Patato News! - Patato

[ralph]

I am not one to spread info unless its been confirmed, but apparently Larry Harlow had emailed someone about Patato:

PATATO WAS ON HIS WAY HOME FROM kONGA KINGS SHOW IN SAN FRANCISCO WHEN HE COULD NOT BREATH ON THE PLANE AND 2 MD'S MADE THE PLANE LAND ON OHIO TO GET HIM TO A HOSPITAL TODAY. AFTER TAKING HIS BLOOD WHICH WAS 70% cocaine and 30% marajuana he is in intensive care at SW Community hospital in Palmer Ohio with no one to look out for him phone number there is 440-816-8000 Carolos Gabian Valdez, near Cleveland... If anyone can help out.. Contact Martin Cohen asap... Pass the word along.....Larry Harlow

All I can say is that I hope that this is not true...

(again the above info is from an email apparently sent by larry harlow, not my words, no quiero entrar en bochinche)



Edited By ralph on 1195133766

[ralph]

I called, and they do have a Carlos Valdez in ICU...i hope he comes out of it ok.

[Firebrand]

oh wow....

Does anyone know Giovanni Hidalgo's house number. I have it, but I don't want to just post it here. I know Giovanni is friend's with Patato. I'm assuming he can be contacted.

As for the cocaine and marijuana...frankly, that was very irresponsible of him. He is VERY old...he shouldn't be messing around with that stuff.

Que pena...I hope he gets well.

[vinnieL]

The stating of those numbers is also irresponsible and against the law. I work in an ER have been in the medical field for 15 years and they do not apply numbers like 30% and 70% to levels of drugs. It would probably be best to keep stuff like that private. My prayers are with Patato Valdes and hope for his speedy recovery.

[ralph]

Vin,

I hear you I posted it as I got it...all i do know and verified was that Patato was in the hospital in ICU, whether he OD'ed or whether he got sick (there are people refuting the drug claim and stating that he caught pneumonia or something), he is in bad shape, and we should keep this legend in our thoughts...he is one of the last in a great legendary line of congueros who are now in their golden years...que viva el quintero mayor...Patato

[Firebrand]

I agree..if the stuff about the drugs is rumor, it's best to keep it hidden until better known.

I sincerely hope it was something natural like pneumonia, but knowing the music business well, I wouldn't be totally surprised if it were true. I know plenty of Latin music greats who were coqueros or marijuaneros. A certain, funny-sound-making flute player comes to mind (those that know, know who I speak off)...

Anyway, my prayers with Patato. Cuidensen.

[No.2-1820]

I just copied this from the latin jazz forum. Sounds like he's doing well.

Barrie.

Patato is making a rapid recovery from the problems that caused his
hospitilization. he was on a flight home to NYC from San Francisco
when according to Larry Harlow he took severaly ill on the plane, so
much that the pilots diverted the flight and landed in Cleveland
where he is the Palmer Hospital. He has been moved from the ICU unit
to a regular room , his spirits are high as typical for Patato he is
fooling around with the nurses, a radio colleague of mine and his
pals-all admirers of Patato visited him and the first thing he asked
them was for a bottle of cognac and some comiuda criolla so they went
to a local Cuban eatery and brought him back some arroz, frijoles and
picadillo but did not take him his favorite libation-good for them.
Although doctors could not give them details because they are not
relatives, the Drs did say they expect a full recovery for Carlos
Valdes although he does have to have further care in the future due
to a respiratory condition they wouldn't elaborate on.

My colleague Tony Vasquez of WRUW-Cleveland hosts a Sunday evening
salsa, Cuban music and Latin Jazz show, this Sunday he will pay
homage to Patato and nurses will set up a radio for Patato to listen
in. the station streams at www.wruw.org and the Latin perspective
show is on from 6pm till 8pm Cleveland time. Tony mentioned he might
be released next week if he continues his recovery. Tony and his pals
took records and photos of Patato over they eyars to show them who
Patato is and how legendary he is, one of the nurses commented how
difficult it was to cut his fingers for a blood sample due to his
callouses. Apparently the staff attending him is now abuzz knowing
they have a legendary celeb in their midst- a big occurence for
Cleveland.

Way to go Tony Vazquez................you're the best!!!!!
All of us are grateful for your attention and for what you have done.

Arturo

[No.2-1820]

another update from the latin jazz forum.

Patato

PrincipePromotions -
Press Release - Media Alert
Photo attached

Cuban Grammy Award Winner, Latin Jazz Master and
Legend, Carlos "Patato" Valdes hospitalized during a
flight from San Francisco to New York City, rumors of
drug overdose, is false.

New York City, New York - I am appalled at the lack of
respect and slanderous context of an e-mail that was
circulated today, Tuesday, November 13, 2007 regarding
Grammy Award Winner, Latin Jazz Master and Legend,
Carlos "Patato" Valdes. It is despicable that an ill
informed individual, with no personal knowledge or
contact with Patato or his family, would disseminate
false information regarding Patato's current health
condition and hospitalization.

A vicious rumor was released today that Patato was
admitted to intensive care yesterday, Monday, November
12 because he had over-dosed on illicit drugs. This
is false. Patato is a life time smoker, he has a
condition known as emphysema. Patato became short of
breath yesterday during a flight from San Francisco to
New York City. Patato was returning home after a
concert with the Conga Kings in San Francisco. As a
precaution, and in the best interest of Patato, the
pilot made the wise decision to stop in Cleveland,
Ohio so that Patato could receive appropriate medical
care.

It was reported in the e-mail that Patato had been
admitted to ICU with a cocaine level of 60% and a
marijuana level of 20%, this is false. Patato is
hospitalized, and he is being evaluated to rule out a
pulmonary thrombosis. Because of his age, he is 81, he
will remain under observation until his medical team
feels that he is healthy to fly back home to New York
City.

If you are truly concern about Patato, please contact
me personally.The only person authorized to send out a
press release or speak on behalf of Carlos "Patato"
Valdes, or his family, is your's truly, Jessie
Ramirez. The family has requested that you do not
contact Patato at the hospital. Let's give Patato the
time he needs to recuperate so he can return home to
New York City soon. Furthermore, and I emphasize,
Patato has not been abandoned by his family or close
friends, he has people that love him and will help him
recuperate. Patato is a fighter, he will be back on
the concert circuit soon.

Jessie Ramirez
Carlos "Patato" Valdes
Publicist
P- 212 642-8088


As per Jessie's request, I am sending you this letter
I recieved yesterday.

We all pray that Patato recuperate quickly and knowing
him as I do, I am sure that he will. He is a
tremendous fighter.

In the meantime I will be covering for him for
whatever the remaining tour is left with the Conga
Kings, that's Conga with a C, not a K, for those who
do not know how to spell.

I cannot even put into words what I think about Larry
right now.

Milton

[Congadelica]

Pardon my ignorance , But This Larry Harlow guy who is he ? He needs a swift kick in the Bollox for starting a rumour so malicious . Dispicable is a mild word i feel .

Good to here Potato is on the mend and in good hands .

Marco

[ABAKUA]

Pardon my ignorance , But This Larry Harlow guy who is he ?

Larry Harlow (b. March 20, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York, as Ira Kahn) is an American salsa music performer, composer and producer. Larry Harlow was born into a musical family of Jewish-American descent. He is a son of the late Rose and Buddy Kahn. His mother was an opera singer with the stage name Rose Sherman in New York. His father was the bandleader at the Latin Quarter nightclub in New York under the name Buddy Harlowe. The young Harlow, is affectionately nicknamed el Judio Maravilloso (The Marvelous Jew, Harlow is a noted salsa bandleader and multi-instrumentalist, although he primarily plays piano. He produced over 260 albums for Fania Records. He is the director of the Latin Legends of Fania, among other groups, and ).

Larry Harlow excelled at an early age at various instruments. The music and culture of New York’s Latino community led him to Cuba where he began an intense study of Afro-Cuban music. Harlow, who is known for his innovative blend of Afro-Cuban and Jazz styles of piano playing, studied music in the 1950s in Cuba but was unable to complete his degree before the Cuban Revolution forced him to leave the island. Larry and his orchestra, Orquesta Harlow, was the second orchestra signed to the Fania Label, Harlow has also produced over 106 CD’s for various artists and over 50 CD’s on his own besides the ones he produced for Fania. Among his most popular albums were “Abran Paso” and “Tributo a Arsenio Rodriguez” with Ismael Miranda as the lead singer. Larry's opera "Hommy," which is credited for getting Celia Cruz out of retirement, was the first Latin musical performance in Carnegie Hall. In other firsts, Larry was the first ever piano player for legendary salsa group "The Fania All-stars," generally regarded as the single most important Salsa group of all time and the first Recording Producer for legendary salsa group "The Fania All-stars," he also appeared with "The Fania All-stars," in the movies Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa), Live In Africa and Salsa..

Larry's further contributions to music was to insist on the creation of the Latin Grammy Award. Harlow’s 1977 salsa suite La Raza Latina, an ambitious “history of Latin music in musical genre” with Rubén Blades, was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In 1994, he teamed up with Ray Barretto, Adalberto Santiago and cuatro guitar virtuoso Yomo Toro to found the Latin Legend Band, with the aim of both educating Latino and American youth about Latin music heritage and pioneering new ideas in the music, resulting in Larry Harlow’s Latin Legends of Fania Band 2006.

Larry Harlow currently resides with his wife in New York, and still regularly performs as "Larry Harlow and the Latin Legends of Fania".

[Congadelica]

Gracias ....