Bobby Valentín

by John Bush
Bassist and trumpeter Bobby Valentin contributed greatly to the Fania All-Stars during the 70s (he was their principle arranger) and recorded numerous solo albums during the period, moving from boogaloo and Latin soul into salsa as his career progressed. Born in Puerto Rico in 1941, Valentin was taught guitar by his father before he even entered school. By the age of 11, hed won a contest with a band he led and began studying alto sax and then trumpet at the Jose Quinton Academy of Music in Coamo.
Just 15 when he moved to New York in 1956, Valentin settled in Washington Heights and continued to study trumpet both at school and with legendary brass teacher Carmine Caruso. He also learned on the streets, playing with different trumpet trios including jazz player Art Farmer and classical trumpeter Louie Mucci. Valentin also formed a band with Chu Hernandez and Joe Quijano named Los Satelites, then began playing professionally in 1958 as a part of Quijanos new orchestra.
During the next seven years, Bobby Valentin played both trumpet, guitar, and bass with a roster of Latin heroes — Willie Rosario, Charlie Palmieri, Ray Barretto (his Orquestra Riverside), and Tito Rodriguez — and also wrote arrangements for Rosario and Willie Bobo. In 1965, he debuted his own orchestra and recorded his first LP, for Fonseca. Valentins group recorded another LP that year, El Mensajero, for a new label named Fania Records.
Earlier in the 60s, Valentin had contributed arrangements for label founder Johnny Pacheco, so it was only natural he record for Pachecos new label as well. And even though Valentin moved back to Puerto Rico with his orchestra by 1968, he made frequent trips back to New York to record for Fania during the late 60s and early 70s. He also began working closely with the labels in-house all-star band, the Fania All-Stars, contributing arrangements and anchoring the sound with his bass (after 1970, he rarely played trumpet) on classic mid-70s LPs, like Live at the Cheetah, Live at Yankee Stadium, and Tribute to Tito Rodriguez.
In 1978, Bobby Valentin began recording for his own label, Bronco Records, and triumphed with the title track, La Boda de Ella, one of the most important songs of his career. Though his connection with the Fania All-Stars continued into the 90s, Valentin organized a stable of great artists around Bronco, including Willie Rosario and Orq. Mulenze. Even aside from his globetrotting orchestra, he remained a busy arranger around both Puerto Rico and New York, working on material by Willie Colon, Ismael Miranda, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Cheo Feliciano, and Justo Betancourt, among others.