Carlos "Patato" Valdes

Carlos M. " Patato " Valdes (* November 4, 1926 in Havana (Cuba ); † December 4, 2007 in New York ) was an American percussionist of Latin Jazz, which came especially on the small conga drum Quinto in appearance.

Life and work

Valdes received from the age of twelve guitar lessons from his father, only to learn the conga. He worked with famous Cuban groups, such as La Sonora Mantancera, Conjunto Azul with Chano Pozo and before he moved in the early 1950s after a stint in New York City in the United States. There he played with Machito ( 1953-1959 ), Tito Puente ( 1957-1959 ) and then with Herbie Mann (up to 1962). In 1957 he was involved in Art Blakey Orgy in Rhythm album. With Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones, he went on a European tour. Then he 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 with Mario Bauza through Europe, but was also repeatedly with Tito Puente and with his own groups (including with Alfredo Rodríguez ) go. With his own band " Afrojazzia " he guested in 1994 in Europe.

Valdes gave numerous master classes. He also developed with Latin Percussion Patato Model Conga the first tunable conga drums. In addition, he appeared in Roger Vadim's film And God Created Woman (1956 ) with Brigitte Bardot on.

Disco Graphical Notes

  • Patato y Totico (1968 ) with Eugenio Arango, Arsenio Rodríguez and Cachao López
  • Masterpiece (1984 )
  • Authority ( 2001)

Lexigraphic entries

  • Martin Kunzler, Jazz Encyclopedia Vol 2 Reinbek 2002; ISBN 3-499-16513-9
Mario Bauzá Integrated Authority File
630023
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