Amoeba Music

By Robert Leaver

            When one thinks of the conga, one must think of Carlos “Patato” Valdés. His patented invention of the tunable conga produced by Latin Percussion as the “Patato Model” set the popular standard for the instrument. Using three tuned congas to produce melodic phrasing, his groundbreaking work in the ‘50s and ‘60s helped establish the instrument as more than just a rhythm marker. Playing with both the top Latin and jazz musicians in New York City, his style and showmanship helped lift the instrument out of the Latin music ghetto. Demonstrating that the conga could “sing” like a brass or bass instrument, the... Read More

City Of Origin:

Havana, Cuba

Genre:

World, Jazz, Latin Jazz

Birthdate:

11/04/1926

Death date:

12/04/2007