Manny Oquendo (January 1, 1931 – March 25, 2009) was an American percussionist of Puerto Rican ancestry, renowned for his expertise in playing the timbales and bongos. Oquendo grew up in New York City, where he began studying percussion in 1945. Throughout his career, he was associated with several prominent Tropical and Latin music ensembles, including those led by Carlos Valero, Luis del Campo, and Luciano "Chano" Pozo, among others.

In 1950, Oquendo joined Tito Puente's band as a bongó player, later performing with Tito Rodríguez in 1954 and Vicentico Valdés in 1955. His freelance work in New York eventually led him to join Eddie Palmieri's Conjunto La Perfecta in 1962, where he contributed to the development of the New York–style Mozambique rhythm. In the 1970s, Oquendo left La Perfecta to co-lead Conjunto Libre with bassist Andy González. The group achieved international success with their 1983 hit "Little Sunflower," a Freddie Hubbard composition featured on their album "Ritmo, Sonido y Estilo."

Oquendo's musical style was characterized by his sparse and straightforward típico phrasing on the timbales, reminiscent of the Cuban timbaleros of the 1940s. His solos also integrated the rhythmic language of the folkloric quinto, the lead drum of rumba. Throughout his career, Oquendo's work was celebrated for its innovation and adherence to traditional Latin music elements.