Dave Valentin
Renown Latin jazz flutist, Dave Valentin, was born of Puerto Rican parents in 1952 in New York City. His love for music started quite early; playing bongos and congas before he was 10 and even working Latin clubs in New York by 12. His talent and interest took him to the well respected High School of Music and Art in New York City, where he began studying percussion.
Valentin changed to flute and complemented his formal education at school with private classes under master flutist Hubert Laws. The early influences on Valentin’s development as a flutist came from Latin artists such as Richard Egues but was tempered by American jazz musicians including James Moody, Frank Wess, Joe Farrell and, of course, his mentor, Hubert Laws.
Valentin soon began working as a professional musician in Latin bands, developing an unusual technique that featured blowing in a manner that sounded like percussion. Other unique developments by Valentin included singing into the flute and using non-standard flute instruments such a bass flute and a variety of flute developed in Colombia. He applied his techniques to a wide variety of music genres, ranging from jazz and R&B to salsa and merengue.
Despite the fact that the market for Latin jazz artists was not very good when Valentin was trying to establish his professional career, he persevered and pursued other avenues. He made a name for himself in the Far East, Australia, and Europe as well as the United States, based on his extraordinary and evident talent.
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Album Review
- Pure Imagination by Glenn Astarita
- Come Fly With Me by Michael P. Gladstone
Multiple Reviews
Album Review
Read more articlesAugust 15, 2010
Dave Valentin at Chico's House of on August 28, 2010
March 08, 2009
Dave Valentin at Creole (NYC) on March 13th and March 14th
August 20, 2008
Dave Valentin; Jammin' on the Hudson
August 16, 2008
Dave Valentin; Jammin on the Hudson
August 25, 2006
Vince Seneri at Zanzibar Blue with Dave Valentin, Paul Bollenback and...
February 12, 2006
Vince Seneri & Dave Valentin In Concert March 4 at Greate Bay Country...
July 06, 2005
This Weekend @ Zanzibar Blue/ Vince Seneri, David Fathead Newman, Dave...
March 26, 2005
Hilton Ruiz / Dave Valentin Latin Jazz Ensemble April 9, Camden County...
August 01, 2004
Bassist Oskar Cartaya & The Enclave w/Special Guests Claudia Acuna &...