Fania / Umgd
2006
El Rey (The King)
About This Album
With a title like El Rey (The King), you can expect ten great tracks. With superb material and performances by Santos Colon, Andy Senatore, and Rudy Calzado, as well as one top instrumental ("Safari"), El Rey is possibly the king of Tito Puente albums on Tico. Three are originals, and two are by Bobby Marin, but all feature the great arranging talent of Puente. "It Was Love" is a swinging ballad, and the mod excursion "Safari" is topped off by a sax-anticipating "Harlem River Drive." "T.P. Treat," the second great Senatore song, is a wild scat boogaloo, and, of course, "Pata Pata" was obligatory in the boogaloo era. "Erasmo el Loco" keeps the crazy party going while taking a brief step back from the mainstream. "Shing-a-Tin Tin" is final proof that Puente can cut as good a boogaloo album as anyone. That may not be saying much, and indeed El Rey does not say much, but it sure feels good, and that's the point. ~ Tony Wilds, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8)

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