Exotica sounds from Tito Puente

I recently purchased a great five CD box set of Tito Puente titled 'Quatro - the Definitive Collection' and it is definitely a winner. The set is comprised of 4 entire classic Puente LPs from the late 1950's (Cuban Carnival, Night Beat, Dance Mania, Revolving Bandstand) and adds one bonus CD of other tracks/ outtakes.

\The Puente LP 'Tambo', considered the most exotica of all his LPs, is NOT included in this set.

I knew that Puente specialized in Cuban / Tropical Latin music, but I wasn't aware of the exotica content of a few of his songs. A quick search of youtube found these four, which I consider the most exotica of the set .... thought I would share them with you

• 'Cuban Fantasy' from the LP 'Cuban Carnival'
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO86nEVpy70

• 'Mambo Buda' from the LP 'Cuban Carnival'
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBRHXe1DOVo

• 'Hong Kong Mambo' from the LP 'Dance Mania'
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNifUszz2zA

• 'Autumn Leaves' from the LP 'Revolving Bandstands'
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SWfAW2YcJQ

After listening to these CDs, it is easy to see how Puente influenced artists like Martin Denny and Esquivel, whose first LPs were released shortly after the first Puente LPs of this box set. Puente's Latin music does feature lots of brass, so the overall effect is not quite as soothing as Denny's exotica, but the quality and musicianship on these CDs is amazing.

Tito Puente served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Santee during WW2, where he saw battle in the South Pacific -- further connection to the world of classic exotica?

The Quatro box set is quite nice - the presentation and sound quality is top notch - here is a link to a promotional video advertising this box set, released just a few months ago. This set is limited to 5000 copies, so they may not be around for long.
Quatro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZqdSmsIJK4

Vern

Yep. I totally get it.

Along those same lines, here is something worth checking out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQmUEeL5x2s

(Even has kind of a star trekky theme)

Wonderful artist and a great set. Thanks for the tip Vern.

Can't get enough of this stuff, along with Machito and His
Afro Cubans, Mongo Santamaria, and a little more poppy, Perez Prado.

In addition to Puente, a lot of popular crossover Latin bandleaders - Noro Morales, Machito, Jack Costanzo, Joe Loco, Alfredito coming immediately to mind - mixed in moody jungle riffs, along with "Oriental" and Middle Eastern themes, with their repertoire of mambos, montunos and Latin jazz jams. It's one of the most interesting permutations of post-War exotica.

Puente's early Tico recordings are rife with exotic motifs and are essential as well.

Nice websites Little Danny......looks like I will be spending a lot of
time there. Pretty cool stuff on the Exotica Project.

Thank you!

There are a couple of other prime examples, such as Elegua Chango and Lotus Land.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mZYhXQteF8

good stuff. A full on ritual at the beginning.

Love Tito Puente!! :)

Lots of great Latin Exotica can be found throughout his incredible back catalog! I actually went on a BIG Tito Puente kick for awhile discovering this stuff. Besides Tambu, which is my favorite, the album Mambomania is also worth seeking out. Almost the whole album concentrates on vibes and exotic type arrangments.

There is also a book about Tito called Mambo Diablo for people wanting to know more about the man.

Good thread topic Vern!! :)

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

thank you Ikitnrve and Jeff for recommending Tambo. I just got the CD for this album and it is fantastic, really liked it. Real exotic music with a very strong percussion vibe. I also liked Ti Mon Bo and Hong Kong Mambo from his The Very Best Of "King of Kings" album among others.

I love Tito Puente -- who can forget the scene in Stripes? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbVaisNPgh4)

Like many other Latin musicians of that time period, he did everything, from jazz to pop to exotica, and did them all well. Also recommended are his two albums Dance Mania 1 & 2, which you can now get on one two-CD set: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Mania-Tito-Puente/dp/B0021R51OK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1356961635&sr=8-3&keywords=dance+mania+tito+puente

I use a lot of the old, Latin dance music on my radio show, Dr. Zarkov's Tiki Lounge, especially from the mid-Century Palladium era when the dance beats were slow enough to actually dance the mambo and cha cha cha to. If you like that kind of music, you also should check out a program broadcast every Sunday at 6 pm EST on WPFW in Washington, DC, called Latin Flavor Mambo Edition, hosted by an old friend of mine, Jim Byers: http://www.wpfwfm.org/ You can see his playlists here: http://www.wpfwfm.org/programming/playlists.html Archived shows are also available to listen to here:
http://www.wpfwfm.org/programming/archived-shows.html

Jim has been broadcasting this show for more than 15 years now. Don't tell him, but I have stolen a lot of ideas from Jim and learned a tremendous amount about the musicians of that period from listening to his show over the years. I even say at some point in my show that it is "broadcast in full Tikiphonic sound" which is a rip-off of his description of his show being broadcast in "Mambophonic high fidelity."