Dance Mania

The kind of music which would be alright in the background of a Spanish restaurant. Not one I’d listen to at home.

Really enjoyed this surprisingly.

Me gusta mucho, pero no es mi estilo

This man and his band just ooze talent, it's unfortunate that it's not for me.

“Dance Mania” by Tito Fuentes and his orchestra (1958) Never heard of this album or artist, but I could see that this was going to be fun immediately upon dropping the needle on the record. I can dream, can’t I? The album came out when I was three years old, and this was a musical world with which, in later years, I would become only marginally familiar. My sister and I would dance cha-cha-cha in pre-adolescence. I got bongos for Christmas one year, learning the difference between cha-cha-cha, mambo, samba, and rumba (and the difference between the two bongo drums, macho and hembra, the full significance of which would only become clear when adolescence was over). Musically, I was taken by the rich depth of the brass (exclusively trumpets, with the lower tones all carried by reeds. Interesting.) The rhythms are not the hard driving Latin beats of Santana. This is dance music. Mostly mambo (listen for the syncopation on beat four in each measure) and cha-cha-cha, in slightly varying tempos from song to song. Sensuous, undulating. For dancers, forget your feet. It’s all about oscillation between the chest and lower abdomen (euphemisms). I’d better stop. Skillful marimba and vibraphone by Fuentes. All musicians play with precision and professional self discipline. Excellent jazz piano by Raymond Concepción. Very well recorded (for 1958), with excellent use of the newly developed stereophonic technology (generally brass on the right and reeds on the left—cool). Can you believe we actually used to listen to music in mono? Lyrics: Well, I’m certainly limited here, but the lyrics are meaningfully prominent on two songs. This is enough for me to gain an appreciation of the fact that Latin dance is more than just ‘happy music’, regardless how much cowbell I hear. On “Cuando Te Vea”, we have: Mañana cuando yo te vea Permite, que pueda explicarte Los momentos de amargura Que pase por ti mujer Yo comprendo, soy un hombre Lo que quiero nena linda Es disculparte Por los momentos de amargura Que pase por ti mujer (Tomorrow when I see you Let me explain The moments of bitterness Let it pass for you woman I understand, I am a man What I want pretty baby Is to apologize For the moments of bitterness Let it pass for you woman) Cuando te vea Fuiste mala mala y embustera Cuando te vea Mañana por la mañana Cuando te vea Te fuiste de mi vida mujer bandolera Cuando te vea (When I see you You were bad bad and a liar When I see you Tomorrow morning When I see you You left my life, shoulder bag woman When I see you) Here is a message that conveys sympathy, regret, chastisement, and resentment all within the same musical mood. Wow. (Somebody please explain to me “mujer bandolera”) On “Agua Limpia Todo”, Water cleanses everything—even the tongue of the people. Something to remember in the age of Twitter. Very good music. Very gratifying listen. 4/5

I think that this is a good album for Friday, but it's not too much more than it.

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

Laaaaaaila

rumba bachata... no me mola... chacha chaaa

A great album for a time and place. Wish I could be at that time and place right now.

Fun album. It doesn't jump out at me.

Fun album, but I can only take so much mambo music.

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

En el 1958 debió ser la bomba. Hoy en día suena muy bien. No es mi tipo de música pero se escucha sin problemas, así que Maaaaaaambó.

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.

muy excellente

awesome!

When you listen to something like this you really get the feeling the Latin people are having way more fun than everybody else.

i feel like i need to either go on a cuban vacation or be a contestant on the 1970's Dating Game.

hell yeah, man - that was just fantastic, and another super encapsulation of what that scene feels like it would've felt like...if you know what i mean.

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

I had to walk through a rain storm while I was listening to this album. The rhythm helped me keep my pace in turbo

funtimes

Fun album... not particularly grabbing for me though.

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

Not bad, per se. Just not terribly interesting to me

Tito Puente for the win! Such a good vibe

I can’t finish listening. I feel like I’m in my own personal hell! It was bearable for one very long song but I can’t anymore.

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.

? Latin jazz, bra men inte nåt jag lyssnar på

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

Very nice. Sounds great couldn't listen to whole album at once

inte min kopp av té men gick helt klart att lyssna på. en solklar 2 (1.5) ändå

Fine, but not a genre I have any interest in

Miami!

Never listened to a whole Tito Puente album. Really enjoyed listening to this, both by myself and with the family. Love the dance of the lead voices with the chorus and of course the layers of percussion is right up my alley. The "living stereo" mix sounds great and for its time is incredible. Favorite tracks: Llego Mijan and Mi Chiquita Quiere Bembe.

It's alright. I can appreciate it but nothing I'd listen to on my own. Good background music. I'm no salsa dancer but I'm sure this would be fun to dance to.

It’s salsa music! I enjoy it.

This is not my music.

Great album. Excellent!

Fun Latino vibes

good vibes

Good fun.

Probably great live, a little uninspiring recorded. Good background music.

@@@. Great rhythms and horns. Not something I'd listen everyday, but brings happy mood.

Toimii hyvin aurinkoisena kevätpäivänä. Talven synkkyydessä voisi olla eri fiilikset. Ei ihan omaa suosikkigenreä mutta enpä tiedä voisiko tätä juurikaan paremmin tehdä. Keikkui kolmosen ja nelosen välillä mutta tällä kertaa näin.

It's good for what it is. I am not a dancer. Therefore it is not for me.

Fun, great background.

I would have to be in the mood

Classic cumbia vibes - banger

Interesting, but I won't listen to this again.

eh

Not a bad album at all. With dancing shoes on, I could see the rating being boosted significantly. Generally, this is not the music I gravitate to, but it's fun, light, and jubilant.

How absurdly fun!

Fun Dance

New playlist material

Wat een swing, doet meteen denken aan de Buena vista social club. Verder niet echt mijn smaak. Muziek klinkt ook wat ver weg - maar kan ook door het jaar van productie komen.

Ja men det svängde väl ändå. Var ganska trevligt att sitta och koda till. Ingenting jag självmant slänger på kanske.

Very cool - drums!

ótimo album!

What a fantastic, groovy, dancy album. I found myself swaying and jigglin' to the beat and tempo of the songs. What a great album that I'd have otherwise not listened to.

This was fun

Maybe if I had one to many cervesas I would enjoy this more.

Ok but not my genre

I listened to 3-4 tracks, but this isn't really a genre I seek out. Still, I appreciated what I heard. Giving this a 3 simply because I have a neutral opinion.

Really hard not to smile while listening to Señor Tito and his orchestra. Perfect for cooking or, really, anything. Favorite tracks: "Complicación", "Llego Mijan"

1958. Key Songs: El Cayuco, Mambo Gozon

I liked this album a lot. Music like this always makes me want to dance and lifts my spirits. Even though I really liked it, I'm only giving it 3 stars because nothing about it really stood out in my brain as particularly special. I wouldn't be able to hum a single tune from it, frankly. They all kinda blend together in my mind.

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

Fine, but not really my cup of tea. I liked it better than Buena Vista Social Club though, which has a similiar vibe.

Esta es fuego! Excelente!

Lift music

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.

First song was enjoyable then it descended into 45mins of the exact same song!

Härlig salsa från 50-talet!