Concord Records
2004
Party At Puente's Place
About This Album
Tito Puente was one of the most popular Latin jazz bandleaders during a fair portion of his career. This slim-line two-CD compilation combines two of his best releases from his the early days of his work for Concord Jazz, originally released separately as Broadway and Mambo Diablo. Puente explores standards, classic jazz compositions, music from Brazilian masters as well as his own works, and is joined by a potent group that includes pianist Jorge Dalto, multi-reed player Mario Rivera and trumpeter Ray Gonzalez. Puente's arrangement of Duke Ellington's timeless ballad "Sophisticated Lady" picks up speed during his brief solo on vibes, while the added percussion gives it an entirely different sound. Likewise, the sassy treatment of Toots Thielemans' "Bluesette" is very fresh. The performance of "On Broadway" showcases Edgardo Miranda initially on guitar, then he switches to cuatro, obviously influenced by George Benson's hit recording from the late 1970s. The furious rendition of Milton Nascimento's "Salt Song" finds the band building upon a repeated vamp for several choruses before releasing into its easygoing theme, spotlighting Rivera's mellow tenor sax.
Track List

Disc 1 (try tracks 1 and 3)

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Disc 2 (try tracks 2 and 8)

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