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Bobby Valentin The mind of a master

Roberto Valentin “Bobby Valentin” was one of the main collaborators and arrangers of the Fania All-Stars in the 1970s, over which time he also recorded numerous solo albums. Born in 1941 in the locality of Orocovis, Puerto Rico, he began playing guitar as a child and won a contest with a band that he conducted himself at the age of 11.

He began his trumpet studies at the age of 15 shortly before he moved with his family to New York, where he continued his studies under the direction of Carmina Caruso. In 1958 he started his professional career with the Joe Quijano’s Orchestra.

Valentin spent the next several years working as a trumpeter, guitarist, bassist and arranger for artists such as Willie Rosario, Charlie Palmieri, Ray Barreto, Tito Rodríguez and Willie Bobo, until the year 1965, when he debuted with an orchestra to his name by releasing two albums, one of them was under Johnny Pacheco‘s Fania label.

Bobby Valentin, the King of the Bass

During the following years, Valentin continued to release albums to his name under the Pacheco’s label, but he also began recording and making arrangements for the label’s band, the legendary Fania All Stars, which had the presence of important figures as Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Willie Colon, Eddie Palmieri, Papo Lucca, Mongo Santamaría, among many others.

In 1975, he began recording for his own label, but his work with the Fania All Stars goes on until the day. Since then, the musician continues to perform with his orchestra for the most important salsa and jazz festivals from all over the world, while at the beginning of the decade Valentin contributed arrangements for some Pacheco‘s songs, it was only natural that he released his albums under his new label.

And while Bobby Valentin moved with his orchestra to Puerto Rico in 1968, he continued to travel often to New York to record for Fania, in addition to working and arranging songs for the label’s band, the Fania All-Stars to which he helped define the sound through his bass, on classic albums of the 1970s like the Tribute to Tito Rodriguez or the live album at Yankee Stadium.

In 1978 he began recording for his own label, Bronco Records, through which he recorded “La boda de ella“, a song that became one of the most important of his career.In addition to continuing to release albums for his own label, the latter of which saw the light in 2016 under the name “Mi Ritmo es bueno” and Mind Of A Master in 2018.

The pop classic The Twist composed by Hank Ballard and popularized by Chubby Checker in 1960, now sounds in salsa clave in a new version created by musician, arranger and composer Bobby Valentin y su Orquesta.

For award-winning Puerto Rican composer, arranger, producer and musical director, to remember is to live, as a result of which he presented the song in Spanish and dance in order to interest the new generations.

“When I was based in New York, this was a boom, Chubby Checker recorded it! At that time, what was done in rock & roll and today’s music is called salsa and it was all about dancing. There was the chachachá, the pachanga, the boogaloo… Everything was visual, with dancing! Chubby Checkerwas in all the TV shows… I recorded the song a year and a half ago, but the premiere was pushed back for the pandemic. I figured I could do it in salsa without losing the essence of that time,” he said.

The Twist https://youtu.be/zf-SjdhbH9M

Sources

Amarie Magazine

Fania

How boogaloo was born

Throughout history, music has undergone a series of transformations that have led it to become what we know today, which means that this set of artistic expressions is the product of an ongoing process that does not stop and will never stop. These changes are deeply and closely linked to the rhythms originating from a certain place and their mix with those of other latitudes. In the specific case of Latin music, this process was accelerated with the arrival of a large number of immigrants to the United States of America. That is how so-called boogaloo was born.   

Boogaloo is a powerful combination of son montuno with American rock and soul, although there are many who claim that mambo played a much greater role than son. Its origins are not entirely clear, but one of the most talked versions asserts that the emergence of a generation of musicians who had no academic training or experience in the industry were the ones who started this impetuous and scandalous trend that had no reverse.   

Likewise, it is believed that everything starts in New York with a then small group of artists who were inspired by the rock style of the time, but the one who really popularized Boogaloo around the world was singer Pete Rodriguez. Of course, We cannot fail to mention the important role played by pianist Richie Ray and La Lupe, also known as the queen of Latin soul. 

How boogaloo revolutionized music at that time

Just as boogaloo came to revolutionize the sounds, it also did it with the topics addressed in most of the music of the time. 

Generations raised in the United States that did not feel identified with the Beatles or the Rolling Stones found in this set of rhythms an identity to cling onto in order to combat the hottest at the moment. This rising genre began to address issues related to the social and economic situation of the most disadvantaged sectors. In any part of the world these songs were heard, local people knew what was going on, or at least from the perspective of the artists who lent their voices to give life to these new creations. 

A very appealing characteristic of boogaloo songs is that they could be performed in both English and Spanish, so in a way, it gave the genre an essence merged with Latin and Anglo-Saxon elements that was fairly new at that time.   

It went on to become some kind of social movement that intended to fill a gap that could not be filled by mistakenly called gringo music. Many of its defenders thought it was destined for greatness and durability, but unfortunately, it did not happen. In fact, the peak years of the rhythm went from 1965 to 1969, to show that it did not go beyond being a passing fad after an enthusiastic start. 

It was quickly replaced by other catchier genres and dances that quickly sank in the taste of young and old alike, leaving behind what could have been the greatest musical legacy that Latinos have contributed to the outside world. Other sounds arrived, crept over the music scene slowly but surely, and left out boogaloo. 

However, we must clarify that while this genre was no longer relevant as at the beginning, there is no getting around the fact that it was this movement that gave rise to a lot of legendary songs that today are still analyzed and commented on by those who danced and sang them at the time. Not to mention that this and several other rhythms that followed were the transition that salsa needed to explode as did at the peak of its popularity.  

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Born in the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico in 1969 with music in his veins.

Carlos Enrique Lopez (Carlitos Lopez el gordito favorito), he begins to show interest in music in general, boleros and trios

The bomba, plena, jibara music which he listened to in the countryside when his uncles and aunts visited his family, they liked to play stringed instruments and harmony either the tres or the Puerto Rican cuatro and the symphony.

At the age of 7 he moved to his grandparents’ house to begin studying in elementary school in his native Puerto Rico, while studying in the afternoons he spent his time listening to Fania and its stars. Singers like Hector Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano, Ruben Blades, Ismael Rivera among others.

Courtesy of his cousin who was a loyal fan and collector of Willie Colon’s salsa etcetera, little by little he was learning to vocalize demonstrating the ability to learn to do vocals for the choir at that time he met a young Anthony Cruz for the first time and was impressed with his melodious voice, although they never shared in those days.

Carlos debuted at the age of 14 with an orchestra created by his cousin and some students of the vocational music school where he had the opportunity to accompany Santos Colon former singer Tito Puente, he decided to move back home to his parents where he met Anthony Cruz who lived on the same street where his parents lived, and who already belonged to the orchestra of Mario Ortiz and began to attend rehearsals, recordings and dances.

There he met a young Tony Vega, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Elias Lopez, Lalo Rodriguez, Dario Morales who encouraged him to take vocal lessons, but he never did for lack of time.

but he never made it due to lack of support from his parents because there were other hopes and expectations.

The teacher Mario Ortiz noticed his uneasiness and spoke casually with his parents, but the decision had already been made by his parents.

but the decision was already made by them leaving Carlos disenchanted with music and taking the decision to emigrate to the United States where he dedicated himself to the culinary arts for the rest of his life until 2004 when he met again with Anthony Cruz who already had a successful career as a soloist and was touring they spoke for a moment and that was enough to return to her first love, music.

Anthony Cruz introduces him to several of the musicians who accompanied him in that activity and the rest is history. He joins the orchestra as a chorus singer and debuts as a composer where he writes 4 songs for the production of a CD of the orchestra entitled Going solo under the musical direction of Harry Rios.

They gain the popularity and admiration of the salsa people playing in different parts of Central Florida, festivals, clubs, and discotheques.

They return and record a single Going Back to Old School on which Carlos dedicates a song to Israel Lopez Cachao titled 80 Year’s of Cachao with arrangement and direction by Luis Jungo Ortiz which had tremendous acceptance from the dancing public and the radio listeners, from there Carlos decides to retire from music again to continue his career in the culinary arts.

Until he receives a call from an old friend asking him to help him with the choirs because he was going to accompany different artists.

Carlos began to accompany different singers with that orchestra called La Predilecta as a chorus singer among which there were names of the height of Anthony Cruz, Lalo Rodriguez, Cano Estremera, Manolo Lezcano, Chamaco Rivera, Frankie Figueroa, Ommy Cardona, Paquito Acosta, Paquito Guzman, Hector Tricoche, Papo Cocote and many more.

Carlos has written several songs including a collaboration between Anthony Cruz and Danny Sanchez titled No Vale la pena Enamorarse with arrangement by Luis Jungo Ortiz.

In addition to a song titled Today again under the tutelage of Harry Rios sung by Danny Sanchez currently Carlos Enrique Lopez known as Carlitos (the favorite fatty) made his debut as a solo singer.

And is promoting the theme of his authorship entitled Me Enamore under the direction, arrangement and production of the master Luis Jungo Ortiz which has enjoyed a good reception on digital platforms, social networks and independent radio stations on the internet.

As Radio Brisa Tropical con the master Taíno Roldán, Radio Calidad de vida del Dr Ted, Top 98 radio with Richie Sanchez and also.

Que Siga la Fiesta

Carlos has just recorded a song of his authorship entitled Que Siga la Fiesta in collaboration with 2 talented gentlemen from Orlando Central Florida and Miami are Edwin el Calvito Reyes and Luis Jibarito de Jesus under the direction and arrangement of Mike Rivera The Professor in the studio 305 Imma Studio owned by music engineer Immanuel Ramirez which came out on April 20, 2021.

Facebook: Carlos Enrique López

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