bobby Valentin formed his own band and signed with Fania Records. The first hits during his concerts in Puerto Rico were "El Mensajero" and "Young Man With a Horn". Bobby Valentin also became the first musical arranger of the famous group Fania All-Stars and played a bass guitar solo in the song "Descarga Fania". In 1975 Valentin left Fania-All Stars and founded his own record label "Bronco Records". ER produced "Va a la Carcel" Vol 1 and Vol 2, which were recorded in "El Oso Blanco", Puerto Rico's oldest prison. At the time, Marvin Santiago was the lead singer in Bobby Valentin's band and had a big hit with "Soy Boricua," which alluded to the national pride of Puerto Ricans. In 1978 the singer Cano Estremera made his debut in the band and was responsible for the continued success of the group with songs like "La boda de ella" and "Manuel García". Together with Larry Harlow , Ismael Miranda , Roberto Roena , Cheo Feliciano and Celia Cruz , Bobby Valentin was involved in numerous musical productions. At Christmas 2002 he had the hit "Mata la cucaracha" with Marvin Santiago's youngest brother Billyván Santiago. In 2004 the DVD "En Vivo Desde Bellas Artes" followed and in 2006 his song "El Caiman" was used in the video game Scarface: The World Is Yours . In 2008 he released his last album so far, "Evolución".

Discography

  • Ritmo Pa 'Goza (1965)
  • Young Man With a Horn
  • Bad Breath (1966)
  • Let's turn on
  • Se La Comió (1969)
  • Algo Nuevo (1970)
  • Rompecabezas (1971)
  • Soy Boricua (1972)
  • Rey Del Bajo (1974)
  • In motion
  • Va a la Carcel Vol.1
  • Va a la Carcel Vol.2
  • Afuera
  • Musical Seduction
  • La Boda De Ella (1999)
  • Callate Corazón
  • El Gato
  • Siempre En Forma
  • gigolo
  • Con Mas Amor
  • Como Nunca
  • 25 Aniversario Del Rey Del Bajo
  • Symbol Of Prestige
  • La Gran Reunion
  • 35 Aniversario Vuelve A La Carcel
  • Bobby Valentín & Marvin Santiago
  • Donde Lo Dejamos 1997 Canta Marvin Santiago
  • Cano Estremera En Accion 1984
  • Evolution 2008

Web links

Notes and individual references

  1. ↑ Übers. King of the Bass
personal data
SURNAME Valentín, Bobby
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Valentín, Roberto; El Rey del Bajo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Puerto Rican musician
DATE OF BIRTH June 9, 1941
PLACE OF BIRTH Orocovis , Puerto Rico