Carlos Patato Valdes carlos patato valdes (November 4, 1926 – December 4, 2007) was a Cuban-born American conga player. In 1955 he emigrated from Cuba to New York City where he played with Willie Bobo in Harlem. He was also known by the name “Patato”. He invented and patented the tunable conga drum (earlier drums had nailed heads) which revolutionized use of the instrument. Tito Puente called him “the greatest conguero alive today.”Since the 1950s Patato was among the congueros that were in highest demand in the Latin Music and jazz world. He played, toured and recorded together with singer Miguelito Valdés, Perez Prado, Beny Moré, Cachao López, with Tito Puente, Machito, Herbie Mann, Kenny Dorham, Cal Tjader, Art Blakey, Elvin Jones and other, also with Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones, accompanying both on extended tours throughout Europe, and with the late Mario Bauza. Patato acted in and composed the title song of The Bill Cosby Show. In 1991 he contributed to the movie soundtrack for The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. Patato was the leader of his own band ‘Afrojazzia’, which toured Europe in the spring of 1994. A lifetime smoker, carlos patato valdes had emphysema and died of respiratory failure in Cleveland, Ohio on December 4, 2007. For over 60 years Carlos “Patato” Valdez demonstrated how a musician could combine technical skill with superb showmanship. His conga playing demonstrated the fusion of melody and rhythm. It also reflected his keen understanding of rhythm as a biological constant that is rooted, quite literally, in the human heartbeat. During his performances, Patato even mastered the art of playing his congas while dancing on top of them, to the delight of the audience. Valdes dazzled audiences well into his seventies with his rumba moves. He is also the man who gave Brigitte Bardot a mambo lesson in the film And God Created Woman. Valdez also expressed his understanding of melody through bass and tres, the Cuban folk guitar. During the late 1940s he helped develop the first tunable congas, as earlier models were tuned by the unwieldy method of heating them with a sterno can. His interest in design, as well as his friendship with LP Founder Martin Cohen, led to the development of the LP Patato Model Congas, one of the top- selling conga drums of all time. Personal lifeVakdes was the father of Carlos Hernandez, better known as Chick Hernandez, a news anchor for NBC. Discography With Dizzy Gillespie The Ebullient Mr. Gillespie (Verve, 1959) Have Trumpet, Will Excite! (Verve, 1959) Portrait of Jenny (Perception, 1970) With Johnny Griffin Soul Groove (Atlantic, 1963) – with Matthew Gee With Sonny Stitt Stitt Goes Latin (Roost, 1963) Video Links: Credits Year Album Artist Complete Instrumental 2013 Ike Quebec Percussion Sessions 2013 Seven Classic Albums Grant Green Congas Year Album Artist The Sound of America: 2013 The Singles Cornet Collection Strike Up the Band: 2012 Quincy Jones Percussion 1959-1961 2011 Eight Classic Albums Kenny Dorham Congas The 100 Best Jazz 2011 Congas Tunes of the 1950’s 2010 Douglas on Blue Note Congas Jazz Signatures, Vol. 2009 Congas 3 2009 Marco di Mauro Marco di Mauro Vocal Director 2009 Para Olvidarte de Mí RBD Vocal Director African Rhythms [Blue 2008 Congas Note] Vocal Director, 2008 Best of RBD RBD Vocal Recording Recording, Vocal 2008 La Historia RBD Director Congas, 2008 Verve Unmixed, Vol. 4 Percussion Florida Funk: 2007 Congas 1968-1975 Frequent Flyer: 2007 Composer Havana 2006 31:31 Annette Peacock Percussion Introducing Herbie Congas, 2006 Mann [Wea Herbie Mann Percussion International] Year Album Artist Congas, Guest Musica Original de 2006 Luis Santi Artist, Main Cuba Personnel Musica Original de Paquito Congas, Main 2006 Cuba Hechavarria Personnel Sax (Soprano), 2006 Vania Vania Sax (Tenor) Anthology: The Soul- 2005 Jazz Fusion Years Freddie Hubbard Congas, Maracas 66-82 2005 Funk Elements Primary Artist 2005 Luna Negra Luna Negra Sax (Tenor) Mosaic Select: Johnny 2005 Johnny Richards Congas Richards 2005 NEA Jazz Masters Dizzy Gillespie Congas Recording, Vocal 2005 Nuestro Amor RBD Director Spotlight on Music: Performer, 2005 Grade 4 Disc 18 Primary Artist Congas, Guest The Essential Tito 2005 Tito Puente Artist, Main Puente Personnel Congas, Main 2004 20 Años Bebo Valdés Personnel, Maracas Patato, 3 Generations of 2004 Lucrecia y Primary Artist Cuban Musicians Paquito 2004 Cosas de la Calle Kubavana Trumbadoras 2004 Cox Cox Composer Year Album Artist Carlos “Patato” Congas, Maracas, 2004 El Hombre Valdes Primary Artist Production 2004 Flores de Alquiler La 5ª Estación Assistant 2004 Funkia Mike Longo Percussion Jazziz: On The Latin 2004 Primary Artist Side Masters at Work 2004 Present Latin Verve Masters at Work Primary Artist Sounds 2003 Cuba 1923-1995 Congas Cuban All Stars: The 2003 Best from the Heart Primary Artist of Cuba De Tal Palo… Tal 2003 Lazaro Valdes Sax (Tenor) Valdes I Heard It on NPR: At 2003 Primary Artist Home in the World 2003 Inolvidablemente Moncho Metales Mosaic Select: Duke Congas, Guiro, 2003 Duke Pearson Pearson Shaker Playtime, Vol. 2: 2003 Pure Latin Soul and Primary Artist Boogaloo Michael Philip Congas, Guest 2003 The Orisha Suite Mossman Artist, Soloist 2003 Verve Remixed, Vol. 2 Congas Verve 2003 Remixed/Unmixed, Vol. Congas 2 Year Album Artist Willie Bobo’s Finest 2003 Willie Bobo Congas Hour Cuando Duerme la 2002 Moneda Dura Saxophone Habana Eager Hands and 2002 Restless Feet: The Tony Allen Congas Best of Tony Allen Ilustrado Caballero Clarinet, Sax 2002 Gerardo Alfonso de Paris (Tenor), Soloist 2002 Llego Hasta Ti Yamile Sax (Tenor) 2002 Milagro/Sacred Fire Santana Composer 2002 Pyramids And Palms Project Natale Percussion 2002 Retrospective Grant Green Congas The Best of the 2002 Herbie Mann Congas Atlantic Years Afro-Cuban Grooves, Performer, 2001 Vol. 4 [Wagram] Primary Artist Calle 54 [Music from 2001 Congas the Motion Picture] Cuban Masters: Los Congas, 2001 Los Originales Originales Percussion Diggin’ the Crates 2001 Primary Artist for Afro-Cuban Funk Congas, 2001 El Arte del Sabor Bebo Valdés Percussion 2001 Jazz Descargas The Conga Kings Congas LRC Jazz Legacy 2001 Anthology: Everyday I Percussion Have the Blues Year Album Artist Live at the Whisky A 2001 Go Go/Mississippi Herbie Mann Congas Gambler Mapleshade’s Music 2001 Congas Festival 2001 Matrix Dizzy Gillespie Congas 2001 Right Now/Latin Fever Herbie Mann Congas Roots of Afro-Cuban 2001 Congas Jazz Saoco! Masters of Bongos, Congas, 2001 Afro-Cuban Jazz Percussion Orquesta 2001 Sonado A Melodias Guiro Melodias del 40 2001 Sunwheels Michael Marcus Guest Artist The Beat Goes On/The 2001 Herbie Mann String Herbie Mann Congas Album The Rough Guide to Afro-Cuba: Performer, 2001 Continental Drift – Primary Artist Explosive Musical Connection Time Remembered: LRC 2001 Percussion Jazz Legacy Anthology A Cuba Without Performer, 2000 Borders Primary Artist Carlos “Patato” 2000 African Crossroads Primary Artist Valdes Composer, Primary 2000 Authority Patato Artist, Quinto, Vocals Year Album Artist Complete Blue Note 2000 Elvin Jones Congas Elvin Jones Sessions Composer, Congas, Guest Artist, 2000 Conga Kings Candido Primary Artist, Vocals Fantasy Presents 2000 Maracas Latin Jazz Orlando 2000 Guaguanco Primary Artist Contreras I Love Salsa 2000 Primary Artist [Manteca] 2000 Latin Fever 2000 Guitar 2000 Latino Blue Congas New York Latin Jazz New York Latin 2000 Allstars: Feliz Congas Jazz Allstars Navidad 2000 No Que Bueno Esta Bamboleo Sax (Tenor) The Legend of Cuban Composer, Congas, 2000 Patato Percussion Primary Artist Carlos “Patato” 2000 Unico y Diferente Primary Artist Valdes Afro Cuban Jazz: 1999 Percussion 1947-1960 Afro-Cuban Grooves, Performer, 1999 Vol. 4 [Melodie] Primary Artist Congas, 1999 Blue Bossa, Vol. 2 Performer, Primary Artist Cuba, I Am Time, Vol. 1999 Congas, Guiro 4: Cubano Jazz Year Album Artist Do the Bossa Nova 1999 with Herbie Mann/My Herbie Mann Percussion Kinda Groove Congas, Guest 1999 High Heel Sneakers Doug Lawrence Artist 1999 Mañana Vendras Conjunto Casino Congas Rhythm & Time: Global Composer, Primary 1999 Percussion Songs Artist, Vocals So Blue, So Funky, 1999 Congas Vol. 2 1999 The Heart of a Legend Chico O’Farrill Congas, Maracas Exitos 1998 En House Guitar Vallenatos Percussion, 1998 Mambo Mania [Charly] Vocals Composer, Mambo Mania: Talkin’ 1998 Performer, Verve Primary Artist 1998 Para Bailar Mi Son Rolo Martinez Sax (Tenor) Percussion, 1998 Remembering Clifford Benny Golson Unknown Contributor Role Sabroso: The Afro- 1998 Congas Latin Groove Composer, Congas, Uno Dos Tres: Latin 1998 Performer, Jazz Grooves Primary Artist Afro Cuban Grooves, 1997 Primary Artist Vol. 2 Performer, 1997 Best of Ellipsis Arts Primary Artist Year Album Artist 1997 Cuba: I Am Time Congas, Guiro Special 1997 Due Rights Michael Raye Participation 1997 Embajadores Los Embajadores Composer Fiesta Picante: The 1997 Latin Jazz Party Congas Collection Jazz ‘Round Midnight: 1997 Quincy Jones Percussion Quincy Jones 1997 Jazz Profile Grant Green Congas Latin Jazz Highlights: 1997 Congas, Maracas Messidor’s Finest, Vol. 5 Latin Jazz for Congas, Guiro, 1997 Lovers: Messidor’s Maracas Finest, Vol. 4 Like a Thief in the 1997 Mike Longo Percussion Night Enriquillo Composer, Congas, 1997 Melodia Para Congras Fernandez Guiro, Maracas 1997 Messidor’s Finest Mario Bauzá Congas, Guiro Nu Yorica 2!: Further Adventures in Latin Percussion, 1997 Music Chango in the Vocals New World Performer, 1997 Rough Guide to Salsa Primary Artist Performer, 1997 Ska Zone Primary Artist