Conga player of Cuban origin (born November 4, 1926, Havana, Cuba - died December 5, 2007, New York City), son of tresero and composer [[artist:8580771]].

Considered by some to be the greatest ever Cuban conga player, Patato played with [[artist:Dizzy Gillespie]], [[artist:Art Blakey]], [[artist:Tito Puente]], [[artist:Machito]], [[artist:Mario Bauzá]], [[artist: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.