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Mongo Santamaria - Greatest Hits [Bonus Tracks]
Mongo Santamaria
Mongo Santamaria - Greatest Hits [Bonus Tracks]
Genres: International Music, Jazz, Pop, Latin Music
 
  •  Track Listings (16) - Disc #1

Ever since Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría arrived in the United States from Cuba in the late 1940s and hooked up with bebop legend Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, and Pérez Prado, he's been the most imit...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Mongo Santamaria
Title: Mongo Santamaria - Greatest Hits [Bonus Tracks]
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Sony
Original Release Date: 1/1/1970
Re-Release Date: 7/4/2000
Album Type: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
Genres: International Music, Jazz, Pop, Latin Music
Styles: Caribbean & Cuba, Cuba, Latin Jazz, Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo, Easy Listening, Latin Pop, Tropical, Salsa
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 074646392027

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Ever since Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría arrived in the United States from Cuba in the late 1940s and hooked up with bebop legend Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, and Pérez Prado, he's been the most imitated conga drummer in Latin jazz and salsa music. Further, his pioneering flute-violin charanga bands have almost singly expanded the parameters of Latin sounds in America.These 1960s Columbia Records sides contain his coveted hip-shaking pop covers with flutist Hubert Laws, master santero Julito Collazo, drummer Bernard Purdie, and trumpeter Marty Sheller, with Santamaría and company conjuring up fun and campy red-beans-and-rice versions of Top 40 soul classics. Santamaría lays the boogaloo down on James Brown's "Cold Sweat," the Temptations' "Cloud Nine," Ritchie Valens's "La Bamba" and Booker T. and the MG's' hit, "Green Onions." But make no mistake, Mongo Santamaría was no novelty act. His rendition of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" and his own composition, the 6/8 syncopated standard, "Afro Blue"--recorded by legions of musicians, including John Coltrane, and captured live on this compilation--best showcases his thunderous and articulate polyrhythmic genius linking Africa and the Americas. --Eugene Holley Jr.

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CD Reviews

Pink 'Palm Beach'
Kevin Monahan | Kanazawa Japan | 10/31/2003
(2 out of 5 stars)

"The last cut, the exquisite 'Afro Blue' is worth the price of the CD or, at least, that is what I am telling myself now that I own it. 'Watermelon Man' adds the other star for nostalgia's sake and 'Chili Beans' is admittedly funky. What remains though is a strange excursion into commercial bugaloo and R&B - think 'Austin Powers' meets 'Beach Blanket Bingo' - actually painful to listen to. It must have been a case of an artist (get 'Afro Roots' or 'Sabroso') providing what his producers and market demanded. Danceability? If you're throwing a 'Retro-Retro 60's' party, this is the CD for it; bring your pink 'Palm Beach' sport coat and your madras shorts."
WE GOT LATIN SOUL !
J. Hoffman | dover, pa. United States | 06/17/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mongo Santamaria was one of the best latin jazz artists of his time. Rest in salsa heaven !!"
Mongo
Ed Poe | Oregon USA | 10/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Not a fan of Mongo Santamaria, particularly, I got this collection primarily for a copy of his pop hit, "Watermelon Man". I am pleased to have some of his other sounds. The striking girl in the picture was worth the $$."