5.0 out of 5 stars
Blistering Latin fire! Essential listening., March 18, 2002
I actually have this album on a UK rerelease label, but it's clearly the same one. From what little info. that cd has, they appear to be rerecordings made for Fania some time in the late 1960's of some of Puente's best known tunes. All but two are mid-to-up tempo dance floor killers with razor sharp brass, classic percussion and good bass, all in glorious mono. Out of the twelve tracks, only the cheesey 'Si Si No No' in skipable, the rest are simply the epitome of full-on mambo power. The fierce cut of O'Farrill and Gillespie's 'Carambola' and the rolling bass-heavy swinger 'Tibiri Tabara' (which has one of those riffs you wish would go on for ever, a la Basie) are perhaps the standouts, but on another day you could easily choose two others. A superb little album that knocks the sometimes flaccid sounds of Salsa that was just around the corner into a cocked hat.
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