Now that the first two installments of Tito Puente's classic 78 rpm recordings are enjoying great success, we delve into the historically significant volume 3. Here, we find the velvety vocalizing of singer Gilberto Monroig. We also follow the development of Tito's conjunto sound into a bigger big band format.

On some of these tracks, he records with a quartet or quintet featuring Mongo Santamaría on congas, Willie Bobo on bongos, Charlie Palmeri on piano, Bobby Rodríguez on bass and the King himself on vibes and timbales. These recordings show how versatile Tito was - a quality that is mostly absent from the work of today's salseros.

Most musicians of the past were multifaceted. Between 1953 and 1954, Tito lost the great Vicentico Valdés, who left Puente's orchestra in order to start his own combo. Tito hired the equally talented Gilberto Monroig, even though he had a different singing style from Valdés.

It was also the beginning of a new rhythm that had just come out of Cuba. Created by the great Enrique Jorrín and named cha cha cha, this brand new style was beginning to take the country by storm. In this volume, you
can hear Tito's first cha cha cha recordings - interpreted by one of the greatest big bands ever to grace the landscape of Latin music.

You will hear Tito performing the Palladium's definitive anthem - "Mambo Inn." His version is different than the one performed by Machito and Tito Rodríguez. Incidentally, Rodríguez's version was recorded on a transcription record and never released to the public. I remember being at a function with "Mambo Inn" composer Mario Bauzá, and telling him that I had a copy of this recording. Bauzá insisted that Rodríguez had never recorded this composition, until I played it for him. Perhaps one day, it will see the light of day.

Even though Gilberto Monroig was the lead singer in many of these recordings with Tito, at the time he did not enjoy the kind of popularity that Vicentico did. Puente would eventually find one of his favorite singers in the voice of Santitos Colón. Monroig's stint with the orchestra was short lived - in part due to his struggle with his health. Nevertheless, Monroig overcame his personal demons and remained friends with the bandleader. He became a Puerto Rican singing icon, and in 1966 rejoined Puente and recorded an album entitled The Perfect Combination for the Alegre label.

Puente composed 10 of the 40 tracks in this collection. 15 of them feature his unique style on the vibes, which influenced players such as Cal Tjader,
Pete Terrace, Louie Ramírez, Al Levy (Alfredito), Harvey Averne and Tommy Berrios of Joe Cuba fame. You will also hear Monroig interpreting a bilingual tune (“I Love You Baby”), as well as “Bananas” - Puente's first calypso recording, boasting a vocal chorus led by George Weiss.

The first disc kicks off with a smoking mambo-rumbón with Gilberto on vocals and Mongo on conga. Entitled “Bam Baram Bam Bam,” it was written by Justi Barretto - the Tite Curet Alonso of the time. "The Silver Star" was the first cha cha cha that Puente ever recorded. The big band arrangement of "Tropicana" is likely to blow you away. Tito also shines in a swinging version of "Caravan Mambo" - the Latin jazz standard by Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol.

"Cool Mambo” and "Philadelphia Mambo" include the swinging interplay between Tito's vibes and the piano of Charlie Palmieri. “Ya lo Puede Decir" is a beautiful bolero that was also recorded by Tito Rodríguez during the same year. Puente's version was the bigger hit.

Our second disc begins with an excellent cha cha cha entitled “Rico Melao.” The bolero “Malcriada” was a big hit for Tito and Gilberto. ”I Love You Baby” and "Bananas” were the last two tracks that Monroig recorded with the Tito Puente orchestra, in an attempt to capitalize on the short lived calypso fad of the time.

The classic Puente hit “Ran Kan Kan" was re-recorded for the Tico label with vibes instead of timbales - pure genius on Tito's part. The bandleader gives his own flavor to "El Jamaiquino,” a track that was also recorded by Machito and Tito Rodríguez - look for the other two versions and you will see what I mean. A Tito Puente original, "Cha Cha Bounce” ends this third installment.

It is now time to sit back and enjoy the many classics that Tito Puente recorded during the era of the mambo and the cha cha cha - widely considered as one of the most creative chapters in the history of Latin music.


COMPILED, SEQUENCED AND PRODUCED BY JOE CONZO
MUSIC HISTORIAN/CONSULTANT

LESS >