Before I could even ask a question, Dave Valentin launched into an animated and lively conversation. On the phone, he had said the band would not be having any rehearsal so there would not be any conlfict for interview time. But as it turns out, McCoy Tyner did call one. I joked and asked if McCoy was unhappy with previous nights' performance and thought they needed a rehearsal. (This was a group of veteran, professional musicians, after all!) No, said Dave, McCoy just wanted to go over a few new tunes. This maestro of flute, having recorded and performed with his own ensemble, Tito Puente, Fania All Stars, and numerous jazz masters, was one of the incredible musicians with McCoy Tyner as Yoshi's launced the 5^th annual 'McCoy Tyner and the Afro-Cuban All Star' show. Both shows were sold out each night. On board were Orestes Vilato, Gary Bartz, Horacio 'El Negro' Hernandez, Steve Turre, Poncho Sanchez and Humberto Ramirez.

Q: You mentioned that the first time you were in Havana was 15 years ago.
DV: It was more than that. Negro [Hernando Horacio], who plays with us, was 15 years old! He was doing the lights at this show. And now we are playing together. You don't realize -- I was the first artist signed with GRP in 1977. At that time I was going out with Angela Bofield. She was the second artist signed with GRP. After that it grew. I was there for more than 20 years.

Thank God, that life is not coincidence but destiny. That is what we were talking about yesterday. I grew up with McCoy Tyner. I grew up in the South Bronx, I mean the original South Bronx. My best friend next door was Black. Of course my parents used to play Tito Puente, Machito and Daniel Santos. I used to go next door and my friend's father played John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Freddy Hubbard, Oscsr Peterson, McCoy Tyner. Everything came together at one point. When I heard 'Shades of Jade' by Cal Tjader, that was it. Mongo Santamaria was on it. It 's amazing when I look back.

I went to school at the High School for Performing Arts as a drum major. I started playing flute when I was 16 because I wanted to meet a certain girl. That is the only reason. I had no interest in the flute at all. Then I bought all the Herbie Mann albums and I was able to borrow a flute. A month later she showed me something and another month later I went to her and thought, 'Now I've got her'. So I played for her after a month. She never talked to me again. She said, 'Go away. I've been playing for 5 years. One month, go away!'

So I lost the girl and I kept the flute. I've stayed with flute ever since.

My first lesson at 17 was with Hubert Laws. When I went to Cuba I met ArcaÒo. Arturo Sandoval took me to his house. He didn't' stop talking for 3 hours.

Then, when Aragon came to NY and there was a bomb threat at Lincoln Center, they canceled the show. When they came back the next year, I was the jazz guest with Orq. Aragon, the original band, with Rafael Ley, Barona., Richard Eg¸es . He picked me up at the airport when I went to his house and met his wife. This is not coincidence, this is destiny. The flute is very difficult. There are not a lot of flute players out there. Herbie Mann. (Dave proceeds to mimic Herbie's raspy voice) 'Oh yes, in 1954, I was playing at Roseland with Machito' I stopped him and I say, 'Herbie, in 1954 I was two years old'. Herbie says 'F--- you.'

(At this point, between the mimicry and anecdote, I can't contain my laughter and we are both laughing.)

But that is what it is about: flute players, Herbie Mann.

Q: Where else do your musical influences come from?
DV: My father was a merchant marine and my mother was a working housewife from Puerto Rico. We had the family over every weekend. My mother taught me how to dance. They played everything like Tito Rodriguez, Puente, everything. I was listening to all this music. My parents are not musicians but there was music, family, food. In our building and in that area of the Bronx we had everything: Puerto Ricans, Blacks, Italians, and Jews. Everything in the same building. During the holiday time or New Year's, you could smell black-eyed peas, you could smell matzo, lasagna - all in one building. It was a true community. Some of that gets lost, but truly you learn how to live in that sort of mixed community. You couldn't get away with anything either. The Italian ladies that lived on the 3^rd floor used to look out the window all day. When I went home my mom would ask what I had done. And I would answer 'Nothing'. 'Oh yeah', she would say, eyeing me. If I had broken a window or something, I couldn't get away with anything. It was a true community. It was wonderful.

Q: It seems that you heard all sorts of music whether you wanted to or not.
DV: Yes, it was all there. In fact, in the section of the Bronx that I lived in, Tito Rodriguez lived there, Ray Barretto, Manny Oquendo, Andy Gonzalez-everybody lived there. I don't know why. Tito Puente-I grew up with his music. I wanted to be like Tito Puente. I started playing drums when I was five, timbales when I was 11. I played a gig when I was 13, at the Embassy Ballroom on 163^rd St in the Bronx with Tito Puente. I didn't have the nerve to go up to him. I was a novelty with the band. Then, later on, I get a call from Tito Puente asking me to be musical director of this new group he called the Golden Latin Jazz All-Stars. I said, sure. 'Does it pay more?' He said no and I said 'OK, I'll take the job'. It did pay more. But with Tito Puente! It is not coincidence, it is destiny. If my parents were alive today they would freak. My mother died when I was thirteen years old. That's when life really starts, when something like that happens to you at that age. It didn't stop after that. I lost everyone I love, family-wise. That's the way it is: either it destroys you or makes you stronger. It is not God's fault. If I smoke cigarettes and get cancer, that is my fault. I get hit by a car walking across the street, it is nobody's fault. These are the cards life gives you. You have to take it and look at and say 'let me learn from it'. You can't let it destroy you. The music doesn't save your life. Sometimes musicians do that - some think they can do whatever they like. Or there are those that believe you have to suffer in order to be a great musician. Forget about that! Suffer what? Have a good time! They say 'I'm a serious jazz musician'. Get out of here! Have a good time with the music, be serious but with a sense of humor and that means you don't have to take Prozac, you know?

When you see me on stage, I'm having a good time. I don't really care if there is one musician that thinks I shouldn't to this or that. I don't really care because I know I can play and I want to have a good time. I want to laugh. I want to look at people in the audience. But also I want to have that conversation with a person like McCoy Tyner. When you have McCoy Tyner behind your solo, that is a revelation. It is heaven.

We tend to learn from one another on stage. This is a configuration of musicians that has not played together on a regular basis, so we are learning. We are playing with one of the greatest pianists of all time.

Q: It is interesting that you all have to play off of his solos. He doesn't play montunos. I keep waiting to hear those chord progressions.
DV: But did you hear his solo piece? That is a revelation. We wait for that time. We just sit back. To hear him play in that context, because you don't hear it a lot with McCoy, it is incredible.

Latin Jazz has been going on since the 1940's. You have Machito with Bob Cheetam, you have Cannon Ball Adeley with Machito, 1945-50. But there was no real market for that. But all of a sudden, ooh, here's Latin Jazz. Worldwide, this stuff that we have all played for years, is all of a sudden 'Wow' from everyone. Jazz people can hear 'Footprints or 'Afro Blue' within an Afro-Cuban context. It is a different twist. And for us too.

Q: Tell me when recordings started happening for you.
DV: I played with Ricardo Marrero with Fania and then I played with Conjunto Libre for 7 years. During that time, I started recording my Latin fusion music.

Q: What were those recordings about? Experimental, Latin Jazz, what?
DV: Like I said, the first album was with GRP was called 'Legends'. Here is the cast of characters: Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson, Rubin Bassini. Plus the band that I started to get together. Noel Pointer, 25 strings . That sold 90K units. I didn't know. I was completely terrified, when I saw the strings, and Dave Grusin conducting these pieces I wrote. 'Afro Blue', 'Patterns for the Sky' with Milton Cardona, with batas. My first album, batas come in.

Q: What year was that? It is more common now to have bata players with jazz muscians.
DV: 1977. You have to hear this. Here is Larry Rosen and Dave Grusin of GRP, and the batas come in and he asks what is that and how do you mike it. So I tell him. Then we start to do 'Afro Blue', which was written by Mongo Santamaria, not John Coltrane. Mongo calls me up after 90K units sold to thank me for the royalty checks! We did 'Afro Blue' and added the chanting, and the GRP guys had never heard that stuff before. That was the first number on that record. In a sense, I'm going back to the future! Then I had a meeting with the GRP guys telling them I can do this. Here I am 25 years old. I just need a chance to do it. I sent them a tape and two months later they asked if I wanted to make a recording.

Q: Not only were you playing flute and percussion, you were also writing tunes. Is this from formal schooling?
DV: I went to the High School for Performing Arts. I graduated in 1970. Of course we had music theory. My parents, who were both working, bought me a piano when I was young and got me lessons. They bought me a saxophone, and timbales also.

Q: If you don't mind, I can compare your schooling to the way the music programs are set up in Cuba. One does not just learn one instrument, but several, including percussion and arranging. I think you are one of the first American born musicians I've talked with that does all that.
DV: Yes, but here it is not supported by the government.

Q: Oh yes, we know that. Ray Barretto also metioned how he had a foot in both worlds: that of Latin music and jazz.
DV: I'll tell you a story. I asked Ray to come with me as a guest to Europe for 3 weeks. He had not been out as a guest in 30 years. He took the gig. It was wonderful. He says after a week, "You know David, I love this gig. You know why? Because I don't have to do anything but play! I don't have to give a cue! You take care of it all."

He is also one of my mentors, along with Tito Puente, Mario Bauzo, Machito and so many others.

Q: You just recently apperaed on Tito's album 'DanceMania-98', which has been nominated for a grammy this year. I notice your name a lot on various recordings.
DV: Yes. I'm on the new McCoy Tyner, the Cal Tjader tribute CD, and the new Tito Puente.

Q: Last night's show was the first time I heard an alto flute.
DV: Oh, wait to you hear the bass flute. Here, I'll play something for you.

(Dave took out the alto flute and proceed to play. Next, it was one of the American Indian flutes he had.)

I have collection of 50 flutes at home, from all over the world.

People don't know, but Rosland Roland Kirk, could of course play the flute. (Dave then picks up the flute and demonstrates the style of humming over what one fingers on the flute). That is Kirk. So you learn all these things, and then all this music comes together and all these great musicians that you grew up with and then you go, wow, I'm here! And then when you are brave, like McCoy and he hears something he had not heard, and this time from a Puerto Rican from the Bronx! He goes, 'Ah, yeah, Dave' . That is like a hammer over the head!

Then there was the first time I played at the old Yoshi's with McCoy. He doesn't talk a lot so I asked him permission to introduce the band. So, night after night, I yell, 'Baille' and the audience yells back. By the third night, he goes, 'Dave, what is that baille shit?" So I tell him that it means it is all happening. So after the last set, he goes 'Baille'. No reaction at all from the audience but he got it!

I put all these stories on my computer.

Q: Do you have these out on a web site?
DV: I'll be on line next month. I can tell another story, yes?

Q: Of course!
DV: Big snowstorm in NYC. I'm rehearsing with Tito Puente. Nine inches of snow. They close the Tappan Zee bridge. This was two years ago. Tito can't get to his home. I say, 'Tito, I have a, a guest room'. So Tito Puente stays at my home. I ask him if he snores. He says no. When he goes to sleep, (Dave proceeds to imitate very loud snoring). I close his door, I still hear him. I close my door, I still hear it. Now, for my step son, whose room Tito is staying in, I've put these glow-in-the-dark constellations all over the room and the ceiling. All of a sudden I hear a voice yellling, 'David!' 'Tito, what?' 'I think I'm in heaven!' So, you see, Tito Puente did sleep in my house. His wife, Margie, called at some point and says 'Dave, is Tito cool, because he doesn't stay in anyone's house. ' 'Oh yeah, I say, he's cool, he's fine, in fact he's in heaven!'

So I made a plaque that says 'Tito Puente slept here'. A month later I take him to the door of the guestroom and have him look at the plaque. He says, 'You know, David, I'm not George Washington and I'm not dead so take that stuff off!' He took the plaque off the door, put it in his bag and says, 'When I die, I'll give it back to you.' That is a true story. I'm not exaggerating anything.

(By this time, between Dave's voice and story telling, I am falling out of my chair with laughter.)

There are a lot of sad stories too. I'll put those up also. When I'm decrepit, I'll put a book out and put all these stories out there from a musician's point of view.

Q: If you are putting up a site, you could put those up now.
DV: I don't want anyone to read them until I'm ready to put it all together, in a context that won't offend anyone. Just to show that music has so many extremes. Musicians are a special breed of people. We are not normal. We are not 9-5. We bring our lives as musicians to the public. They take that with them and they can do whatever they want with that. What I think music does is make people feel better. If they were sad, they should leave feeling better. When we leave that stage, we feel better. The exchange between the public and the musicians is essential. It is a two way street.

For the musician that thinks he is playing for himself, wake up. The only reason we are here is because of the public. If the public doesn't like you, and you can't get sold out shows, if someone asks for an autograph, you give it. None of this being too tired or busy. You give it because they paid for this show. They are paying your rent. You have to play the best that you can because we are naked up on stage. They see everything that is going on. You have to respect what you do, respect the people that you are playing with and you have to respect the audience. That is the bottom line. You are not alone. A musician who is an egotist is a musician who doesn't know anything. It is a pretense. Longevity is a matter of intelligence, harmonization, faith and you can never learn to be humble. I was brought up that way. My father said if you don't have anything to say, don't say anything.

When I went to my father when I made my first album, and he was very proud, then I said I'm going to ask for 100K and a limousine and he says, 'Dave, you ain't shit. You are not famous. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. There will come a time when you can do that. Right now you're not famous, but I'm really proud of you.'

Q: Are you involved with any recording projects now?
DV: I just signed with Concord Records. We should be in the studio by March with Elana Ellias, maybe Dave Samuels, Michael Brecker , maybe Arturo Sandoval and the guys from Peru that play in the subway in NYC at Grand Central Station. These are the cream of the crop. I wrote 2 tunes utilizing their wonderful music, with themes of wood and metal. It's the Bronx and Bolivia, the Bronx and Peru.

Q: Are you actually going to any recording in the subway?
DV: No, but you just gave me a great idea for an introduction to the tunes. That could be very interesting, with the subway sounds and all.

Q: Remember, you heard it here first!
DV: Of course, I don't' have to prove I play Latin jazz anymore. I've done that - I have 20 CDs recorded. I have my band with Bill O'Connel on piano, Robbie Amin on drums, Milton Cardona, and Nickie Goines. I consider it a family affair. They have been with me a long time. When you find a great family of musicians, you don't need to get somebody else to do the part. They know exactly what is happening. I grew up in a family affair, so this is what it is all about.

Q: What I enjoy is the communication that goes on when there is a cohesive group.
DV: You can play the same tune for 10 years, but every time it turns out different. There is a physic connection and there is some magic that goes on from being together for so long. We are having a great time on stage, and the intensity is not always realized. I've stopped the band for rude audiences. They don't seem to have a clue, even as I'm looking at them, then the whole club is looking at them, then they get it. 'Can I play now?' 'Thank you', and start the tune over again. These tunes are so beautiful you have to listen to them. Betty Carter used to stop, Billy Holiday, Frank Sinatra. You have to listen to these musicians, to everyone before you can play these tunes as an instrumentalist. You have to listen to everyone who has done standard tunes before you can play it as a solo. There are people that know those tunes in the audience and you have to give them the spirit of that tune. You know you have to do specific phrasing.

Q: Any other projects or tour dates ahead?
DV: I'm going to Europe for 2 weeks to do 'Westside Story' with Dave Grusin. Going out with Dave Samuels, again with McCoy Tyner. Recording the new CD with Concord Records. Just having a great time!

Q: Is there more that you would like to be doing?
DV: Yes, I would like to start my own record company. That is very possible. I would say if you can imagine it, it can happen. I always wanted to be a musician since I was five and it happened. I've always wanted to play with Tito Puente, McCoy Tyner, and Machito. Keep it in your mind, and it can happen. I've done master classes with pre-kindergarten to McQuire Air Force Base. The message is it doesn't matter where you come from, if you believe in it, you can do it. Believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who believe in you. Surround yourself with love. There are people you don't need to be around. I pray for my friends and I pray for my enemies.

Dave laughed out loud at this. We wound things up, as he needed to rest up before the evening's performance. Dave's energy and vitality are infectious. He is a treat to hear perform and a great asset to anyone he records with. Look for his new CD with Concord later this year.