Tito Puente - Top Percussion

In the history of recorded music, there are a few albums that define a genre. Among them are Glenn Gould's 1955 recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations and Miles Davis's hypnotic Kind of Blue. In that select realm, timbalero Tito Puente's 1957 Top Percussion is the most influential Latin jazz recording of all time. Simply put, this date is a once-in-a-lifetime summit meeting of Cuban and Puerto Rican master percussionists of Afro-Cuban music: Mongo Santamaria, Franciso Aguabella, Willie Bobo, and Julito Collazo. Together, these masters explore the endless folkloric inventions and dimensions of Cuba's complex drum music-- from the Afrocentric bembe/Santeria syncopations of "Eleguara" and "Obatala Yeza" to the clave-coded "Mon Ti," "Four by Two," and "Conga Alegre." The "hit" is the cool cha-cha "Ti-Mon-Bo," named for Tito, Mongo, and Bobo. Like their African musical forefathers, Tito Puente and his compatriots have delivered an ancestral drum message that has danced and entranced musicians and listeners for years. --Eugene Holley Jr. Amazon.com

The name says it all, "Top Percussion"

This album is the epitomy of Afro-cuban improvisation at its best.
Ti-mon-bo is one of my favorite songs of all time. some of the songs on this album set the standards among mainstream america in afro-cuban percussion. i guaratee that you will not be able to stand still while you listen to this album. clean and tasteful improvisation. with
the best percussionists of the time.

ozzie April 23, 2008

Not what you're thinking.

A lot of people have preconceptions about Afro-Cuban music and what it should sound like. This CD will correct this. The bulk of this CD is no polished studio product. No, when I listen to this CD, aside from a few tracks, I feel as though these musicians have existed for hundreds of years, and one day a studio sort of seemed to be built around them, and they just sort of shrugged as they played as they have always played.

In some ways, the raw nature of this CD is very appealing. As I have said, it is definitely REAL. At times however, it can get old. The majority of the tracks consist of a vocal leader doing call and response with other singers as percussion rhythms fill the surrounding musical space. Often times there are so many instruments, and the recording technology so primitive, that the music often becomes a mess of indistinguishable racket where the listener can barely pick out the Downbeat. I feel as though some of the tracks with more diverse orchestration would be top notch if we could properly hear what each instrument is doing.

My favorite tracks of this album are those at the end. There, the most care is taken to preserve each instrument's personality.

If you're Latino or African and want to know more about your roots, listen to this CD. If you're a drummer or percussionist and want to hear some rhythms you don't encounter in the typical Western musical tradition, listen to this CD. If you like Ricky Martin, leave this CD alone. July 5, 2007

A Gotta Get!!!

Recorded in 1957, this is truly an unbelievable record, and a wonderful introduction to both Latin percussion and the Afro/Cuban folkloric tradition. Though Puerto Rican by birth, Tito was an initiate to the Cuban Santeria religion, and in this album he pays homage to the spiritual and musical roots of the Mambo and Cha Cha styles for which he became most famous. Tito, Mongo, Willie Bobo, Julito Collazo, etc., all play at an unsurpassed level of virtuosity and creativity, maintaining a dizzying array of poly-rhythms that provide a virtual catalog of the West African rhythms that filtered through Cuba to become the Latin music we know and love today. As honest, beautiful, and interesting a record as any Tito Puente made. An absolute must for anyone with even the slightest interest in Latin music, drumming, Cuban culture and experience, Tito Puente, or even rhythm in general. Go get it!!!

Elequara
Bragada
Obatala Yeza
Alaumba Chemache
Oguere Madeo
Obaricosu
Four By Two, Part 1
Conga Alegre
Ti Mon Bo
Mon-Ti
Hot Timbales Night Ritualmusicians:

Tito Puente (timbales) Bobby Rodriguez (bass) Jimmy Cobb (drums) Mongo Santamaria, (percussion) Willie Bobo, (percussion) Francisco Aguabella, (percussion) Enrique Marti (percussion) Julito Collazo (percussion, background vocals) Marcelino Guerra, (vocals) Mercedita (vocals) Evaristo Baro (bass) Gene Quill, (alto saxophone) Allen Fields (alto saxophone) Marty Holmes (tenor saxophone) Joe Grimm (baritone saxophone) Francis Williams, (trumpet) John Frosk, (trumpet) Gene Rapetti, (trumpet) Doc Severinsen, (trumpet) Jimmy Frisaura (trumpet) Eddie Bert, Bob Ascher, (trombone) Sonny Russo (trombone) Alvin Gellers (piano) Barry Galbraith (guitar) March 22, 2007

Percussion Madness

Muy buen album de la serie de la RCA sobre Tito, recomiendo tambien el trabajo CUBAN CARNIVAL de esta misma, es muy bueno aunque soy más del trabajo: PUENTE IN PERCUTION sacado años despues por el sello ALEGRE, en compañia de Willie Bobo y Santamaria nuevamente. Ritmos tradicionales de cuba acopañado por los grandes. Como te extraño Tito..... June 28, 2006

The world's best latin-american percussionist- in full swing

In case anyone had any doubts -- at all -- that Tito could play the real, hardcore, pure Afro-Cuban percussion, then this album should settle that question. With Mongo Santamaria and several other percussion heavyweights on board, Tito pounds away on some of the toughest-sounding rhythm work imaginable. The second half of the album gets funkier and more slinky, with a subtle, jazzy bass added into the mix. This is a killer instrumental album, formidable and funky in every aspect. Recommended! March 6, 2003

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