The Best of Desi Arnaz: The Mambo King

Desi Arnaz

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 28, 1992)
• Original Release Date: July 28, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000002WMA
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,942 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Caribbean & Cuba > Cuba > Mambo

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Desi Arnaz: Out Of Lucy's Shadows, June 1, 2000

By	David E. Lobosco (Glenshaw, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Desi Arnaz never really got the recognition that he deserved. Not only was he a great actor and comedian, but a wonderful singer and bandleader as well. This collection of his best known hits is really a must for anyone who likes Cuban music and/or Desi Arnaz.

Now Desi Arnaz was no Xavier Cugat, but he had his own dramatic musical style. That style is showcased on recordings like "Cuban Pete","Peanut Vendor", and his most famous recording from 1946 "Babalu". His featured female vocalist Jane Harvey is also featured, and she does a charming rendition on "A Rainy Night In Rio". I recommend this CD, because I am not only a fan of Desi Arnaz, but of great music as well...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LUCY LOVED DESI, September 30, 2005

By	Cliff Somers "Cliff Somers" (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews

And you will to. This music conveys the happy feeling of Latin music produced for the American ear from 1946 to 1949. I picked up the album from Amazon after listening to selected cuts offered by the Yahoo Music radio service -- "El Cumbanchero" and "Cuban Pete". The cuts are almost all strong and all are well recorded, especially when you compare the sound quality to those on some other big band recordings that have been reissued.
"Babalu" which became Desi Arnez signature piece on the I Love Lucy TV show is probably one of the least appealing, and that may be why it was used comedically in the TV show through the years. The highlight cuts include -- "Peanut Vender", "Holiday in Havana", "You Can in Yucatan" and "Brazil". While brass, strings, drums and guitars tend to dominate much of today's music, this album gives the spotlight to a variety of percussion instruments, flute, clarinet and bass clarinet. It is refreshing to hear them in solo.
The liner notes by Will Friedwald are extensive and give you a glimpse into this period of Desi's life between his movie career and the defining work he and Lucille Ball did on television in the 50's.
I could not recommend this album more and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Love Desi!, December 15, 2001

By	Amy (Baltimore, Md. USA) - See all my reviews

I really enjoyed this CD a lot. It is a nice blend of familiar
tunes as well as ones I've never heard in his beautiful native
language. If you are a huge Desi Arnaz fan like I am, definitely
consider adding this to your collection. What a beautiful talented artist he was and will continue to be through his music.