Orestes Vilato

Percussionist, born May 4, 1944 in Camagüey, Cuba

Vilató started his pro career at age twelve with Belisario López's charanga, followed by stints with José Fajardo ('62-5), Johnny Pacheco (eight months) and Ray Barretto ('65-72); he also performed with Machito, Tito Puente, Fania All Stars, Mike Martínez's Latin Dimensions and others. In 1972 five of original lineup split from Ray Barretto band at height of its popularity: Adalberto Santiago, lead singer; Orestes Vilató, Johnny 'Dandy' Rodríguez, René López, and Dave Pérez formed Tipica 73.

Musical differences about 'stretching out' or staying típico split the band: Vilató, Santiago, Mannozzi, González left '76 to form Los Kimbos; Vilató later revealed that he and the other defectors had became dissatisfied with Dandy's financial management and Típica's failure to match the highly paid incomes of other mid-'70s salsa acts. Los Kimbos was a gutsy club band on eponymous LP '76, Mannozzi switching to piano and with trumpeter and musical director Roberto Rodríguez (d '88) from Barretto's band; on second LP they were The Big Kimbos with Adalberto Santiago '77, whereupon Santiago went solo and the band split into "Nelson González And His Band" (debuting on eponymous LP '77 on TR) and "Vilató y Los Kimbos", which released two further albums: Hoy y Mañana '78 and Aquacero Ne Me Moja '79. Disenchanted with Cotique, Vilató relocated to San Francisco '80 to work with Carlos Santana until 1988, thereafter he organised a gigging band called Los Kimbos 90 in 1990.