MONGO SANTAMARIA - Our Man In Havana (1960-1993) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The two records that make up Our Man in Havana (the other date was originally called Bembe) were recorded in 1960 during a visit to Cuba by Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo. The first set is superb, featuring an unusual mixture of instruments for a Cuban band: two trumpets, flute, piano, tres (Nino Rivera), bass, timbales, bongos, guiro, conga, and two vocalists. The playing by the local musicians is of high quality, and the ten selections are quite enjoyable. Unfortunately though, that project is combined with the cuts from Bembe, which are in a very different style. The latter project has the music performed entirely by vocalists, other than the percussion of Santamaria and Bobo. Consisting of folk melodies and religious songs, with the emphasis totally on the chanting and singing, the music is intriguing from a historical standpoint but the jazz content is nil on this emotional date (which has Merceditas Valdes taking the vocal on four numbers). So, overall, this is definitely a mixed bag. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
Our Man In Havana (1960)
1     Jamaicuba 3:27
Esther Cruz Alvarez
2     Manila 4:42
Mongo Santamaria
3     He Guapacha 4:08
Mongo Santamaria
4     Cha Cha Rock 3:47
Mongo Santamaria
5     Vengan Pollos 4:59
Mongo Santamaria
6     Barandanga 3:16
Armando Peraza
7     Linda Guajira 3:08
Mongo Santamaria
8     Vamos a Gozar 2:34
Mongo Santamaria
9     Miss Patti Cha Cha 4:15
Mongo Santamaria
10     Viva la Felicidad 2:31
Mongo Santamaria
Mongo In Havana Bembé! (1960)
11     Tele Mina for Chango (God of Thunder) 3:00
Mongo Santamaria
12     Olla de for Olla (Wife of Chango) 3:48
Mongo Santamaria
13     Yemaya Olodo for Olla (Mother of Chango) 3:33
Mongo Santamaria
14     Yeye-O for Ochun (Counterpart of Venus) 4:10
Mongo Santamaria
15     Wolenche for Chango (God of Thunder) 2:47
Mongo Santamaria
16     Aqua Limpia (Guaguanco) 3:10
Francisco Aguabella
17     Ochun Mene (Columbia) 4:10
Mongo Santamaria
18     Mexico 3:20
Mongo Santamaria
19     Mañana Son Mañana (Columbia) 4:09
Mongo Santamaria
20     Complicaciones (Guaguanco) 3:47
Francisco Aguabella
Credits :
Bass – Pepito (faixas: 1 to 10)
Bongos, Triangle – Yeyito (faixas: 1 to 10)
Congas – Mongo Santamaria
Flute – Julio (9) (faixas: 1 to 10)
Guiro – Gustavito (faixas: 1 to 10)
Piano – Pacquito (faixas: 1 to 10)
Remastered By – Phil De Lancie
Timbales, Bongos – Willie Bobo (faixas: 1 to 20)
Tres, Arranged By [Arrangements] – Niño Rivera (faixas: 1 to 10)
Trumpet – Armandito (faixas: 1 to 10), El Fine (faixas: 1 to 10)
Vocals – Armando Raymat, Carlos Embale (faixas: 16, 18 & 20), Cheo Junco (faixas: 1 to 10), Finco (faixas: 16 & 20), Luis Santamaria (faixas: 11 & 15), Macucho (faixas: 19), Mario Arenas (faixas: 18), Merceditas Valdes (faixas: 12 to 14, 17)
Nota :
Reissue of "Our Man In Havana" and "Mongo In Havana Bembé!" from 1960:
Fantasy F-8045 and 8055.