Carlos "Patato" Valdés

Who was Carlos "Patato" Valdés?

Carlos Valdes 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 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, Patato had emphysema and died of respiratory failure in Cleveland, Ohio on December 4, 2007.