1. David Peter Valentin was an American Latin jazz flautist of Puerto Rican descent.
10 Facts About Dave Valentin
1. 2.
Dave Valentin was born to Puerto Rican parents in The Bronx in New York City.
3.
Dave Valentin learned percussion at an early age, and by 10 was playing conga and timbales professionally.
4.
Dave Valentin borrowed a flute, bought a Herbie Mann record, and started to teach himself.
5.
Dave Valentin took lessons from Hubert Laws, who became his mentor.
6.
Dave Valentin was the first musician signed to GRP Records, a label founded by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen that specialized in smooth jazz, jazz fusion, and jazz-pop-Latin.
7.
Dave Valentin recorded his debut album with Ricardo Marrero in 1977.
8.
For several years Dave Valentin served as musical director for Tito Puente's Golden Latin Jazz All-Stars, and toured with Manny Oquendo's Conjunto Libre.
9.
In March 2012, Dave Valentin had a stroke which left him partially paralyzed and unable to perform.
10.
On March 8,2017, Dave Valentin died from complications of a stroke and Parkinson's disease in the Bronx at the age of 64.