Considered by some to be the greatest living Cuban conga player, Patato has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Tito Puente, Machito, Mario Bauza, Quincy Jones and many other salsa and jazz stars. The first conguero to tune his congas to a song's dominant chord, Patato's influence was felt on the jazz and Latin music scenes and also in the world of film, where he gave Brigitte Bardot a mambo lesson in And God Created Woman. A New York resident since 1954, Patato's work was most recently collected in Six Degrees' The Legend Of Cuban Percussion, which featured Omar Sosa, John Santiago, Changuito, Orestes Vilato and other Cuban and African all-star performers. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide