Dave Valentin(1952-2017)

His parents were Puerto Rican immigrants. He grew up hearing the music of the popular Latin bandleaders of the day, like Tito Rodríguez, Eddie Palmieri and Machito. He began playing professionally in a Latin dance band when he was ten, emulating his hero Tito Puente on timbales. He played the New York nightclub circuit in his teens, and studied percussion at the High School of Music and Art.