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Personnel: Tito Puente (arranger, vibraphone, marimba, timbales); Santitos Colon (vocals); Rafael Palau, Jerry Sanfino, Schepp Pullman, Tony Buonpastore (saxophone); Bernie Glow, Jimmy Frisaura, Frank Lo Pinto, George Lopez, Gene Rapetti, Larry Moser, Leon Merian (trumpet); Raymond Concepcion (piano); Bobby Rodriguez (bass); Ray Barretto, Julito Collazo, Ray Rodriguez (percussion); Vitin Aviles, Otto Olivar, Santitos Colon (background vocals). Reissue producers: Domingo G. Echevarria, Harry Sepulveda, Samuel Lopez. Recorded in New York, New York in November & December 1957. Includes liner notes by Domingo G. Echevarria and Harry Sepulveda. Digitally remastered by Dick Baxter and Domingo G. Echevarria (1991, BMG/Studio ID, New York, New York). These glorious cuts from 1957 hardly require any introduction. Played by one of the very finest bands of the day, it's easy to see how this became the sizzling Afro-Cuban jazz that had Latinos and Anglos alike tearing it up on America's hippest dance floors. Mr. Puente does it all here, from composing many of the tunes to crisp, electrifying arranging and bandleading to his deft marimba and timbal playing. Really, who else had an orchestra that hit rhythmic breaks with such ferocity and control? The husky, milky sound of Santitos Colon's voice makes for a pointed contrast with the driving, strident force of the band. The classic Aguabella-penned guaguanco "Complicacion," features relatively simple, melodic horn orchestration when compared to the layering effect brought to a thrilling crest in "Mambo Gozon." The instrumentals are also wonderful. There's the whimsically titled "3-D Mambo," with its blistering staccato trumpet hits and then the gay, romantic roll of "Varsity Drag." Of sure interest to those who were there as well as newer Latin jazz audiences, this is music with no expiration date.
