Miguel "Miguelo" Valdes
Author; Educator; Music: Composition, Instrumentalist, Music Educator, Songwriter, Vocalist
Miguel Valdes (Miguelo) – Leader and Percussion and choirs.
Was born in the Havana province of Cuba, comes from a highly musical family, including a father who was one of the top percussionists of the esteemed Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba. Is a percussionist graduate from the Havana National School of Art Instructors (ENIA). After extensive training, Valdes soon found himself with a flourishing career, and was performing all over Cuba with many great musicians of different styles Richard Egues, Tropicana, La Ley. Valdes has collaborated with many talented musicians and groups, including Orquesta Filarmonica de Mexico, Gonzalo Romeu, Grupo Bandula, Elvis Crespo, Celia Cruz Albita Rodriguez, Lena Burke, Emmanuel, Natalia Jimenez, Yomira John, Dennis D’ Kalaff, Ricardo Montaner, Miky Tavera, Yuri. He also toured and worked regularly with Juan De Marcos Afro Cuban All Stars (Buena Vista). In 2010 Valdes left Mexico to come to US where he now resides permanently, since his arrival he has collaborated with many American and Latino Artists like McCoy Tyner All Stars, Francisco Mela, Rachel Ferrer, Tony Perez, Kambalache, Steve Turre, Matt Dillon, Fellove, Patato Valdes, Elio Villafranca, Mac Gollehon, Vince Herring, Dion Person, Sexteto NY, Itai Kriss, Abdou M’boup, Alex Matos, Nachito Herrera, Michel RoosWomen & New Yoruba’s, Los Hacheros, Cotton Club Big Band, Willy Chirino, Sister Sledge-Debbie Sledge, Frank Owens, Ty Stephens, John Faddis, Terell Stafford. He has three of his own CD’s and has recorded in more than forty different artists.
