Reviews (1)

Once the horns start your feet won't stop!
This is peppy dance music that is totally irresistible.If you've caught dance fever or if you're just looking for some festive music to accompany drinks this compilation is for you!It is rare that every song on a CD is enjoyable, but this one is composed entirely of hits. I don't speak Spanish (yet) but I sing along as best I can!Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Cuban    2. Afro-Cuban Jazz    3. Boogaloo    4. Cuba    5. Cuban Jazz    6. Latin Jazz    7. Latin Music    8. Latin Pop    9. Mambo    10. Pop    11. Salsa    12. Salsa/Merenge Collections    13. Son    14. Tropical   

Subjects:  1. Afro-Cuban Jazz    2. Cuban Jazz    3. Int'l & World Music    4. Latin Continuum    5. Latin Jazz    6. Leader    7. Mambo    8. Pop   

Editorial Review

It has been 40 years since Tito's first Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (7)

Finally
I was out of luck trying to find a live Tito set with good quality. Finally, this came along. Plays some of his more classic tunes, and they sound tight! Great vocalist Frankie Morales featured. Tito even turns out a solo on track 8 that will amaze you, especially since he's in his mid 70s and still jams better than most percussionists out there on timbales.

Tito Puente was the greatest of them all
It was about 1953, that I first heard of Tito Puente and his orchestra. It was in an LP with many other latin orchestras. In it there was a bolero "Si me dis ques' ce si" or something. Perhaps you have heard it! It was very very romantic. Tito Puente was the percussionist and the vibes player. Vocalist was Vicentico Valdez. Great live album by " El Rey Del Timbal"
This is the first ever cd that I got of Tito Puente not having known who he was before I got this recording I'm sure glad my parents told me about his music. The reason the cd is so great is because it brings you back to the Palladium days music. With songs like Cua Cua, Mambo Inn and Lullaby Of Birdland to name a few. Plus featring Dave Valentin on flute on the song Flauta Y Timbal that is why I think this cd is worth your money. So if you are just getting into latin jazz or want something great to listen to then this cd is for you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Cuban Jazz    2. Big Band Latino    3. Cuban Jazz    4. Jazz    5. Latin    6. Latin Continuum    7. Latin Jazz    8. Latin Music    9. Latin Pop    10. Leader    11. Mambo    12. Salsa    13. Tropical   

Features

• Import

Subjects:  1. Afro-Cuban Jazz    2. Latin    3. Latin Jazz    4. Mambo    5. Salsa    6. Tango    7. Tropical    8. World Music   

Features

• Import

Reviews (2)

ANOTHER GREAT ONE-- MANY GOLD STARS
After just receiving this CD, I would give it a star for each selection on this CD.There isn't one that I do not like. I particularlylike "SWAY". I don't have this song on any of my MANY CD's by Cugat. All familiar songs are done in a different style and each one is done superbly. I don't understand why this CD is considered an import. This one, along with ABSOLUTE BEST, THE KING PLAYS SOME ACES, CUBAN MAMBO, CUGAT CALVALCADE, CUGAT IN SPAIN, MAMBO AT THE WALDORF, BREAD,LOVE AND CHA CHA CHA and a couple others should be on AMAZON's list of top Cugat sellers instead of the ones they have been showing for years as the top sellers. Thank you.

Mercury recordings
This CD from GB has music from Xavier Cugats period on Mercury, about 1958-1964. Very good with swinging beat. I onw about 55 CDs with Xavier Cugat and many old LPs too. Anybody who wants to discuss this music is welcome to write to me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Cuban Jazz    2. Big Band    3. Cha-Cha    4. Cuba    5. Instrumental Pop    6. Latin    7. Latin Jazz    8. Lounge    9. Mambo    10. Rhumba    11. United States of America   

Reviews (8)

excellent
I bought because of Khaled's "didi" remix, but thw whole CD is precious! Excellent. Every DJ should have!

Buy it for Track 10
I suppose it's not really fair. It's a compilation of various artists and all the songs are, at the very least, good. But....Jorge Dalto's piano on Track 10 (Samba de Flora) is way beyond good. It's great, it's beautiful to listen to. What a gift to be able to improvise like that. Would've been a treat to hear him live, in Rio. Oh well, next life.

absolute monster disk
from the deejays of a now defunkt south london club.man, i wish i had made it to that club.disk arranged geographically:start out in south asia (bally sagoo's mix of "kinna sohna" by ustad nusrat fateh ali khan, then to the north africa (funk club mix of "didi' by rai singer khaled, on to sub-saharan africa and the power-pop sweetness of "angelina" by the ghanaian highlife band sweet talks, across the ocean to latin america and brazilian percussionist airto's "samba de flora" and end up in the states with luther barnes and the red budd gospel choir doing "my god can do anything." and this disk nearly does everything. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Dance Music    3. Jazz Collections    4. Mambo    5. Pan-Global    6. Pop    7. Rai    8. Rock    9. Soukous    10. Soul-Jazz    11. World Music    12. Worldbeat   

Reviews (4)

Iam dancing in my kitchen!
Been in love with tom-toms and bongos etc. all of my life.So glad to have been walking through an outdoor shop in San Diego, California USA, on a trip and heard this music playing, asked about it, bouhgt it, pretty much shelved it once I got home. Five yrs. later I am thinking this would have helped me keep my girlish figure!For one thing, it is happy music!Another thing, it makes you want to move your body! "Happy", fun, party music
This CD is the best!If you love soft, romantic Brazilian samba, tempered with a bit of some harder rhythms from Central Africa, and some "sweet" South African-type music, you should buy this.Every song is outstanding in its own right.

not quite the monster disk the first one was
more from the djs at the late lamented mambo inn.this time the tour starts in brazil across the ocean to west africa and then back across the ocean to the caribbean.fewer remixes heavier emphasis on latin music than the first, so the lower rating my be interpreted purely as a matter of personal taste.your mileage may vary.Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Pop    2. Brazilian Pop    3. Int'l & World Music    4. Mambo    5. Pan-Global    6. Pop    7. Salsa    8. World Music    9. Worldbeat   

Subjects:  1. Cuba    2. Latin    3. Latin Continuum    4. Latin Jazz    5. Latin Pop    6. Mambo    7. Salsa    8. Salsa/Merenge    9. Son    10. Tropical   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered
• Import

Subjects:  1. Cuba    2. Int'l & World Music    3. Latin Continuum    4. Latin Jazz    5. Latin Music    6. Latin Pop    7. Mambo    8. Pop    9. Salsa    10. Salsa/Merenge    11. Son    12. Tropical   

Features

• Import

Subjects:  1. Afro-Cuban Jazz    2. Cuban Jazz    3. Jazz    4. Latin    5. Latin Continuum    6. Latin Jazz    7. Leader    8. Mambo    9. Tropical   

Reviews (3)

Half the Music, Double the Price
Celia Cruz is beyond words. Like Aretha and Sinatra, Celia had that certain something no musicologist, no critic, no fan has been able to fathom. We hear it, but we haven't found the word for it. Her years with La Sonora Matancera are an important chapter in the history of popular music of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, this CD gives us only five songs sung by Celia and five by the band members. All great numbers, but not enough of them. I would have left the rating blank if they'd let me because I do not endorse this particular recording despite the great music in it. CBS/Sony/Orfe?n released a twenty-song compilation in 1990. The CD (B00005Y7HY) is still available on this site and the list price is less than $... (US). It includes all but two or three of the songs in this shorter collection. Of course, it also includes many others that are far more important. Though full advantage of restoration technology was not taken when transferring analog to digital, you can still hear the fire in her voice, the piano solos and brass arrangements that don't get enough credit. And you own a piece of history to boot. (There are many other compilations of Celia and la Sonora and countless shorter collections but, as with Sinatra, making a list of the best would be terribly subjective and nearly impossible.) Whatever you end up buying, open the windows and crank up the volume. When the neighbors complain, just invite them, offer them some Cuban coffee, and let them listen a bit longer. Soon, they too will understand.

The Queen of Salsa.
Cuban-born Celia Cruz is rightly known as the Queen of Salsa. In our democratic society, we think that such an exalted position is something you grow into over time, something you achieve after years of effort and persistence. But musical royalty is similar to political royalty in that most true kings and queens are born, not made. Elvis's "That's All Right" notwithstanding, "Cao Cao Mani Picao" is the best proof of that unfair fact of life: it was Celia's first single, and she sounds as regal and assured as she does fifty years on. Me, if I were a subject of Celialand, I'd be quite content to chime in the backing cao-caos with the other peons. At least I'd be in the presence of greatness.

Forever Young
Want to hear real authentic Cuban music that is pure without any added features to entice a larger audience? Buy this one for the sheer historical significance. A must have for any collector of Cuban music. The trackscollected here are classic and feature some of Celia's best compositions.Celia Cruz, one of the queens of Cuban music is featured here as a youngsinger. Also the world renowned Sonora Mantancera, and its male singers, isthe back up band for an extra bonus adding to the historical significanceand authenticity of these early recordings. Judging by the picture of Celiaand the boys in the band I would guess these recordings are from the 50's,maybe 60's at the latest. A forever youthful Celia is featured on the coverand her voice is more youthful as well, not as deep but just greatnonetheless.The only let down is that there are no liner notes so you justhave to enjoy the music for what it is, timeless and forever young. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Latin    2. Latin Continuum    3. Latin Jazz    4. Latin Pop    5. Latin Pop/Rock    6. Mambo    7. Salsa    8. Son    9. Tropical   

Subjects:  1. Cuba    2. Latin    3. Latin Continuum    4. Latin Jazz    5. Latin Music    6. Latin Pop    7. Mambo    8. Salsa    9. Salsa/Merenge    10. Son    11. Tropical    12. Vocals   

Features

• Import

Subjects:  1. Cuba    2. Latin    3. Latin Continuum    4. Latin Jazz    5. Latin Pop    6. Mambo    7. Salsa    8. Salsa/Merenge    9. Son    10. Tropical    11. Vocals   

Subjects:  1. Cuba    2. Latin    3. Latin Continuum    4. Latin Jazz    5. Latin Pop    6. Mambo    7. Salsa    8. Son    9. Tropical   

Features

• Import

Subjects:  1. Afro-Cuban Jazz    2. Big Band    3. Latin    4. Latin Jazz    5. Latin Pop    6. Mambo    7. Salsa    8. Traditional Pop    9. Tropical   

Reviews (1)

Enrico Domingo & His Big Band a farce
I have found other discs in LaserLights Strictly Dancing series useful unembellished music for learning and practice. This CD approaches USELESS.I wonder if there is even one live musician with a conventional instrument in any of the selections.All the synthesizer stuff is deadly AWFUL.Enricos "Big Band" must be attaching his watch to his wrist!Shame on Delta Music's FALSE LABELING. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballroom Dance    2. Easy Listening    3. Latin    4. Latin Music    5. Mambo    6. Tropical   

Reviews (4)

did not get it
I did not even get it.I ordered it in February and still have not received it.

Buena mezcla de ritmos diferentes
Lo que me sorprende de este disco es la manera en que Celia compone diferentes ritmos tropicales en un solo disco. Aunque Celia Cruz se hizo famosa por sus salsas ritmicas y calientes, esta grabacion tambien resalta sus otras calidades musicales. Elalbum es muy suave de principio a fin y cada cancion tiene un elemento artistico digno de atencion. Por lo general, la primera cancion de un disco es la que llama la atencion de la gente y este disco no es excepcion. Sin lugar a dudas "Azucar Negra" es el exito pero las otras canciones tambien tienen sabor y deben ser escuchadas. Lo que me fascina es que hay un poco de todo. Hay cinco salsas y cada una tiene un estilo unico y las otras canciones son boleros o baladas depende de como el oyente las interprete. Basicamente es un album muy bueno y si decides tenerlo en tu coleccion musical creo que en poco tiempo se convertira en uno de tus discos mas apreciados.

salsa????? oh my goodness
this up-beat down to earth mix of latin percussion busts beats into and out of your ear with such rythymn and flavor that it makes you want to get up and move. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cuba    2. Latin    3. Latin Continuum    4. Latin Jazz    5. Latin Music    6. Latin Pop    7. Mambo    8. Salsa    9. Salsa/Merenge    10. Son    11. Tropical    12. Vocals   

Reviews (2)

GREAT EASY LISTENING SALSA!!!!!
I have just heard this album and i simply love it!!! Every single song is full of rythm, happiness and optimism!! Once the first track starts playing you�ll feel the need to dance... The album works the same for having a party or just to sit down and enjoy the music while you imagine at one of Cuba�s barrios. "It's party time & Puente is your host"
This album is simply "Classic Puente", with everything youalways wanted on one CD by your favorite Latin artist - Tito Puente.Thealbum title certainly fits the criteria for any gathering and festive mood. Many tracks are stand outs - "TAKE FIVE" (Paul Desmond) -"KILLER JOE" (Benny Golson) - "GUAJIRA SOUL" (RayBarretto) - "AZU KI KI" (Tito Puente), but the highlight of thisparty is none other than Puente's classic - "OYE COMO VA" (TitoPuente) a live version of the best at his best.Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Cuban Jazz    2. Big Band Latino    3. Cuban Jazz    4. Jazz    5. Latin    6. Latin Continuum    7. Latin Jazz    8. Latin Music    9. Latin Pop    10. Leader    11. Mambo    12. Salsa   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Subjects:  1. Latin    2. Regional Mexican    3. Salsa    4. Tropical   

Reviews (1)

EXCELLENT
This is the same CD as "Xavier Cugat--el rey del Mambo" except it offers a couple more songs on this CD.All songs excellent, done in a little different style than usual, such as Siboney, Amapola, Granada. I own 2 copies--one for my car and one for home. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Cha-Cha    3. Jazz    4. Latin Jazz    5. Lounge    6. Mambo    7. Pop    8. Rhumba