A Grammy nominee and frequent collaborator with salsa crossover star Rubén Blades, conguero Eddie Montalvo was born and raised in the Bronx. Growing up a fan of salsa music, Montalvo started on the bongos, but switched to the congas when he joined Julio Romero & the Latin Jazz All-Stars. With the congas, he would play in the bands of superstars like Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, Willie Colón, and Johnny Pacheco before joining the Fania All-Stars in 1979. In 1995 he released his first solo album, On My Own, while in 2001 he joined Joe Madera in his Big 3 Palladium Orchestra. In 2012 Montalvo released his second solo album, Desde Nueva York a Puerto Rico. It would be nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award in the category of Best Tropical Latin Album. ~ David Jeffries