Tito Puente – Mambo Birdland

Released 1999

Dedicated to Mario Bauza

RMM Records

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc.

All songs arranged by Tito Puente except (5,9) originally arranged by Tito Puente and adapted by Jose Madera

1. Mambo Birdland 5:36 (Tito Puente)
2. Juventud Del Presente 5:39 (Silvestre Mendez)
3. Ban Ban Quere 5:36 (C. Varela)
4. Como Esta Migue 5:43 (Felipe Neri Cabrera)
5. Cha Cha Cha Mambo 8:53 (Tito Puente)
6. Guaguanco Margarito 7:22 (Silvestre Mendez)
7. Mi Mamita 6:22 (Tito Puente)
8. Mambo Gozon 4:56 (Tito Puente)
9. Oye Mi Guaguanco 7:57 (Tito Puente)
10. Ran Kan Kan 6:26 (Tito Puente)
11. Oye Como Va 5:54 (Tito Puente)

Three Salsa (Mambo Gozon, Oye Mi Guaguanco, Ran Kan Kan) and one Cha Cha (Oye Como Va) made salsanewyork.com honor list. This live recording also contains some conversations between Puente, the band and the audience lasting up to about half minute on most of the tracks. It’s even better than Live At Birdland.

I believe this is Tito Puente's second to last album containing all new recording. Essentially all of Tito Puente recordings were made with Tico (from 1949 to 1955, 1961 to 1981), RCA Victor (1955-1960), Concord Picante (1982-1996 - there is a 2002 release of a 1994 recording), and RMM (1991-2000). Tito Puente's RMM discography of original material is as follows in reverse chronological order.

Tito Puente - RMM albums
2000 Obra Maestra (with Eddie Palmieri)
1999 Mambo Birdland
1998 Live At Birdland (Dancemania '99)
1996 Jazzin' (with India)
1995 Tito's Idea
1992 Live At the Village Gate
1991 The Mambo King: His 100th Album

Musicians

Tito Puente / Timbales and Chorus
Reynaldo Jorge / Trombone
Lewis Kahn / Trombone
Chris Washburne / Trombone (1,5,6,7,8,9,11)
Juan Pablo Torres / Trombone (2,3,4,10)
Peter Yellin / Alto Sax
Mitchell Frohman / Alto Sax (1,5,6,7,8,9,11)
Bobby Porcelli / Alto Sax (2,3,4,10)
Mario Rivera / Tenor Sax and Flute
Pedro Miranda / Baritone Sax (1,5,6,7,8,9,11)
Mitchell Frohman / Baritone Sax (2,3,4,10)
Kevin Bryan / Trumpet
Ray Vega / Trumpet and Flugelhorn
John Walsh Jr. / Trumpet
Hector Colon / Trumpet
Sonny Bravo / Piano
John Rodriguez Jr / Bongo and Congas
Jose Madera / Congas
Luis Bauza / Bata (1,5,6,7,8,9,11)
Thomas “Chuckie” Lopez / Percussion
Bernard Minoso / Bass (1,5,6,7,8,9,11)
Ruben Rodriguez / Bass (2,3,4,10)
Carlos Henriquez / Bass (2,3,4,10)
Pedro Rodriguez / Chorus (1,5,6,7,8,9,11)
Nilsa Rodriguez / Chorus (1,5,6,7,8,9,11)
Frankie Morales / Lead Vocals