Martin Cohen

Martin Cohen (born January 28, 1939) is an American inventor, entrepreneur, mechanical engineer, and photographer, best known as the founder of the Latin Percussion company. He invented many percussion instruments used in the Salsa World, for which he was awarded 8 patents. 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. After the reputation of his business began to grow, he was approached by CBS house musician Specs Powell. At Powell's insistence, Cohen designed and sold him a stand for a pair of bongos, something which was not widely used or available at that time. He 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. In 1979, Cohen assembled a "super group" of musicians featuring Tito Puente, 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, who sold it to Fender in 2008, who then sold it to Drum Workshop in 2014.

Photography

Cohen has photographically documented the Latin music scene through thousands of photos of musical stars such as Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Patato, Carlos Santana, Samuel Torres, Issac Delgado, Jeremy Bosch, Porfi Baloa y Los Adolescentes, Los Van Van, Giovanni Hidalgo, and countless others.

Music recordings As producer:

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, and Milton Cardona (1974) Masacote Guaguanco feat. Jose Mangual Jr. (1975) Authority feat. Carlos "Patato" Valdez (1976) Buyú feat. Jose Mangual, Sr. (1977) Ready For Freddy feat. Carlos "Patato" Valdez (1977) My Own Image feat. Luis "Perico" Ortiz (1977) Drum Solos Vols. 1, 2, 3 feat. Eddie Montalvo and Charlie Santiago (1978) 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. Tito Puente, Carlos "Patato" Valdez and Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez (1979) Por Primera Vez - Conjunto Cache (1979) Bata y Rumba feat. Carlos "Patato" Valdez (1980) Live at Montreaux feat. Tito Puente, Carlos "Patato" Valdez and Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez (1980) Montvale Rumba feat. Pedrito Martínez and "Little" Johnny Rivero (2002)