Martin Cohen (born Jan 28, 1939) is an American inventor, entrepreneur, mechanical engineer, and photographer, best known as the founder of the

Latin Percussion {{for, the company, Latin Percussion Latin percussion is a family of percussion, membranophone, lamellophone and idiophone instruments used in Latin music. Instruments Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican styles Folkloric and Santeria * Trap drums * Abakua ...

company. He invented many percussion instruments used in the Latin, Jazz, World, for which he was awarded 8 patents. Cohen has captured and documented thousands of Latin and jazz musicians and performances through photography, videos, and audio recordings.

Latin Percussion Corp

Cohen was influenced by

Cal Tjader Callen Radcliffe Tjader Jr. ( ; July 16, 1925 – May 5, 1982) was an American Latin Jazz musician, known as the most successful non-Latino Latin musician. He explored other jazz idioms, even as he continued to perform music of Afro-Jazz, ...

Candido Candido is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Candido Amantini (1914–1992), Italian Roman Catholic priest * Candido Camero known simply as "Candido" (1921-2020), Cuban percussionist * Candido Jacu ...

Herbie Mann Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz flute player and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played tenor saxophone and clarinet (inclu ...

, Jose Mangual,

Chano Pozo Luciano Pozo González (January 7, 1915 – December 3, 1948), known professionally as Chano Pozo, was a Cuban jazz percussionist, singer, dancer, and composer. Despite only living to age 33, he played a major role in the founding of Latin jazz. ...

and others at the Birdland Jazz Club in New York. He was unable to find authentic bongos to learn on due to the U.S./Cuba embargo of 1960. As a mechanical engineer by trade, he decided to construct them himself in the machine shop of Bendix, NJ with assistance from a local wood turner. He made bongos in his garage and sold them through consignment stores. He founded Latin Percussion (company) in 1964, and made instruments in his basement until he opened a small factory in Palisades Park NJ in 1969, and then a larger facility in Garfield NJ . In order to meet demand and remain competitive instrument production moved mostly to Thailand in the 1980s. Cohen became known for his high degree of personal involvement in his business, especially in actively managing and promoting endorsements and interactions with the users of his instruments. In 1979 Cohen assembled a "super group" of musicians featuring

Tito Puente Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – June 1, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz ...

, Carlos "Patato" Valdez and Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez called the Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble for the purpose of expanding the LP instrument market beyond the US by touring Europe, Japan, and the Montreaux Jazz Festival. In 2002 Latin Percussion was sold to

Kaman Music KMC Music is an owner and distributor of several brands of musical instruments. The company is currently a subsidiary of Canadian corporate group Exertis , JAM. History The company began as Kaman Music Corporation , a part of the Kaman Corpora ...

, who sold it to Fender in 2008, who then sold it to

Drum Workshop Drum Workshop, Inc. (also known as DW Drums or DW) is an American drum kit and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Current products by DW include drum sets, snare drums, and hardware. History Drum Workshop was founded ...

in 2014.

Photography

Cohen has photographically documented the Latin music scene through thousands of photos of musical stars such as

, Celia Cruz, Patato, Carlos Santana, Samuel Torres,

Issac Delgado Issac Delgado (born Isaac Felipe Delgado-Ramirez on April 11, 1962 in Marianao, Habana, Cuba) is one of the founders of the band NG La Banda and is a popular salsa and timba performer. Early life and family His father, Luis Delgado, was a tai ...

, Jeremy Bosch, Porfi Baloa y Los Adolescentes,

Los Van Van Los Van Van is one of the leading musical groups of post-revolutionary Cuba. It was founded in 1969 by bassist Juan Formell, who directed the band until his death in 2014. Formell and former band members Changuito and Pupy are some of the most im ...

Giovanni Hidalgo Giovanni Hidalgo a.k.a. "Mañenguito" (born November 22, 1963) is a Latin jazz percussionist. Early years Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he received his primary education. His grandfather was a musician, and his father, José ...

Thousands of Cohen's Latin music photos can be viewed on www.congahead.com A photo Cohen took of Tito Puente was issued as a United States Postage Stamp in 2011.

Music Recordings

Cohen recognized that the best way to present his instruments was not alone in a sterile setting - "they should be experienced in the context of live performances." As producer: 1974 Understanding Latin Rhythms, Vol 1, and Vol II Down To Basics feat. José Mangual Jr., José Mangual Sr., Carlos "Patato" Valdez, Ofelio Fernández,

Manny Oquendo Manny Oquendo (January 1, 1931 – March 25, 2009) was an American percussionist of Puerto Rican ancestry. His main instruments were the timbales and the bongos. He was a long-time member of Eddie Palmieri's Conjunto La Perfecta, which he le ...

, and

Milton Cardona Milton Cardona (November 21, 1944 – September 19, 2014) was a percussionist, vocalist and conga player from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Milton Cardona made well over 1000 recordings, nine of which won Grammies. His career and was highly influence ...

1975 Masacote Guaguanco feat. Jose Mangual Jr. 1976 Authority feat. Carlos "Patato" Valdez 1977 Buyú feat. Jose Mangual, Sr. 1977 Ready For Freddy feat. Carlos "Patato" Valdez 1977 My Own Image album feat. Luis "Perico" Ortiz 1978 Drum Solos Vols. 1, 2, 3 feat. Eddie Montalvo and Charlie Santiago 1979 El Clavo feat. Ray Reyes, La Orquesta Refrain 1979 Alfredo - Alfredo de la Fé 1979 Dandy's Dandy, A Latin Affair - Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez 1979 Just Like Magic - The Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble feat.

, Carlos "Patato" Valdez and Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez 1979 Por Primera Vez - Conjunto Cache 1980 Bata y Rumba feat. Carlos "Patato" Valdez 1980 Live at Montreaux feat.

, Carlos "Patato" Valdez and Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez 2002 Montvale Rumba feat. Pedrito" Martínez and Little Johnny Rivero

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Martin 1939 births Living people