Search - Tito Puente :: Rey Del Timbal: Best of

What Tito Puente was not

Rene V. Contreras | Akiachak, AK United States | 12/16/2000

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I have a number of Tito Puente, Mongo Santa Maria, Machito, and other great Afro-Cuban musicians albums. I thought this complilation would add some titles I haven't been able to locate. What a disappointment. Ran Kan Kan, which I remember hearing as a child, is not the original recording. Instead a second-rate cut. This continues throughout the disc. The best part was the liner notes, which praised Tito's fantastic album, Tito in Purcussion, yet a cut was not included. Stay away from this one."

A Collection of Tito's Best Work!

Brian J. Paulsen | Portland, Oregon | 06/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This record grooves as is typical of Afro-Cuban/Latin styles of music. This is nothing like the popularized from of Latin music that we hear of nowadays. This album features all that was good about the late Tito Puente, with everything from great jazz ballads such as "Night Beat" to the smashing sounds of his classic Mombo styles, such as "Ran-Kan-Kan," my favorite, "Machito Forever," and Puente's anthem, "El Ray del Timbal." Overall I liked this album because it displays all of the Mambo King's talents in a wide variety of settings. This album, I think, is one of the best ways to discover REAL latin music."

Essential for both the initiate and connoisseur.

Larry Gassan | Los Angeles | 09/29/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tito Puente is a titan. The brilliance and sophistication of his arrangements harnessed to the talent of the musicians is exuberant and flawless. Liner notes are thorough and insightful."