shayshee | Hyattsville, MD United States | 08/21/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is my first and absolute favorite lounge CD. From the swingin' "You're My Thrill" (my fave) to the smooth "Cha Cha Cha D'amor" (from the King of Cool himself, Dean Martin), the songs on this CD are perfect for any setting. Background at brunch...full blast in the car...for ambiance at a Martini party...these are all-around "feel good" tracks that will keep you snapping. Many of my friends are hip-hop fans - even still, I've managed to sway them over to the "cool" side from time to time, thanks in large part to Volume 9. Kudos to the Ultra Lounge gang for this one!"
Grab a martini!
shayshee | 07/30/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I work at a music store and I've never heard anything in any genre that can set moods like the Ultra Lounge series. I personally own 5 of them and people always ask me "what's that?" young,old...they all seem to get caught by the music. These are something any real "COOL" person would have to play at the pad or at a party. Personally they make me wanna get a martini!"
For rhythm lovers
Vivian Davenport | .. | 02/06/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Admit it. When you click the remote to a PBS station and they have those Latin rhythmic songs playing in those dance contests, you get up off the sofa and start cha-chaing to them. Everyone, no matter what their age, does it. This CD is PBS in a package. Only better. Why would the first and last track be the same (Sway)? Because it's soooooo cooooool. For rhythm lovers, this is tops."
Now THIS'LL take the chill off your chili !!!
Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 03/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD in the Ultra-Lounge series boasts a great track set that will leave you wanting more of that cha-cha-cha! The CD is jammed full of music by many different artists and their orchestras; and there's even a bongo drum lesson at the very end of the CD!
The CD opens with Dean Martin crooning the words to "Sway" which gets the Latin treatment by Dick Stabile & His Orchestra. The mixing of traditional instruments with a Latin beat makes this number shine. "Recado Bossa Nova" by Laurindo Almeida & The Bossa Nova All-Stars follows; "Recado Bossa Nova" has a much purer Latin beat and the musical arrangement uses the guitar very effectively. Once you hear "Recado Bossa Nova" you're going to have incredible difficulty sitting still for the rest of the CD, so clear some room on the floor and prepare for what comes next!
"You're My Thrill" mixes a Latin beat with great use of the horn and drums as Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires infuse it with just a touch of a more traditional American flavor. How's about that piano, too? SMILES
The John Buzon Trio turns in an excellent performance with a solid cha-cha beat for "It Must Be True." As soon as I heard this I wanted a whole CD of John's trio but I didn't find one; and I have no clue why! They give a high octane performance on "It Must Be True" with even an organ thrown into the musical arrangement at just the right moments. This is a high point for this CD.
This CD also contains the classic track "Whatever Lola Wants;" and there is a medley of "Dark Eyes/It Happened in Monterey" by The Mallet Men and 80 Drums Around The World, respectively. Awesome! "A Nêga Se Vingou" shines also with a high energy, fast paced seductive beat and melody that reflects a relentlessly happy outlook on life; and "The Magnificent Seven" shows us how the then-current Latin cha-cha dance craze could be fitted to the score from a major American motion picture, too.
"Desafinado," the second song on this album to be performed by Laurindo Almeida & The Bossa Nova All-Stars, really makes you want to grab your partner and dance, dance, dance for joy! The flute adds a little extra something special to this instrumental track.
"So Nice (Samba De Verão)" will probably be the most easily recognized track on this CD. The organ and percussion carry the melody well; Billy May does a great job with this number.
Some reviewers write that this CD has some filler material. In my opinion, if there is any filler material it is most likely the track entitled "Rock-Cha-Rhumba." This track contains three shorter numbers to illustrate how the advent of rock and roll affected cha-cha music. You may like this; or you may not enjoy this at all. It's a judgment call!
The CD ends with Julie London singing "Sway" with her rather seductive rendition of the very same ballad sung by Dean Martin at the beginning of this CD. I think Dean's version would have sufficed for this CD; they could have added a brand new, fresh track in place of Julie London's "Sway" but the rest of the CD is so good I can forgive this.
The two bonus "hidden tracks" add some color to the CD but they are not the main attraction; some people may even consider them to be pure filler. There is one short track of a man professing his love for his woman as he simply talks about her. If there were only one track I could replace in the track set this number would be it; I would replace it with another musical ballad or an instrumental. The final track gives a brief aural lesson in how to play the bongos; give it a whirl before you dismiss the bongo drum lesson!
The liner notes give the song credits; a wonderful essay by R. J. Smith; and you even get recipes for making margaritas and cuban apricots! Cool! The sound is terrific; Bob Norberg at Capitol Records did a flawless job of digitally remastering these tracks.
The Latin cha-cha craze was just one of several Latin dance crazes sweeping the country in the late 1950s and 1960s. I highly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys such music; and people who enjoy lounge music or Latin music from the 1950s and 1960s will treasure this CD as well.
¡Olé!
"
El disco latino with tunes that are keen-o!
F. J. Weiner | Philadelphia, PA USA | 10/04/1998
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Almost all of the tracks on this album will get your adrenaline flowing, get your blood up, etc. While this CD is not the super-smash that Volume 2 (mambo) is, the cha-cha theme holds up very well. One of the highlights on this one--and one of the highlights of the entire ULTRA-LOUNGE series-- is "Blue Rhumba" by the mysterious Rolley Polley. Ole!"
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1
