Carlos "Patato" Valdes

A Conga Master Whose Drum Not Only Keeps Time, It Sings, Too

Carlos Valdes, known as Patato, could be the Henny Youngman of conga drummers. He doesn't flaunt his virtuosity; most of the time he taps out structurally essential patterns that mesh with the rest of the rhythm section. But when a tune makes space, he knocks out a rhythmic volley with the timing and impact of a perfect one-liner.
Mr. Valdes performed with important Cuban groups, including Sonora Matancera and Conjunto Casino, before coming to the United States in 1954. He became a major contributor to Latin jazz, working with Kenny Dorham, Tito Puente and Herbie Mann. He is so well known among musicians that Latin Percussion makes a Patato line of conga drums.
Six Degrees Records has just issued ''The Legend of Cuban Percussion,'' a compilation of Latin jazz recordings he made in the mid-1990's, called ''Ritmo y Candela.'' Last Wednesday night at Nell's the arranger from those sessions, Enrique Fernandez, returned on flute and saxophone as part of a septet to play material from the album.
It was a suavely audacious group that grounded the tunes in dance rhythms while heading for the modernist fringes. Oriente Lopez on piano sprinkled his vamps with chromatic harmonies akin to Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock. Mr. Fernandez's solos on flute and saxophones went twittering and vaulting through their variations; Pedro Emilio Rodriguez, on trumpet and fluegelhorn, was a straightforwardly tuneful contrast.
Nicky Marrero on timbales played snappy rhythmic barrages, supported by Bill Elder's breezy trap drums and Chucho Martinez's imperturbable bass. Up from the audience, the singer Pete Rodriguez (El Conde), Pedro's father, and the trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez sat in.
Mr. Valdes used his congas for both rhythm and melody. His drums are so tightly tuned that he can produce clear tones from them, and he started the set by playing the first riff of ''Son de Patato'' on his drums. From there he merged with the ensemble, sometimes playing a melodic counterpoint, sometimes using a sharply percussive attack. Most of the time he didn't insist on being noticed because he didn't have to.
Mr. Valdes is to perform in a JVC Jazz Festival concert on Friday night at Symphony Space.
- JON PARELES

The Conguero with the Golden Hands

It's too bad that on some classic jazz albums and dictionaries the renowned "conguero" Carlos Valdes will be known as a "Potato."

But all it takes is hearing "Patato" once to realize the kick this inventive master has given to Latin music. While small in physical stature, when he steps behind those drums he ain't no french fry. From his ascension with pioneer "conjuntos" like La Sonora Matancera, Conjunto Azul, and Conjunto Casino in his native Cuba; to his stamp on countless classic jazz recordings with Herbie Mann, Bluenote Records, and others; to his landmark Grammy nominated Ritmo y Candela CD, the mighty Patato with his singing melodic tone is a cultural treasure to be honored.

Born November 4, 1926 in Barrio Los Sitios in Havana, his father was a pioneer "tres" (guitar) player with the group Los Apaches, made up of longshoremen, the group was formed in 1915 and when they broke up in 1920 split into Sexteto Habanero and Sexteto Nacional. In this musical fertile environment he learned various instruments as a child, like the "marimbula" and of course the "tres."

Around the age of twelve he began playing congas with a "compara" called "La Sultlana" and by his teens was an established "rumbero." From the beginning it was his melodic tone that set him apart and at nineteen he broke into the big time when he replaced the ailing Valentin Cane as contuero with La Sonora Matancera. He stayed a year before his boyhood friend Armando Peraza brought him into the Conjunto Kubavana of Alberto Ruiz.

"I was playing the conga in Kubavana," remembers Peraza. "Then the gongocero named Candido Requena fell out of sorts with Ruiz and left he group. Patato was playing at the Academia Martibelonia and I took him to Ruiz who said, 'fine but now I need a bongo player.' So Patato and I did a duet for him with me on bongoes, and that was it."

The group was top notch and shared in public enthusiasm alongside Arsenio Rodriguez and Conjunto Casino. Their recordings of Rumba en el patio and Sonaremo el tambo are a testament to their unparalleled youthful vigor. Then the boyhood friends left Ruiz to play with Chano Pozo in the Conjunto Azul which played at the noted Sans Souci Nightclub. This is where Pozo had gained notoriety in 1940 with a cabaret spectacular title "Congo Pantera." His fame skyrocketed not only as a drummer but as a composer and dancer as well. Pozo was also a friend of Patato's from Barrio Belen in Havana.

"Pozo was with our 'comparsa' but was very eccentric. He mainly composed and danced. I was supposed to go to New York City with Miguelito Valdes instead of him in 1947 but my father wouldn't let me go."

Who knows what the evolution of Afro-Cuban jazz would have been if Patato had made the trip and possible joined the Dizzy Gillespie orchestra but fate dealt the young conguero another hand. Peraza left with Mongo Santamaria in 1949 for the United States and Patato was asked to join Conjunto Casion, "Los Campeones del Ritmo." Considered one of the top bands of the era, the group boasted three outstanding soneros: Robert Faz, Roberto Espi, and Augustin Ribor.

To hear Patato at his best, check out La conga del casino, where he tears up some cuero (leather) with amazing force. The great Cuban trap drummer Walfredo De Los Reyes recalls seeing Patato with Conjunto Casino at the Fausto Theater in Havana.

"Patato always stole the show when he would make like a penguin and dance El baile del pinguino, a very popular song by the conjunto. He developed a unique sound based on the way he would tuck the skins on his heads. Remember in those days there was ;no hardware and people used nails to tighten their skins. He also developed a; distinct style with his hands that became very popular. He was very inventive."

The group performed daily on one of Cuba's first television programs, Medio Dia. Two years ago when Patato teamed up with Orestes Vilato and Jose Luis Quintana "Changuito" for the recording of Ritmo y Candela on Redwood Records, Changuito recalled being on the show with Patato at age six!

"I used to always watch Patato playing on the show with the conjunto," says Changuito. "Once my mother took me and asked if I could play congas with the group. Patato gave me the drums and when he heard me he went crazy!"

"Yeah," responded Patato, "after that, Roberto Faz started ribbing me 'cuidado que hay un chamaquito alli que te va mochar (careful there's a little boy that will cut you down)."

In 1952 he visited New York City for a performance with Conjunto Casino at the Tropicana Nightclub. With all his friends there like Peraza, Mongo, Candido Camero, and other, he was impressed with the scene. The Palladium and the mambo were in full effect, not to speak of the bebop revolution sweeping jazz, and he decided to immigrate in 1954 to this country. Mongo recommended him to Tito Puente who quickly absorbed him into his orchestra.

"I had these ideas and - Jesse Varela