Dance Mania

Dancy Cuban music

Actually a fun album

Refreshingly different style than most of the pop-rock-electro-jazzy albums we have on this list. I don't know much about mambo but it was a very fun album to listen to, and the musicians on it are absolutely fantastic. Great album.

Aaaah c’est bon ça

nice og sødt latin album, det kunne jeg godt lide. godt at kende til noget middag :))

This is seriously the most fun I've ever had listening to an album before. Fuck pop, fuck trap, fuck playing anything at the club that isn't this. I want down a pitcher of Margs and dance to this with a live orchestra. Despite being a dance album, there is a really impressive amount of variety on this too for what it is. Bring back really talented musicians making dance music.

Fuego! Mucho fuego! 🔥🔥🔥🔥

outside of my normal wheelhouse, but its happy and upbeat music

This is a really good album. It had me dancing all over the place as I was getting ready for the day.

Upposi ja koko päivä meni ko. genreä kuunnellessa.

Salsa. Pues me ha gustado.

Henry’s Cellar Bar… is that you??

Wanna dance? Too bad. This album doesn't care if you know how to mambo (I don't], you're going to move your feet. And you will like it.

Easy listening album that made me feel good.

What a pleasant surprise! Didn't expect to like this album, but what a joy! Simply impossible not to end up in a good mood listening to this!

Pretty brilliant. Solid then adds something to kick it over the top. Love the horns.

I liked it! New and different for me

This was a fun listen

Absolutely legendary Mambo from Tito Puente. The GOAT.

Mambo. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

Revenge? Of course! But why wound his body with bullets, when I can set his soul on fire with a slanderous mambo? -Tito Puente

How can you not love a bit of Tito. Admittedly you know what youre getting ,but what you're getting is a load of fun

cha cha cha

Thus surprised me, as someone who never had much interest in mamba. So much fun! Had me dancing at work like a doofus. 4 stars

Me Encanta

fun, so cheerful

Next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: Lex Easy & The Mambo Club - Funk the Rich Bebo & Cachao - Sabor Tito Rodriguez & His Orchestra - Exodus Potato - Mas Que Nada Noro Morales - Maria Cervantes

Enjoyable listen. Nothing really grabbed me but the whole thing was very pleasant. It may be something about not being able to tune in to the vocals but for me this is high quality background music.

Uplifting orchestral music with some sparse spanish vocals. Quite enjoyable. Stand-out: Agua Limpia Todo

A fun vibe. Reminded me of I Love Lucy.

Ridiculously fun, spirited and raucous. The quintessential mambo record.

When I was learning GCSE Music, I grew particularly obsessed with percussion and indeed timbales specifically. Not playing necessarily, but just the sound. I also played trumpet and a teacher put me on to Tito Puente. I think I only *cough* legally *cough* downloaded a few tracks, this being the days of dial-up modems and before streaming services, which I enjoyed. This full length album is quite a nice trip down memory lane - I guess beyond a certain point it does begin to sound a bit kitsch and Tuesday night village hall salsa class but on the whole I enjoyed it.

Latin classic, loved the feel of this one

Un disco divertido, diferente a los que han puesto. Me gusto, esta bien hecho. No conozco mucho del genero pero esta muy divertido y uno se la pasa bien escuchandolo. Me gustaron mucho los ritmos que usan, son muy distintivos y juegan mucho con este recurso al momento de construir las melodías. Esta padre.

Makes you want to shake your butt cheeks.

I was dancing to the mambo. Very fun and entertaining. I wouldn't listen to it often but it was a playful addition to the list.

Fun record. Made me want to shake my hips.

Just plain fun.

Fun

Not something I would typically seek out, but its pretty hard not to like Tito Puente. I have always enjoyed big band swing music, despite rarely listening to it, and adding Caribbean sounds to the mix makes for an enjoyable listen.

This album just makes me wanna dance!! Old school Mexico music 😁 grab a shot of tequila!

"Y'know, one day, Tito Puente will be dead, and you'll say, 'Oh, yes, I've been listening to his work for years.'" I have no recollection of Tito Puente dying, and apparently we lost him back in June, 2000. But I've always remembered that quote from Bill Murray's character in "Stripes" whenever Tito Puente comes up. And this is my first time listening intently to Tito Puente and His Orchestra. I get it now. This thing is a fucking party you never want to end. Anyone who claims they can't get into this is lying. Just like me now insisting that I've been listening to Tito Puente's work for years. But daddy's got a lot of living left, so I'm going to turn that into a true statement for my remaining 50 or so years left.

Awesome. 4.2

Impossible to not enjoy an album like this. And I had no idea that Tito was a native of New York. I love everything on this disc, although I was hoping for a bit more from the cover of Varsity Drag - a 1920’s Broadway smash that, for me, is most memorable for Peter O’Toole’s piss- take of it in the satirical 1972 film, The Ruling Class (google it). Still, this is a fantastic listen, with the pedal almost never off the metal. Great.

There's a certain bachelor pad, lounge music cheesiness to this album, admittedly, but I find this enormous fun. The grooves are infectious, the brass arrangements are bold and exciting, and the vocals are compelling and charismatic (even though I speak no Spanish). But, at th4e end of the day, it's all about those rhythms! I've listened to this album four times through in a row today, and I enjoy it all the way through every time. It's just a lot of fun, and music needs to be fun sometimes.

If Mambo is what you want, Mambo is what you'll get. This album doesn't miss. It's like being transported to a lively cuban festival

Fun samba, great representation of the genre

beautiful genre, love the voice, and will probably keep listening to this

Jazz Salsa and it started off really strong, its not hugely my thing but I think if I ever wanted to listen to a funky jazz salsa album, this would be my pick. Gets a bit samey at times, but overall I think I enjoyed it. It's would be a 3.5 so it's rounded up

Pure Puerto Rican joie de vivre. More is not possible.

Very good. Different from I usually listen to, it it was enjoyable

Didn't understand a word, still a great album. Big band feel with catchy vibes.

A real good fun album, can’t help but smile and dance listening to this. Added to my rotation

Phenomenal for a little run, great rhythm, highly structured, makes your bum sway with full vitality and glamour. Love the bits where Tito is an absolute cunt to bandmates and they kept it on the recording.

Pretty much as expected but lots of fun. Puente is the classic sound of Latin jazz

Great background music. Felt better as accompaniment than in the forefront but greatly enjoyable nonetheless.

Tito Puente vient ici nous rappeler les plus grandes heures du générateur, celles où je venais à découvrir le genre majestueux de la salsa par le biais de Willie Colon et Ruben Blades. Ma vie n'a dès lors plus jamais été la même.

I always love getting big band type stuff and this satisfied that sweet spot for half an hour. It wasn’t as good as the Afro Cuban Kenya one but it was still solid.

I don't know why, but one of the very first artists my parents showed me was Tito Puente; I actually took a course on the congas in high school because of that influence. I'd likely suck now if I tried but I still remember some of the patterns for things you hear most often throughout this record. The man was insanely prolific, churning out close to 100 albums before he passed. Which also makes judging just one of his albums in isolation an almost impossible task. He's not like Prince where despite being prolific you can get a really wide range of sounds. Steady and danceable is the point. Given that this came out in 91, it probably was one of the records I heard over and over, and listening again I enjoyed all of the songs. He's a legend in latin jazz and hand percussion in particular, and certainly deserving of a spot on the list, but I struggled to determine what sets this particular effort apart from the rest of his catalogue.

Mambo-mania. Well maybe that is an exaggeration, but it was very popular in the mid-to-late 50s. Does this go on the list? There should be a section for important and impactful releases, and the impact this had in paving the way for Latin music in the future is undeniable. I don't know if this is the one I would select, but it probably winds up on a short list for inclusion.

I like this album as background in a nightclub. In fact, it makes me feel like I'm seeing Ricky Ricardo play at the Tropicana Club in 1957. The musicians are great. I especially like the horns. Once again, I don't feel as though I know enough about this genre to determine where this should rank.

Really enjoyed this album! 4/5

I'm not really knowledgable about Mambo so I can't judge this quality-wise, but it was an enjoyable listen and the orchestra was also very skillful. 7/10 Fave track: Hong Kong Mambo

Unfortunately the great hit from the Simpsons "Señor Burns" was not on the album. Apart from that, early buena vista social club

Classic, you can't resist getting up and moving!

An unashamedly joyous 1950s mambo classic. Still fresh and vibrant today. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: El Cayuco Date listened: 23/06/23

Can't accurately rate with NO frame of reference. This was good music that is easy to listen to and enjoyable for all.

Lives up to its name.

Fun. Joyful music.

Good album- very different from what I normally listen to, but I liked it!

What a great time! This was just really fun to listen to. Nothing that grabbed my attention quite enough to get a 5 but a lovely little background record with some of the cleanest ensemble brass tones I’ve heard

Great!

Absolutely love it. Listened to it on repeat for 2 hours today. Especially Saca Tu Mujer stood out to me, but there were a couple of others too, which I didn't catch the name of, because I was working. So another proper listen is in order :) Hong Kong Mambo might be the only one I don't care for

pretty good! RIP Tito Puente, who died on this very day in 2000!

I know the accusations were spurious and I’m not sure if he was ever even charged with anything, but the incident in ‘95 the attempted murder of a local businessman has kind of tarnished his reputation for me. Still made some good tunes before he was embroiled in that drama.

I imagine hearing this live with people dancing is the best way to enjoy the album.

Bekendste album van de Puerto Ricaanse mambomuzikant Tito Puente en zijn orkest. De tracklist bestaat uit vrolijke chachacha nummers, waarvan sommige instrumentaal. Het album klinkt lekker en weet de Caribische sfeer goed neer te zetten. leukste nummer: Mambo Gazon Het nummer "Varsity Drag" kwam oorspronkelijk uit de musical Good News. Inmiddels is de versie van Tito Puente de meest bekende uitvoering.

Very enjoyable! Amazing how old is the album and how the music sounds like fresh new

Absolutely infectious music. I chose to listen to this while commuting into work and I wish that I had blared it at home and given into the rhythm to dance. Blasting horns, scratch boards, maracas, more horns, drums, acoustic boxes, and even the glockenspiel! Great music to dance to, if I knew the salsa.

Well here's a party in my pants and everyone's invited. You can't be angry listening to latin music you just hip thrust with a smile on your face until you are depleted of bodily fluids. A great time had by all. will air grind again.

Salsa. Pues me ha gustado.

This is a really fun record. I don't know the mambo genre well or at all really but I have heard of Tito Puente and enjoyed this album a lot. I don't know that it's something I'll come back to too often but I'd never turn it off. Standout Tracks: El Cayuco, Llego Mijan (Son Montuno), Cuando Te Vea, Hong Kong Mambo, Varsity Drag, Agua Limpia Todo

bem massa o sonzao mambo e pa

Wow, that was fun. Love the timing too, as it's 80 degrees in NYC and I'm wearing a floral pattern shirt. Standouts: El Cayuco, Mambo Gozon, Varsity Drag

This was good stuff. I like the horns and swinging mamba sounds.

Great stuff, fantastic rhythms.

Great performances.

Good, but I’m not and never will be programmed for this kind of fun.

I liked it!

Mambo. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

Salsa. Pues me ha gustado.

Erm, how come the DJ never plays stuff like this?

Svängigt

Sounds like the music Ricky would have played with his band from I Love Lucy. Great music to dance to.

This one was actually kind of a vibe I liked it, like jazz but I liked this more tbh

You will receive what is promised. I immediately started shimmying and shaking at the first track.

Eternal rhythms sure to populate even the most neglected of dance floors.

This is beautiful and well composed. Typically not within my listening realm. But I can appreciate good it is.

Espantoso vibes... Nice

Great!

^ What I love about this list, experiencing music I'm not familiar with. I've known of Tito Puente as a cultural icon growing up without having the benefit of knowing his music, his iconic status is merited with music like this. 4/5.

Love me some salsa!

This was a blast. Something I would’ve never jumped into on my own.

I liked the sound of this album a lot but wasn't able to fully understand what it was about since I wasn't paying attention to the lyrics. I also don't think I know enough about this genre to appreciate what this album does, but liked it a lot regardless. The songs I liked the most were Complicacion, Three D Mambo, Mambo Gozon and Mi Chiquita Quiere Bembe

When I think of Latin music, this is pretty much it! This is the real deal, from one the best in the genre, bandleader, Tito Puente. High energy, infectious beats, how can you sit on your ass when you listen to this. Much appreciated background music, but if you were in a club this would be fun. Not usually what I would listen to, but so much better than most of the albums on this list.

Ez 4. Great music. Exceptional hornwork.

Album instantly drops you into a different cultural experience, strongly Cuban-influenced with the leadoff standout "El Cayuco." Music seems so danceable and variations of faster and slower numbers led by horns, keys and Spanish language singers make this a lot of fun.

Makes me wanna suck down on a fat cuban cigar, slurping rum and cokes for eternity

Nobody does a mambo like Tito! I love the sound of this album; it's such a classic sound that not only instantly registers the Latin style, but also the time it came from. The tracks Hong Kong Mambo and Estoy Siempre Junto a Ti are great with their marimba and vibraphone tracks, respectively. Overall pretty fun record; maybe not for everyday listening, but there's definitely times when I like putting on some of these older Latin styles like mambo or psychedlic cumbria.

Really not my kind of music, but I definitely enjoyed myself. Not sure if I would revisit, but it was fun. 3.5/5

My limited knowledge of Tito Puente comes from him being a suspect of shooting Mr. Burns, while the title of this album recalls my sister’s dance trope. So coming in mostly blind, I like this just fine. It’s a solid dance album, one that saves some of its best grooves for the crucial second half, even if it gets a little tiresome at the very end. Still worth a listen to this rock n roll soul. B

Impossible not to like this, surely?

Absolutely what I thought I'd be listening to when we embarked on this voyage. Funky salsa rhythms.

This was a fun album. Some of the music sounded familiar. I really only know Tito Puente from when he was hired to teach at Springfield Elementary but lost the job once Mr. Burns stole the school's oil. Tito got his revenge not by shooting Mr. Burns but by setting his soul afire by a slanderous mambo

JAZZ. Favorite track: Mambo Gozon

Really enjoyable latin mambo album Found the tracks all kind of blurred into one but this may be my unfamiliarity with the genre and dialect

Tito is always a hit. This was a fantastic album of fantastic jazz that flew by and made up for some of the lesser albums this week. We always need a little TP in our lives.

Great sounding dance album-reminded me of dirty dancing soundtrack. Well recorded.

4 Oh man what a treat this has turned out to be. I’m a fan of Buena Vista Social Club and this has the same kind of vibe. Fun and carefree, it’s exactly the kind of music I would love to put on during a sunny day. I’m sure I’d have a lot more to say if I spoke Spanish and could comment on the lyrics but this album proves that music is the universal language. There are some incredibly soulful solos here and these players are all very clearly familiar with each other because this is some of the tightest playing I’ve ever heard. This is good ol feel good music. Nothing stressful here. Just bright, catchy and sometimes mysterious mambo music. Aside for it dragging a touch near the end, I’ll be listening to again and also redownloading Duolingo Favorites: El Cayuco, 3D Mambo, Cuando Te Vea (Guauanco) Hong Kong Mambo, Varsity Drag

This was pretty good, although since it's very, VERY obviously meant to be dance music, it doesn't really jive with most of the other albums on this list and how you may listen to those. Some of the instrumental songs become background noise only a minute in, and the songs with vocals, save for one or two, are usually very simplistic. Again, this is all exactly the point in the context of the album, but I can't see myself listening to most of this in any moment of my life, other than a random shuffle. Still good enough to get into the four star range, but this is really in it's own category.

Actually pretty great

Very fun stuff, enjoyable upbeat listen and made me want to learn how to salsa.

Music was great. I don't speak Spanish but it is lit. The slower points were kind of eh. Overall pretty enjoyable.

great albun

Loved it actually. Sounds like the sun and good food.

I loved this album. It was full of energy and I found myself dancing around in my chair to the music. Very cool listening to our culture's music.

Liked this one, very groovy. Probably listen again

Very nice sounds, exotic

pretty good sound, enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Very solid salsa

Dames en heren... dit is mambo nummer zes! Heb u een pilletje voor de hik? Deze zag ik niet aankomen, allemaal mambo en chachacha en al die Latijns-Amerikaanse dingen. Ik vind dat altijd erg lollige muziek, maar ik vind deze plaat niet echt anders of beter dan andere muziek in het genre. Misschien heb ik er gewoon geen verstand van. Een vier omdat het weer een welkome afwisseling is.

Er is weinig slechts over dit album te zeggen. Echte uitspringers kan ik ook niet noemen. Maar toch trekt de soepele muziek af en toe extra de aandacht. Een 3,5. Ik rond het af naar een 4

Dit doet me denken aan dat je in het caribisch gebied op een zonnig eiland zit en in de kroeg blijkt iedereen een instrument meegenomen te hebben. Een emmer doet dienst als trommel, er is een koebel en achter de toeters en bellen staat nog iemand een potlood over een rasp te halen. Hierbij gaan de voetjes wel van de vloer

Noice...not exactly a great album for my current December weather and mood but it's enjoyable and I can see sitting on the deck (not dancing, sorry) with a cold drink and this just cheerfully on in the background. A fun listen, 3.5 stars!

I put on this album and I definitely felt a strong sensation to mildly sway.

Almost impossible to resist dancing to this. Very much along the lines of Buena Vista Social Club - infectious.

It was a shame listening to this while driving; it made me want to get up and dance.

Not bad, makes me wish I was drinking something tropical in the blistering heat

bangers

(Note: I listened only to Vol. 1, cuz the full album is 2+ hours long and I didn't feel like listening to the whole thing) I like this album. The music is nice to bop along to, but I don't think it's as good as Kenya by Machito. I was grooving more to Kenya, but this album is still good. Maybe I've just been spoiled lol. Favorite song: Hong Kong Mambo Worst song: idk, Cuando The Vea (Guaguanco)

Another project I have on the go is learning Spanish on Duolingo (currently on 577 days in a row!). All of my childhood holidays were to the Canary Islands too. I say all this to explain my likely bias towards Spanish music. Songs I already knew: none, although they all sounded very vaguely familiar Favourites: 3-D Mambo, Honk Kong Mambo, Água Limpia Todo This was such a fun album. I love that calypso style piano and it’s here in abundance for this album. The vocals and instrumentation are great, and it’s an all round happy album that’s pretty hard not to like. Everybody sounds like they’re having a good time, and it’s kinda contagious and you can’t help but to wiggle those hips without even realising it. I definitely recommend, as it is not what you think of at all with 50’s music.

So many good memories, feel good World music with Percussion. Made me smile the whole Album through.

Just last week Google did a doodle on Tito Puente. This is an insanely fun album, and the songs sound distinctively different from each other. Yet it's all mambo. I can dance to the rhythm while still listening out to the set of instruments (especially the horns) that do their own thing. A 50s album has no right for me to find something I like about nearly every song. Afro-Caribbean Percussions are the highlights, featuring the marimba, xylophone, timbales, congos, and bongos. Got a little tired in the last few songs, but it was short enough to fully enjoy the record, and it's certainly my favorite mambo record so far. Favorites: El Cayuco, Cuando Te Vea, Hong Kong Mambo, Mi Chiquita, Varsity Drag

This was very fun, made me wanna have a boogy

Very cool, I dig it. Will definitely come back to this one - 4 stars.

I liked this - a great example of the genre.

Harder hitting than the rock and roll music at the time and catcher than Jazz. This is full of energy and has a hypnotic rythym more like trance / dance music from many decades later. This had to have been the most exciting music to come out of 1958. (4.2)

Well that was a pleasant surprise.

3.5/5

Extremely enjoyable effort from the legend Tito Puente (perhaps most famously known as one of the prime suspects in the shooting of C. Montgomery Burns). The orchestration feels effortless but interesting and complex at the same time. Although the lyrics are completely non-understandable to me, the language of mambo is universal. Highlights were the classic 'El Cayuco' and the playful 'Hong Kong Mambo'.

I loved the songs, but they all start to blend together pretty quickly

Well this was fun!

Wow I love this album, was a big revelation for me when I picked it up on a recommendation in high school. My second favorite Tito Puente album behind "Puente on Percussion" - highly recommend the expanded "legacy edition" on Spotify for some great b-side cuts like "Baila Como Es"

Very cool, very fun, not one I would have listened to without this nonsense!

This album was pure vibes all the way through

Wonderful! So much fun to listen to.

At last! An album in Spanish! It only took 414 days to get here, for Pete's sake. This album was a lot of fun to listen to. Musically, it's top notch with impeccable musicianship across the board. The songs are warm, joyful and jazzy. It's impossible to listen to this and not want to dance. Fave Songs: Agua Limpia Todo, Mambo Gozón, Cuando Te Vea, Saca Tu Mujer, Complicación

Fun songs, makes you want to dance even if you don't like to dance.

Fun to listen to!

I'm not sure you can feel sad while listening to this. I literally danced up and down the aisles of the Co-op while doing my shopping to this.

Undoubtable fun

Nice! It's that guy off the simpsons

Goes hard

Pretty much as expected but lots of fun. Puente is the classic sound of Latin jazz

Fantastic energy and amazing layered sounds throughout the entire album.

8/10. I liked it, though I wasn't paying close enough attention to notice when it ended and spotify radio based on it began.

Definitely made me want to dance. 8/10

Fun and festive.

Really fun and groovy with listening to, with tracks that make me want to dance :)

I don't know how to rate this as I've so little to compare it against but it's great. 1958? Even more great.

This album didn't have to go so hard but it did.

Wow, superb album! I don't listen to a lot of music in this style -- might be from hearing it too often in movies, television, etc., for such a long time -- but this is great. So many layers and textures, and the entire orchestra comes together perfectly. Really nice stuff here.

This was pretty fun to listen to but I have no idea how to rate it. I assume it's a good example of this genre of music because everyone says it is, but I don't know how to differentiate between good and bad examples of this style. 3.75 stars

38 minutos de pura sabrosura, mezcla chachachá y salsa (o al menos esos ritmos reconocí) para lograr un disco muy fácil de disfrutar y bailar. 3.5 estrellas que subo a 4.

Como sucede con todos los discos muy "de su género" en esta lista, este es un excelente exponente. Incomparables interpretaciones, ritmos, voces, todo. Y no pudo cuadrar mejor con el día caluroso que tocó ayer cuando lo escuché. Si puedo ponerle un pequeño pero, es que al ser un disco de una fase comercial de Tito Puente, es muy tirado hacia el Mambo y creo que me gusta más la Salsa. Fuera de eso, discazo.

Very classic Mambo album, lots of songs that sound very familiar either just because of the nature of the genre, or because I've actually heard them. Couldn't tell you which. What I can tell you is the only reason I recognize the name Tito Puente is because of the Simpsons. Overall good, a fun energetic listen that would make solid background tunes in the right setting.

Well, color me shocked. I expected to barely suffer through this album. Instead, I ended up really enjoying it. It's very much a product of its era but, once you settle in and give it permission to just be what it is, you can't help but start tapping your feet. Tito Puente delivers on the promise of the album title. The music is infectious and practically forces you to dance. Not sure what else there is to say. It's just fun.

What a fun album this was!

This was one of the most danceable albums I've ever listened to, but I'm torn between 4 and 5 stars. On the one hand the grooves are infectious and almost every song is a banger, but on the other hand...my God it's so damn long and this album badly needed an editor to crop out the filler tracks. A reluctant 4 stars from me because while I absolutely loved this album, it fell just short of perfection for me. Fave track: Hong Kong Mambo

Fun, full of energy, just enjoyable in every way.

man I wish I could dance

I recognise El Cayuco and I really like this music in general! This really brings me back to Bolivia and it's super fun I wish I was dancing and I guess that is the point of the album. So it's a winner - love it! Not so keen on all the songs but I really like the overall vibe and it made me and my students teachers v happy while we marked a bunch of exams so winner!

Just a joy. Love a bit of this. Mambo!

a wonderful listen! the inclusion of albums like this are so important to this list. i always enjoy the international albums. and i am loving these mambo numbers! the entire album is fun and light. the trumpet in particular is noteworthy.

I don't have a lot of notes about this album. It's great to put on and just let it play in the background. Very fun and upbeat, and it seems like it would be fun to dance to, as the title suggests. 4/5

Like this a TON more than I expected to. Just really fun music. The mambo sound is probably once of my favorite latin dance music types. 4/5

didn't expect to like it - but i did. ended up listening way past the album being over

This was fun upbeat and well executed.

Latin music is really something else. It's that kind of art that never fails to paint a smile on my face and give a mood-elevating energy to my soul. I don't dance especially with those nonsense electronic beat loops, but with this music? Hell, let's murder that dancefloor now! What a fun listen.

You know weird thing about danzón and mambo is that it had to leave Cuba to really become a thing, it had to travel to Ciudad de México to reach its global potential, and then of course the US, another point to take note, is that it had to take from Jazz to have its final form. This is in no way a criticism, I actually find the history quite amusing, I mean, can you imagine the synergy? All those incredible creative people just reaching beyond? Tito actually sat outside of all this, at least in principle, being from the US and a jazzist but damn did he understood the music, what an amazing record, weird that mambo had to come from the US to be on this list uh?

My first introduction to Tito Puente was through the Simpsons, but I took some time to listen to a few tracks from Puente to hear what he sounds like on his own. Dance Mania was new music to me. Part way into the album Puente was grabbing my attention with "3-D Mambo", "Llegó Miján", and "Cuando Te Vea". Towards the end of the album, "Estoy Siempre Junto a Ti" was a too slow and sounded like more of aa song from a classic crooner than fits my taste. I'm torn on how to rate this album. Most of it is really good, and the music might grow on me. If I was looking for something different, and to mix up what I've been listening to, I this album feels like a reliable source of good and different music. Well, let's round up to 4 stars.

This album makes me want to quit my job and play the trumpet full-time. Best track: Mambo Gozon

Fun Latin album. Always love a good mambo. Not my go to, but certainly worth a listen.

I can't speak Spanish but I thoroughly enjoyed the album. I was dancing in my desk chair

I don't know much about mambo but this album was great. Especially liked Hong Kong Mambo and Mambo Gozón. There's a certain mood for this type of music and this album will get you there.

love it. No idea what they are singing but love Spanish/South American music

Can’t but be in a good mood after listening to this - danceable and feels like you’re sipping cocktails on a riviera in the 60s

I don't normally listen to this style of music, but when I do I like it! It takes my mind to a place, sitting on a beautiful sandy beach on a hot day sipping a mojito, or maybe a caipirinha or cuba libre, with a soft breeze on my face, and then dancing the night away in a sweaty club surrounded by beautiful people. Hard to believe this was recorded in 1958 as it still sounds fresh. 4 stars.

Ahhh.... summer sun, Italian films of the 1950s and 60s. :)

Completely loved it. Need more of this kind of energy in my life

This was great

Really nice album. I tend to prefer the instrumental tracks where the vibraphone playing can really shine. But all the songs have a life and a real feeling of momentum that makes the irresistible. The tempos are infectious, the percussion irresistible. Just great music playing throughout. 4.5 🌟

Che sound latino. Allegro con quel tocco di malinconia, comunque ti tira su. Molto piacevole tutto l'ascolto.

Lovely.

Jedina dobra stvar sto se tice amerike je to da su imigranti sa ostatka kontinenta dosli tamo i svirali ko bogovi. Obozavam gledat njegove live nastupe, lik je uvijek bio toliko sretan iza tih svojih bubnjeva da jednostavno ne mozes ne uzivat. Al najbolja pjesma mu je senor Burns iz simpsona hehe

Ekšli je nevjerojatno da većinu pjesama znam, bengeri sve od reda.

Jaunty

Baile conmigo a las canciones de Tito Puente!!

yeah it was good

Great mambo album clearly meant to get people dancing. The orchestration is tight and the singing is clear and jaunty. It owes a lot to earlier big band records. In a way, it is both groundbreaking and looking to the past through its fusion of Latin rhythms into big band jazz of previous years

Incredible salsa dance music!

3.5/5. This is a fun album. Makes me want to dance. It is a little repetitive, but other than that, very enjoyable.

Feel like I should be sipping a martini at the club with the Rat Pack. Very hip in a 60’s kinda way.

My only exposure to Mr. Puente before today was in an episode of The Simpsons. I am very unfamiliar with this kind of music but it sure was fun. I could see myself coming back to this maybe exploring a little more of his work. I don't think I could listen to a lot of it but it would ve a nice change from the norm.

Party music

Yep...really good....mojitos would make it a 5

Fun album and really enjoyed it. Might not listen to it again ever, but would if it came on. 4

Wish I listened to it on my HiFi and not with earphones walking my dog. High quality album.

12/15/2021 Today's Album: "Dance Mania Vol.1" by Tito Puente - This album is a bit different from the ones we've reviewed so far, being one made by a composer from Puerto Rico and composing of mostly latin dance tracks. Although I obviously do not speak the language, there is somewhat of a barrier for me to completely love it, I really like the arrangements and I would be lying if I said this isn't some of the best Latin Jazz I have heard. The variety of sounds that comes out of this album defines basically the entire genre and is incredibly performed. I understand why it's on the list, even if it definitely isn't something I can really fairly enjoy. Score: 7/10 Pretty much perfect but not my thing. Highlights: All of it. It's all worth a listen

Groovy jams all the way. I grew up with salsa but not so much this style, it was good to explore it.

always grateful for the opportunity for exposure to other cultures <3

Nice!

Another great upbeat Latin album. Super fun.

Saaaabor

While I've never looked into the Mambo genre before, this was a very fun record. I'll be glad to put it on more in the future. Favorites: El Cayuco, Cuando Te Vea, Hong Kong Mambo

Very fun, liked the music and the energy.

I had a great time listening to this album.

Latin Music is not something I listen to that much but this was a thoroughly enjoyable album full of songs that left me tapping my feet. A very cheerful album that has great melodies and catchy rhythms. El Cayuco is a stand out.

While I haven't listened to many mambo/Latin jazz albums, this album kept me entertained the entire listen thru. Fun sounds and great rhythm.

Actually found this really fun

Señor Puente leads an orchestra of extraordinarily talented musicians in joyous, life affirming mambo. It really is a thrill to listen to and the quality of the recording is amazing - you can hear each individual instrument and voice contribute to the sound. And whilst an entire album’s worth might become a little repetitious over time, nevertheless, you still come away with a feeling of intense delight.

I find it interesting that so many Latin American bands were led by percussionists. And Tito is the most famous of all. Even though all these songs are for the dance floor there’s still a fair bit of variety across the album. I like the instrumentals, especially those featuring his vibraphone playing and the lead singer’s super-suave voice is lovely to listen to. It’s been a long time since my salsa phase, and I’m not going to hurry to play this again, but I would say that, within the context of music coming out of the fifties, this one scores pretty high up there.

Listen to 'Dance Mania' via a huge PA system on a smoldering hot summer's night, harvest moon rising and the street party in full swing. Don't listen to Dance Mania via a cheap pair of headphones, cramped into your home office (box room) staring out of the window at a drab urban Bristol scene on a cold, damp, Autumnal work day. Even then, you can't help but have your soul stirred by Tito Puente. There's something about his music that can transport you from any place to a traditional - if not a tad cliché - Latin location, band playing 'Agua Limpia Todo', the whole village convening to salsa dance, drink cold beer and flail sevillanas on a cobbled plaza. The only disappointment of Dance Mania is that it doesn't include 'Oye Como Va', which is one of my (and no doubt many others') main frames of reference for Tito Puente, via the guitar of Carlos Santana. But you can easily forget that, the moment the orchestra chimes the opening bars of El Cayuco. All the way through to the upbeat Mambo piano runs of Saca Tu Mujer, you'll be daydreaming about being teleported to an exotic location, wondering what could've been if you'd spent your formative years learning the Cuban flamenco and listening to Mambo rather than sitting on a park bench, passing round a bong whilst listening to Limp Bizkit.

Ча ча ча для курортных романов.

Great background

4.0 - This is as good a place as any to listen to infectiously energetic mamba, played and recorded impeccably. This sounds like your drive home in the wee hours of Sunday morning when the party's over and all the bars are closed and you've got NPR cranked. Especially love the marimba solo on \"Hong Kong Mambo.\"

I don't come from a "dance culture" and I think it impairs my true appreciation of this kind of thing (and probably of life in general) but this is still clearly fire.

It was good to hear other Puente songs. The music just puts me in a good mood. (7/10) Fav. Track: Hong Kong Mambo

Put me in a good mood :D

I really loved this. It made me feel like I was on holiday. So good, we listened to it twice,whilst eating fajitas

¿Merengue?

I poured myself a drink with some rum and sat on my balcony in the sun. Fastest way to travel to a sunny country and getting the feeling of vacation that I really needed. Found myself dancing some wannabe mambo moves during this album. Do yourself a favor and travel to the sound of Tito and his band.

Cool

Shockingly got on pretty well with this!

A nice predecesor to the vast (and better) latin albums produced in the 70's New York

that was awesome - never heard it before!

Great album for reading and just to generally have on

Buena Vista Social Clubia olen välillä kesäisin fiilistellyt ja tämä levy menee aika samoille viivoille. Kun ensitahdit kajahtivat ilmoille, alkoi heti tehdä mieli rommia. Tasaista suorittamista läpi levyn. Tykkäsin!

as 'Dance Mania' permeated throughout my mind and body I found myself enjoying it. I am not sure I am going to be adding Tito Puente to my rotation of artists but when I get the hankering for a hunk of Latino dance music he is the one I shall turn to. I give "Dance Mania" four maracas filled with jalapeño seeds

Danceriffic!!!

Really enjoyed this surprisingly.

Dá calor só de ouvir, mas pô, bem divertido e dançante

Deadly album, great to put on in the background and chill with a cup of tea.

Much like Jazz, I love "Latin Music" and Cha-cha-chá, but I have a hard time differentiating it. This entire album is straight fire, but I could not really separate which tracks I like and which ones I don't like. I would buy this cd, put it in my car, and just have it play forever whenever I'm going to or from the grocery store.

Classic salsa, pretty lovely.

Disco perfecto de música afro-latina, más espefícicamente cubana. Te traslada a un club de la Cuba pre revolucionaria, con moeración, sosiego y perfecta combinación de vientos y voces.

Very good Latin music, but I'm never going to listen to it again.

Fun Latin jazz. The drums and horns are fantastic. I’m not much for dancing but this would make a great background album.

funtimes

Really enjoyed this one! Looking forward to exploring more of his albums. There are so many!!

Tito Puente for the win! Such a good vibe

Great music to work to, especially what Spotify kept playing after the album ended. Glad to have gotten more exposure to this genre, I'll definitely be adding them to my party playlists! Songs tend to sound all the same though... Highlights: -El Cayuco -Hong Kong Mambo -Varsity Drag

This was a fun listen. Dave got it right, this is awesome cookout background music.

Listening to this was an absolute delight and had me smiling the entire time.

Now that’s an awesome album. I can’t speak to it, I can only say that I really enjoyed that.

Miami!

Great album. Excellent!

Fun Latino vibes

good vibes

Fun, great background.

How absurdly fun!

New playlist material

ótimo album!

This was fun

6/27 A lot of classics on here, brought me back to DR for an hour. Standout Tracks: 3-D Mambo, Llegó Miján, Cuando Te Vea, Mi Chiquita Quiere Bembé, Agua Limpia Todo

i was skeptic at first, i kept on delaying listening to this bc 1. dance mania?? 2. what language is this? i was waiting for a time when im in ~that~ mood. but then as soon as it starts playing, im like YES! hahaha but im right, it's like those music used sa traditional dances in school. did i dance while listening to this? HELL YEA

This is that upbeat latino music they always use in tarantino etc movies to make it seem lighthearted during a shootout etc. pretty friggen catchy tho lol.

Can't say I succumbed to the title mania but I can say it will definitely get your hips moving.

Pretty fun to listen to. Yeah, it's good.

The Good: We’re gonna dance! The Bad: We don’t know how to dance salsa… The Ugly: Dancing like a chimp amongst gyrating hips… My ex liked salsa… which means I don’t… Can I appreciate what Tito did on this record? Yes, for a couple of songs. However, an entire album starts to feel too repetitive… and makes me want to dance even less! Still, this music beats having to listen to some of the other assorted crap I’ve had the displeasure of listening to… Oh, and hurrah for Wikipedia, as I always thought Tito Puente was Cuban… but he be a NYC homeboy. 3*

Such an amazing sound throughout the album. Was a little worried about two world music albums so close together but it definitely had an original sound to it. El Cayuco and Cuando Te Vea were my faves.

Can't say I was blown away but I wasn't bored either

Just a nice listen. 3.5/5

Best of the mamba

Generic, but pleasant enough south american samba bossa aiyi yi fodder.

5/10

It's a name I've heard but never knowingly heard any music by. I totally get why this would be here, I imagine it was very influential in Latin Jazz worlds and in bringing that to a bigger audience, much like Buena Vista would do many years later. Musically it still holds up... It's a fun time, with infectious grooves and rhythms that keep the toes tapping and I'd definitely return to it in certain circumstances.

I wanted a little more mania from dance mania but it was nice 3.5

Fun!

J’écoute la version de 38min et non celle de 2h Alors là c’est vraiment pas ma tribu. Jazz latin salsa ?? Je trouve ça répétitif au bout de 1 chanson Bon au moins c’est plutôt gai, il faut se laisser prendre au jeu. 3-D mambo est OK 5/10 ?

I presume this was seminal at the time but it does sound like Cuban stock music now. I do like that every third word is either bailar or cha-cha, really adds to the cruise ship dance floor feeling. Bossa nova still wins the Latino music style for me.

Enjoy this genre - transports me to dirty dancing land - however never reach for it

Did the impossible task of putting me in a good mood before I had my morning coffee ☕️ maybe I'll become a Mambo Guy now?? Was reminded of Who Shot Mr Burns? throughout

It's a good self-development exercise to take the allegedly artificial, hollowed-out genres like marimba-heavy Latin jazz and try to hear them like they were when they were fresh. Tito Puente's orquesta is inventive and committed and makes the task easy, while simultaneously making you move your meat suit.

Príjemné počúvanie, latino v prijateľnej podobe. Veľa naraz by mi asi uškodilo...

In all honesty, I probably would have never listened to this album had it not been a 1001 album selection. What a delight, just a feel good musical experience. Really liked it.

This must have been one of the first four mambos before the form was perfected on the fifth attempt.

Mambo is fun! You won't be reflecting the next day about its lyrics (unlike salsa), but you will have a blast.

Pleasant, but not my beat or pace. ★★★

It's definitely dance mania!