Cuban percusionist Alberto "Virgilio" Valdés is one of those few maracas maestros, like Bo Diddley’s right-hand man, maracas player Jerome Green, who made the instrument world famous. However, he also plays conga, Coros and other percussion instruments.



Valdés stands out on the Buena Vista Social Club’s "De Camino A La Vereda", but also played with Afro-Cuban All Stars, Osvaldo "Chihuahua" Martinez, Sierra Maestra, Papaito, Cal Tjader, Javier Vazquez, Johnny Pacheco, SAR All Stars, Rubén González, Omara Portuondo, Manuel "El Guajiro" Mirabal and Henry Fiol.