Patato Y Totico

A Cuban Conga Master’s Definitive Rumba By Felix Contreras NPR.Org March 6 2008 - The Death Of Cuban Conga Master Carlos "Patato" Valdes This Past December Provides A Sad Opportunity To Dig Out One Of His Best-Known Recordings — Which Also Happens To Be A Groundbreaking Piece Of Afro-Cuban Music. In 1968 Patato Recorded What Many Say Is The Definitive Rumba Recording With What's Essentially An Afro-Cuban Supergroup. Forget About The Swanky Big-Band Rhumba With An H Popularized By Latin Society Bands With Ruffled Sleeves — Xavier Cugat For Example. Traditional Rumba Came From Cuban Solares Working-Class Neighborhoods Where The African Influence On Cuban Music Was Most Evident. Patato & Totico Featured Bassist Israel "Cachao" Lopez Who Was An Early Afro-Cuban Pioneer And Arsenio Rodriguez A Blind Musician Celebrated For Giving Traditional Cuban Music A Funky Urban Feel As Well As For Making A Folkloric Instrument The Tres A Six-Stringed Cuban Guitar Sing With Jazz Inflections. Totico Was Another Name For Eugenio Arango Patato's Childhood Friend Who Was A Respected Rumba Singer. Lyrically "Ingrato Corazon" Ungrateful Heart Is Typical Of Street Rumba's Topical Nature. It's A Lament As Well As The Sort Of Warning Call — "Watch Out For Her She'll Do You Wrong" — Often Heard In Blues And Pop Music. The Song's Guaguanco Rhythm Is Again Typical Of The Genre A Pulse-Like Beat Driving The Song Forward A Soloist On The Quinto High-Pitched Conga Riffing A Lead Vocal And Chorus That Re-Creates The Call-And-Response Format Of Traditional African Music. The Joy Of The Cut Lies In The Interplay Between The Drums The Bass And Tres Riffs That Mirror The Melody And Rhythm The Doo-Wop Influence Of The Vocals And Patato's Own Powerful Soloing. Decades Before The Buena Vista Social Club Opened People’s Ears Everywhere To The Glories Of Traditional Cuban Music Percussionist Carlos "Patato" Valdes And Singer Eugenio "Totico" Arango Joined Forces To Give The World An Infectious Jolt Of The Real Thing. Featuring The Legendary Arsenio Rodriguez And Israel "Cachao" Lopez. Patato & Totico Marks The Only Time Carlos "Patato" Valdes Arsenio Rodriguez And Israel "Cachao" Lopez Ever Played Together. It Was Re-Mastered And Reissued Last Year Much To The Delight Of Afro-Cuban Music Fans Around The World. The Cut And The Entire Album Provides A Powerful Reminder Of The Diminutive Drummer's Enormous Contributions To Afro-Cuban Music And Jazz. Http //www.Vinilemania.Net/vcarlospatatovaldes.Htm Obituary 2008 Carlos "Patato" Valdés B 4 Nov. '26 Los Sitios District Havana Cuba D 4 Dec. '07 Cleveland Ohio Master Conguero Percussionist Composer. Father Played Tres Guitar With Son Group Los Apaches Initially Learnt Marímbula African-Derived Bass Instrument Wooden Box With Metal Prongs Sounding Different Bass Notes When Plucked Graduated To Playing Cajones Wooden Box Drums Typical To Rumba At Age 12 Played Conga In Parading Comparsa Carnival Groups. Joined La Sonora Matancera '46 For A Brief Stint Switched To Influential Conjunto Kubavana De Alberto Ruiz '47 Kubavana Recordings Featuring Patato Collected On Rumba En El Patio '94 On Tumbao. Performed At The Glamorous Sans Souci Nightclub With Conjunto Azul Led By Chano Pozo. Became One Of The Stars Of Conjunto Casino '49-54 Appearing With Them On Early Cuban TV Shows Ritmos Tropicales And El Show De Mediodia Broadcast By CMQ Casino Sides Featuring Patato Compiled On Mambo Con Cha-Cha-Cha 1953-55 '96 On Tumbao Also Worked With Pérez Prado Beny Moré Others. Credited With Developing A Method Of Tuning Congas By Tightening A Metal Ring With A Key '50 Facilitating His Trailblazing Melodic Trademark Style. However Ned Sublette Casts Doubt On The Accuracy Of This Accreditation In His Book Cuba And Its Music '04 Chicago Review Press. After A Tour To NYC With Casino In '53 He Relocated There The Following Year Sessioned On LP Afro-Cuban '55 On Blue Note By Kenny Dorham Who First Heard Of Patato From Dizzy Gillespie With Art Blakey Percy Heath Horace Silver Others. Performed With Tito Puente At Harlem's Apollo Theatre '55 Played On Classic Puente In Percussion '55 On Tico Featuring Just Puente's Rhythm Section Incl. Willie Bobo Mongo Santamaría Sessioned On Mongo's Afro-Cuban Roots LP Changó '55 On Tico Reissued As Drums And Chants C. '66 '78 And '94 Also Collected On Mongo Santamaría And His Afro-Cuban Drum Beaters '03 On Caney Performed On Puente's RCA Albums Reissued In Tropical Series '91 Onwards Incl. Cuban Carnival '56 Tambó '60 More Dance Mania '63 Recorded '60 Reissued As Dance Mania Vol. 2 '92 . Sessioned On Blakey's Orgy In Rhythm Vols. 1 & 2 '57 On Blue Note Both Vols. Collected On One CD '97 Featuring Sabú Martínez Herbie Mann Etc. Recruited To Machito Band By Mus. Dir. Mario Bauzá Performed On Machito's Highly Regarded Kenya '57 Aka Latin Soul Plus Jazz '73 On Tico And With Flute To Boot '58 Aka Super Mann On Trip Both On Roulette. Member Of Mann's Group '59-67 Toured Africa With Them '60 LPs With Mann Incl. Flautista! Herbie Mann Plays Afro Cuban Jazz '59 On Verve Reissued '98 Brazil Bossa Nova & Blues '62 And St. Thomas '62 On United Artists Right Now '62 Live At Newport '63 My Kinda Groove '65 Standing Ovation At Newport '65 Monday Night At The Village Gate '66 New Mann At Newport '66 The Beat Goes On '67 All On Atlantic And Latin Mann '65 On CBS. He Took Time Out To Session On Charlie Palmieri's Alegre Label Debut Pachanga At The Caravana Club '61 Pupi Legarreta's Jazz Inflected Charanga Debut Salsa Nova '62 New Spice Reissued As Toda La Verdad '76 On Tico Featuring Patato's Childhood Pal From Los Sitios Totico Eugenio Arango On Lead Vocals Grant Green's The Latin Bit '62 On Blue Note Reissued '96 Sonny Stitt's Stitt Goes Latin '63 On Roost Vibist Dave Pike's Stone Classic Manhattan Latin '64 On Decca Reissued '04 Johnny Pacheco's Descarga Set Pacheco His Flute And Latin Jam '65 On Fania Cal Tjader's Soul Burst '66 On Verve Reissued '98 Willie Bobo's Uno Dos Tres 1.2.3 '66 And Juicy '67 On Verve Johnny Lytle's Swingin' At The Gate '67 On Pacific Jazz Also Recorded With Gillespie Art Taylor Max Roach Charlie Rouse Candido Duke Pearson Michael Longo Others. He Teamed-Up With Totico For The Esteemed Afro-Cuban Rumba Workout Patato & Totico '67 On Verve Incl. Tres Guitar Maestro Arsenio Rodríguez Legendary Bassist Israel "Cachao" López Singer / Percussionist / Composer Papaíto Singer / Composer / Percussionist Virgilio Marti D '95 Also On Verve He Sessioned On Chico O'Farrill's Married Well '67 And Miguelito Valdés' Inolvidables '67 Latter Arr. And Conducted By O'Farrill Incl. Machito Graciela Victor Paz. Played On Lo Ultimo En La Avenida '71 On Tico By Ismael Rivera With Kako Y Su Orquestra And Esto Fué Lo Que Trajo El Barco '72 On Tico By Rivera With His Band Los Cachimbos And Co-Wrote A Track For Each Album With Totico. Features In Candido Con Arsenio Rodríguez Y Estrellas '95 On Faisan A Collection Of Arsenio Tracks With Puerto Rican Singer / Guitarist Candido Antomattei On Vocals. Sessioned On El Bigote '74 On Sound Triangle In Miami By Popular Cuban Expatriate Bandleader Luis Santí Complied With Santí's '76 Sound Triangle Release Con El Cuchillo En La Boca In Luis Santí Musica Original De Cuba '06 On Universal / Empire . Sessioned On Cachao's Revered Cult LPs Cachao Y Su Descarga '77 Vol. 1 '76 And Dos Vol. 2 '77 On Salsoul And Important All-Star Charanga Gathering Super Típica De Estrellas '76 On All-Art Reissued On WS Latino '95 Directed By Don Gonzalo Fernández. Martin Cohen Of Percussion Manufacturer Latin Percussion Who Procured The Rights To Patato's Tuneable Conga Early '70s Employed Patato's Services For A Series Of Recordings On His Latin Percussion Ventures Inc. LPV Label '74-80 Incl. The Instructional LP Understanding Latin Rhythms Vol. I '74 Authority '76 An Album Of Cuban Improvisational Music By Patato And His "Latin Percussion Friends" Incl. Papaíto Marti Percussionist / Vocalist Julito Collazo Tres Guitarist Nelson González. Follow-Up Ready For Freddy '76 Had Patato Supported By A Full Band Incl. Mentioned Personnel From Authority Plus Pianist Alfredo Rodríguez 1936-2005 Timbalero Orestes Vilató Veteran Bassist Bobby Rodríguez D '02 Others Recorded Impromptu In One Take LP Said To Be Held In High Regard By Cecil Taylor And Late Art Blakey. His LPV Finale Batá Y Rumba '80 Showcased The Sacred Batá Drum. Also Guested On José Mangual's Latin Jazz Set Buyú '77 On LPV Sister Label Turnstyle. Cohen Conceived And Marshalled The Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble LPJE Incl. Patato Puente Pianists Eddie Martínez And Jorge Dalto 1948-1987 Others Which Brought Latin Jazz To European Audiences '79-80 LPJE Made Just Like Magic '79 And LPJE Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival 1980 '80 On LPV Latter Recorded During Group's Fourth International Tour. He Played Batá Drum On Puente's Big Band Release Ce' Magnifique '81 On Tico With Panamanian Vocalist Camilo Azuquita. An Aggrieved Patato Quit LPJE After Puente Was Given Top Billing And Settled In Paris For Two Years Performed There With Other Paris-Based Latin Musicians Incl. Alfredo Rodríguez And Azuquita Toured '82 With A Quintet Incl. Rodríguez Flautist Artie Webb Alto Saxist / Flautist Allen Hoist He And Totico Performed On Rodríguez's Solo Debut Sonido Solido '83 Aka Alfredo Rodríguez . Patato . Totico Recorded In NYC. Sessioned On Two Albums By Jorge Dalto & Superfriends Rendez-Vous '83 And New York Nightline '84 On Cheetah Reissued '07 And Toured With Dalto's Interamerican Band Also Recorded With Them On Urban Oasis '85 On Concord Picante And Machito Orchestra During Mid-'80s. Appeared In The Cosby Show '86 As Part Of A Group Incl. Puente Blakey Percy And Jimmy Heath Joe Wilder Eric Gale. Sessioned On Bauzá's Grammy Nominated Afro-Cuban Jazz With Graciela Mario Bauzá And Friends '86 On Caimán As Well As Tanga '92 My Time Is Now '93 And 944 Columbus '94 On Messidor By Bauzá's Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra With Whom He Also Toured. Appeared In UK Dec. '89 Accompanied By Roberto Pla's London-Based Latin Jazz Ensemble. Guested On Rodríguez's Live Latin Jazz Set Cuba-New York-Paris '91 On Bleu Caraïbes And Trombonist Papo Vásquez's Solo Latin Jazz Debut Breakout '92 On Timeless. His Solo Project Masterpiece '93 On Messidor Was Recorded In NYC '84-5 But Remained "on-Hold" Because Of Co-Producer Dalto's Death Personnel Incl. Webb Jerry And Andy González Nicky Marrero Singers Vicentico Valdés And Orlando Watussi. Played Quinto Small Conga Drum On Chocolate Y Amigos '95 On Caimán Recorded In The '80s By Trumpeter Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros And His Sextet Including Sergio George Piano / Arranger Mario Grillo Drums Andy González Bass And Mario Rivera 1939-2007 Baritone Sax. Performed On Pianist Bebo Valdés' Comeback Bebo Rides Again! '95 Also On Messidor Reissued '04 On Universal / Pimienta . Grammy Nominated Ritmo Y Candela / Rhythm At The Crossroads '95 On Redwood Captured A Rare Encounter Between Afro-Cuban Percussion Giants Patato Orestes Vilató And Changuito José Luis Quintana With A Small Group In A Studio Latin Jam Session Recorded In San Francisco. Follow-Up Ritmo Y Candela II / African Crossroads '96 On Round World Music Garnered Another Grammy Nomination. Sessioned With A Wind Ensemble On The Quirky Melodía Para Congas Jungle And The Saxophone - Enrique Fernández And The Enriquillo Winds Starring Patato '97 On Mapleshade Productions. Made Unico Y Diferente '99 On Connector In Germany Headlining A Small Group Featuring Marrero And Alfredo Rodríguez And Appeared In Calle 54 '00 A Full Length Film Dedicated To Latin Jazz And Accompanying Double CD Set On EMI / Chrysalis. He Teamed Up With Candido And Giovanni Hidalgo Under The Name Of The Conga Kings To Make Two CDs For The Chesky Label The Conga Kings '00 A Rumba Workout And Jazz Descargas '01 Featuring A Mambo-Jazz Style Big Band With An Impressive Lineup Both Directed By Ray Santos And Recorded In St. Peter's Episcopal Church New York. Reunited With Bebo Valdés For The Grammy Winning Piano And Rhythm Set El Arte Del Sabor '01 On Blue Note With Cachao And Reeds Player Paquito D'Rivera Guesting On Three Tracks. Joined The All-Star Cuban Masters A Sort Of US Answer To The Buena Vista Social Club Directed By Juan Pablo Torres 1946-2005 For The Grammy And Latin Grammy Nominated Los Originales '01 On Universal / MusicHaus Featuring Cachao Chocolate José Fajardo And Many Others. His El Hombre '04 On Mambo Maniacs Showcases Smooth Latin Jazz Material Recorded '97-8 With Dave Valentín Guesting On One Cut. Returning Home To NYC On Nov. 12 '07 After A Concert With The Conga Kings In San Francisco Patato Became Short Of Breath During The Flight. As A Precaution The Aircraft Landed In Cleveland Ohio So That Patato Could Receive Medical Care. A Statement At The Time Said He Suffered From Emphysema Due To A Lifetime Of Smoking And Had Been Hospitalised For Evaluation And Would Remain Under Observation Until It Was Felt He Was Healthy Enough To Fly Home. Just Over Three Weeks Later It Was Reported That The Legendary Conga Master Died In Cleveland On Dec. 4 Of Respiratory Failure. Alfredo De La Fé Was One Of The First To Pay Tribute "Today The Day Of Changó Carlos 'Patato' Valdés A Son Of Changó Passed Away At 10 10pm. One Of The Top Percussionists In The World Armando Peraza Once Told Me That When La Comparsa El Cocuyé Came By On The Streets Of Havana You Could Hear The Quinto 20 Blocks Away Before Any Other Instrument. It Was A Small Giant Playing That Quinto 'Patato'. Today That Quinto Has Silenced Forever Only To Live In Our Memories Our Hearts And In That Great Legacy He Left Behind. I Love You Patato And For Me You Will Always Be Alive." Biography By John Child Courtesy Www.Descarga.Com read less