Bebo Valdés
Born in October 1918 in Quivican, Cuba, Bebo Valdés played piano from an early age and was very active as a performer, composer, arranger, and musical director at various Havana nightclubs throughout the ‘40s and into the 50s. During these years, he was also playing and arranging for numerous recording dates. Very highly regarded within the Cuban musical world, Valdés worked with many artists, including Mario Bauza and Ernesto Lecuona. With the growth of Afro-Cuban music worldwide, Valdés toured Europe and the U.S. In 1960, unhappy with the new political power in Cuba, Valdés left his homeland, taking up residence in Stockholm, Sweden in 1963.
He continued to compose and play but, despite the fact that his son Chucho Valdés had become an internationally known jazz musician, it wasn’t until the late ‘90s that he was brought back into a recording studio. Encouraged by Paquito D’Rivera, whose father was a friend of Valdés and who was also an associate of Chucho from their time together in Irakere, a session was arranged and took place in Germany. Valdés composed most of the music (much of it written in haste the day before) and played on the session; his performance was remarkably good considering the decades-long layoff from full-time performing. Also on the session with Valdés and D’Rivera were Juan-Pablo Torres (trombone), Diego Urcola (trumpet), Amadito Valdés (percussion), and Carlos Emilio Morales (guitar; ex-Irakere).
That album marked a resurgence for Valdés. His follow-up album was a trio set with Israel "Cachao" Lopez and Carlos "Patato" Valdés, although D’Rivera guested on some tracks. Valdés continued to record into the 2010s. He can be seen in the documentary film, Calle 54 (2000), in which he appears alongside numerous Latin jazz exponents, including his son Chucho, Gato Barbieri, Eliane Elias, Chico O’Farrill, and Tito Puente. The coincidental rise of interest in traditional Cuban music, prompted in part by the Buena Vista Social Club albums, played a role in Valdés’ twilight career success. Nevertheless, it was clear that as a composer he played an important part in the music of Latin America in general, and Afro-Cuban jazz in particular. Bebo Valdés died of pneumonia on 22 March 2013 in Stockholm at the age of 94.
© Rovi Staff /TiVo
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El Solar de Bebo
Jazz - Erschienen bei Calle 54 Records am 03.03.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Suite Cubana
Jazz - Erschienen bei Calle 54 Records am 01.06.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Recuerdos De Habana: A Portrait At 80
Jazz - Erschienen bei Town Crier Recordings am 01.01.1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Cubano (Remastered)
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Master Tape Records am 06.09.2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mayajigua
Bebo Valdés, Orquesta Sabor de Cuba
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Caney am 22.05.1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazzcuba, Vol. 2: Bebo & Cachao
Bebo Valdés, Israel "Cachao" López
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Rumor Records am 14.05.2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Descarga Caliente
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Caney am 26.05.1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Bar
World Music - Erschienen bei Montuno Records am 09.09.2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
El Cajón de Bebo
Jazz - Erschienen bei Calle 54 Records am 02.08.2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Perlas Cubanas: The Latin Sound Of Bebo Valdés
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei iLatina Music am 13.11.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cuban Dance Party
World Music - Erschienen bei Everest Records am 27.02.2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Bebo Valdés vs. Noro Morales
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Vintage Music am 25.05.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Recuerdos de Habana
World Music - Erschienen bei Gazell Records am 01.01.1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Estoy en el Cielo (Remastered)
Salsa - Erschienen bei New World am 25.04.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sabor Cubano
World Music - Erschienen bei Amor Indiano am 29.07.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mucho Sabor (Digitally Remastered)
Bebo Valdés, Orquesta Sabor de Cuba, Bebo Valdes con Orquesta Sabor De Cuba
World Music - Erschienen bei Essential Media Group am 27.02.2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -