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Beginning
with 1997 he takes part of what up to date is known as
the project “Buena Vista Social Club” –
in allusion to the same named record, that merit the Grammy
Award (1998)-, also in particular of the Afro Cuban All
Stars orchestra and the group of the well known piano
player Rubén Gonzalez.
Together
with other stars of this international popular phenomenon
he has acted in the most expensive show business plazas
of the planet and now a days, since 2002, after the
throwing in the world market of “Bajando Gervasio
( nominate to Grammy 2003)”, first record that
leads as a soloist, he is now developing his artistic
project, that conforms, besides recordings and presentations,
an unpublished book, a sui generis clinic, a plastic
arts exposition and other interesting musical actions.
Amadito
Valdés ( nominate to Grammy 2003) is mentioned
in the “Jazz Latino dictionary of Nat Chediak,
he has been invited as “special guest” twice
to the Grammy Awards ceremony (1998 and 2000) and takes
part on the selected group “Artist Series”
(endorsee senior) of the well known musical instruments
maker German Enterprise “MEINL”, which in
recent days launched to the market the “Amadito
Valdés´s Model Timbal”, and so this
musician becomes one of the few that shares such and
honor in the world.
His
international image exposed by the documental film “Buena
Vista Social Club”, made by the German film maker
Wim Wenders; has made him been known in the means as
“ the most seen timbalero” after the legendary
Tito Puente.
Among
his most recent presentations, Valdés, as a partner
in a stars crew of “Buena Vista Social Club”,
acted in Mexico D.F. in the prestigious sceneries “Auditorio
Nacional” and “Plaza de los Mártires
de la Revolución”, the days 22nd of May
and 2nd of June respectively in 2002.
These
events constituted a full success in the public and
the critics, which emphasized that, after several years,
main figures of the mythical phenomenon gathered together
again. Especially the concert at the “Auditorio”
was so memorable that reached one of the renowned “Luna”
awards in its category, traditional tropical music,
that conceded that prestigious Mexican cultural institution
in the autumn of 2002.
Just
in that opportunity, the master imparted his clinic
¡Suena el “Timbal” Amadito! on June
3 of 2002 sponsored by “Gonher”, distributing
agency there in Mexico of the “Amadito Valdés´s
Timbal” model, of MEINL – with a formidable
commercialization up to date- been also endorsee senior
of it. The masterly class took place in the first floor
of the RJD gallery of the Mexican capital and constituted
the debut of the new program ¡Suena el “Timbal”
Amadito! (“Beat the timbal Amadito”), with
a review of ten different rhythms of popular Cuban music.
Also
in the year of 2002, and as part of the international
promotion of “Bajando Gervasio” ( nominate
to Grammy 2003), Amadito played from the 4th to the
7th of July in the famous club “Motion Blue”
of Yokohama city, constituting this a real success enhanced
by the Nippon means.
In
February of 2003, and as a request of the Mexican public,
the figures of “Buena Vista Social Club”
come back to the prestigious “Auditorio”
of the Mexican capital and Amadito was again one of
the invited stars. In that occasion he received the
pleasant surprise of been congratulate by the “Café
Flor de Azalea”, establishment who decided to
install permanently a table in homage of this Cuban
“timbalero”.
In
July of this year (2003) Amadito was invited to put
his art in a “boleros” record, “Aun
te Quiero”, of the Spanish singer, living in Brazil,
Monserrat, recorder in Havana, that will be soon presented
in the market and that foresees a concert in Sao Paulo
the next year. Besides the host, he shared the experience
with Cuban artists of the stature of Jesús “Chucho”
Valdés, César Portillo de la Luz, Pablo
Milanes and Pio Leyva among others.
In
the month of September 2003, Amadito took part in the
recording of what is going to be the next Omara Portuondo´s
CD. This sessions took place in the EGREM Studios (
in Havana), and were sponsored by World Circuit record
company, that gathers Cuban and Brazilian musical talents,
among these the famous guitar player Swamy Jr. and the
relevant producer Ale Siqueira, having this last one
just received a “Latin Grammy” for his record
"Tribalistas".
Also
in September 2003, an exclusive photograph of Amadito
Valdés ( nominate to Grammy 2003) was esposed
in the gallery of the "SGAE", in the "Lonja
del Comercio de La Habana", together with other
photographs of outstanding Cuban artist smokers of Havanos,
in a personal expositions of the photographer Alberto
Arcos.
Bajando
Gervasio…..towards the top of “timbal”.
The
personal recording of Amadito Valdés, “Bajando
Gervasio (nominate to Grammy 2003)”, is a singular
record in many senses; so much that it can convince
both experts and neophytes as well, that in the end,
the “timbal” inaugurates the perfect melodic
harmonic and rhythmic balance with the instrumental
universe of the orchestra.
Amadito
exposes his musical philosophy maturation underlined
by acute interpreters of his work, such as Ry Cooder,
Nick Gold and Wim Wenders, among others of keen emphasis
and pondered exaltation that conforms a peculiar percussive
poetics.
It
comes from the “solo”, that corresponds
to his leader condition, up to the solicitous accompaniment
of a discreet host in his teaching, committed with the
brilliance of a stars group, that conjugates generations
that shared the times of the greats of the golden epoch,
such as Fabian García up to the times of pushing
exponents of the new wave such as Roberto Fonseca.
In
this album the Cuban popular music rises to the concert
halls without misleading the way of its original nutritional
fountains, at the same time in a trip tran generic in
coherence and as convincing as imperceptible, just as
a high style suit which doesn’t shows the sewing.
The
talent of the producer Juan de Marcos González
exhibits in this laboring the glories of a zenithal
moment.“Bajando
Gervasio” (nominate to Grammy 2003) already shows
up, over three continents, the Cuban rhythms, that reflexes
a Havana now bohemian and sleepless, now noisy and dazzling,
classic and modern, always original in the fantasy of
its themes.
A
Journey Towards the Top of Timbal (Fragment taken from
the book Amadito Valdés “The Golden Sticks
of Buena Vista Social Club, a personal story in the
Cuban music”, of journalist Orlando Matos.
"Bajando Gervasio"(going Down
Gervasio Street), First Record Of Amadito Valdés
As An Orchestra Leader, Has Been Nominated To Go For
The Grammy Awards Of 2003 In The "best Latin Traditional
Tropical Album" Category. What In Fact Constitutes
An Important Reward For The Cuban "timbalero",
Comes To Be Besides, The Confirmation Of The Criterion
Of Several Authorized Specialists, Meaning That The
C.d. Is, In Deed, Anthological And The Unique Piece
Headed By A Percussionist All Around The World And Reveals
The Perfect Style Maturation Of This Artist, Been The
One Who Will Retake The International Leading Role Of
A Genuinely Cuban Instrument .
After his recent nomination to the Grammy
Awards 2003 for his first personal record "bajando
Gervasio" the relevant Cuban "timbalero"
Amadito Valdés received another well merit acknowledgement
for an artistic career that goes for more than four
decades.
As
a part of the principal activities of the traditional
"Percuba Festival" in this 2004 issue, Amadito
received the homage of the percussionist Association
of Cuba in a concert that took place on April 23 in
the Auditorium theatre "Amadeo Roldán"
of Havana and counted among its guests with outstanding
musicians such as José Luís Quintana “Changuito”,
Enrique Plá and Tata Guines.
Another remarcable moment in Amadito´s musical
career took place in the night of June 5 of 2005 in
the " Amadeo Roldan " theatre of Havana city,
where he participed as one of the special guest in the
homage concert to Sergio Vitier, celebrating this 40
years of the artistic career of this outstanding musician
and composer of the isle.
Amadito played the timbal together with
the National Symphonic Orchestra in a evening that was
structured, of course based on the Vitier compositions
created for the big format.
Between the 9 and the 13 of May of 2006, Amadito Valdés and its band acted in edition 31 of the Festival of Jazz of Bern, Switzerland, where an excellent welcome of public and critic reached. The concerts were with the musical pieces that integrate the first personal disc of the artist, with that it reached a nomination to the Grammy Prizes of 2003.
The book “Amadito Valdés, The golden sticks of Buena Vista Social Club. A personal history in the Cuban music” of journalist Orlando Matos and published by the Mexican publishing house “Aires del Mayab” had his first presentation to the readers the 23 of March of 2006 in City of Mexico.
Later it was presented again the 10 of August in Mérida, city in which is the publishing house that I publish it, like part of a tribute paid by the civilian authorities and cultural from that city to the famous timbalero
Selected discography
Nueva Vision
Estrellas de Areito
La Fiesta del Timbalero
Bebo Rides Again
Descargando con Peruchin Jr. and the Cuban All Stars
Santiago with The Chieftains
Omara la Novia del Feeling
Havana Night
Introducing Ruben Gonzalez
Deep Rumba 1 y 2
Buena Vista Social Club presents Ibrahim Ferrer
Vicio Latino II
Distinto, Diferente with Afro Cuban All Stars
Artilleria Pesada with Control Machete
Celina 50 años como una reina
Chanchullo
Buena Vista Social Club presents Omara Portuondo
Motivo Cubano with el grupo Cubismo
Cachaito
Bajando Gervasio
Buenos Hermanos
Llego Teté
Two shoes with The Cat Empire
Flor de Amor
Salsa, Son, Timba
Buena Vista Social Club presents Manuel ¨ Guajiro¨
Mirabal
Rhythms of the World Cuba
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Portrait
of Amadito painted by the Cuban plastic artist Juan Carlos
Centelles, creator that insufflates his work with an exquisite
and convincing spirituality. 
Among
his most recent presentations, Valdés, as a partner
in a stars crew of “Buena Vista Social Club”,
acted in Mexico D.F.
Amadito imparted
his clinic ¡Suena el “Timbal” Amadito!
on June 3 of 2002 sponsored by “Gonher”
Amadito
received the pleasant surprise
of been congratulate by the “Café Flor
de Azalea”
in Mexico D.F.