Customer Reviews

Mambo Con Conga Is Mozambique

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Mambo con conga is MOZAMBIQUE", released on TICO in '65, is Palmieri's best work, after "El Sonido Nuevo". Although his previous albums are also quite good ("El Molestoso", "Echando P'alante", "Azucar Pa'Ti"), Mozambique's sound is crisper, the conga and timbal is more prominent, Castro's flute is impressive, and Quintana's vocals have improved. The album covers rhythm styles such as mozambique, cha cha, guaracha, and comparsa.

I have had this album since it first arrived in the music stores. I love this album, by far the best album I have ever owned.

Other than my ALL TIME favorite Eddie Album AZUCAR, Mozambique is without question his best work. I was fortunate enough to have seen Eddie perform many times in the mid to late 60s in all of the NY venues such as The Village Gate, Manhattan Center, Colgate Gardens, Huntspoint Palace (later to become The Bronx Music Palace)along with some of the other Latin greats suce as Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Joe Cuba Ricardo Ray and Mr. Boogaloo Blues himself, Johnny Colon...some of the best times of my life!!!!

When you hear trombonist Barry Rogers blow the first notes on "Mi Mambo Conga", you know Palmieri's going to take you to Latin Jazz heaven, and let me tell you, he doesn't disappoint. This album, in my opinion, is a milestone because Palmieri introduces some very strong Cuban rhythms into his already extensive repetoire. In addition, his band features the great Manny Oquendo, whose cowbell and timbale playing have the sharpest sound quality I've heard on any disc.
The band members seem to feed off one another and it's sometimes hard to tell which section is the driving force. For example, on "Ajiaco Caliente", after Palmieri and Barry Rogers solo, the trombones forge a consistent vamp that baits the percussion and chorus to dig in. Meanwhile, Ismael Quintana's excellent vocals keep everyone focused on the......."Malanga".
"Pobre Pedro" is a slow starting cha-cha that ends up being a laugh and cry tour de farce between George Castro's flute and the trombone section over the antics of "Poor Peter". You can just see Eddie on piano, moanin' and groanin' with delight as this simmering piece takes off into the Latin Jazz stratosphere.
Mambo Con Conga definately belongs in your collection. Tico deserves alot of credit for an excellent remastering job. Highly recommended.

Grammy Winner Eddie Palmieri has had a long, illustrious career with the Salsa sounds of the 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond, to Latin Jazz with such legends as Tito Puente, Cal T'jader (I recommend "El Sonido Nuevo"-Verve) and longtime vocalist Ismael Quintana. Lalo Rodriguez would come along later, and become a soloist in his own right. This album was also truly one of his greatest, deepening the roots and power of Salsa. The title track lives up to its inception. Others that follow are "Ajiaco Caliente", "Estamos Chao", and "Oyelo Que Te Conviene" (my recommendations on this CD). A force to be reckoned with, the best from the Tico/Fania stable. Also recommended: Azucar Pa' Ti (Sugar For You), Sentido (Musical Productions), The Sun Of Latin Music, Justicia, Solito (Grammy Winner), Champagne and Eddie Palmieri and Cal T'jader (their duet with Tico / Fania).