Bobby Valentin – S.T.

Bobby Valentin is a Puerto Rican band leader, bass and trumpet player, and arranger who was signed to the legendary Fania Records from the mid ’60s to ’70s. “El Rey Del Bajo” (The King of the Bass) was interestingly not a bass player originally and actually learned guitar from his father before playing trumpet. The story goes that one night in 1969 Valentin’s bass player didn’t show up for the gig so Valentin picked up the bass, and has never looked back. Perhaps this adeptness at multiple instruments led to Valentin’s success as a band leader and arranger working with the world-renowned Fania All Stars orchestra, and many others. Valentin’s 1986 self-titled album, sometimes dubbed “Part Time Lover,” includes a beautiful salsa cover of Stevie Wonder’s classic.

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