MONGO SANTAMARIA - Red Hot (1979-1997) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In reaching for another shot at the big time, Mongo Santamaria sold much of the heart out of his music by turning himself over to producer Bob James, his arranger Jay Chattaway, and the fading disco fad. The result is a near disaster, an overproduced, overdubbed, rhythmically overbearing affair, staffed largely by James and his family of New York session players (including the Brecker Brothers, Eric Gale, and Steve Gadd) with only a handful of Mongo's sidemen, polished to a slick fare-thee-well. "You Better Believe It" is the sole Marty Sheller-arranged track; despite the Anglo-sounding chorus, the Guajiro groove conquers the production. Mongo alumni Hubert Laws has some nice moments in the Brazil-flavored "Sambita," but when you hear "Watermelon Man" redone to a horrible disco beat ... goodbye. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1     Watermelon Man 6:34
Arranged By, Conductor – Jay Chattaway
Backing Vocals – Brenda Frazier, Gwen Guthrie, Vivian Cherry
Bass – Gary King
Congas, Bongos, Solo Vocal – Mongo Santamaria
Drums – Jimmy Young
Featuring, Vocals – La Lupe
Guitar – Jeff Layton, Lance Quinn
Percussion – Jimmy Maelen
Piano, Synthesizer [Oberhieim] – Bob James
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist, Backing Vocals – Mike Brecker
Trumpet, Backing Vocals – Randy Brecker
Written-By – H. Hancock
2     A Mi No Me Enganan (You Better Believe It) 4:40
Arranged By, Conductor – Marty Sheller
Bass – Sal Cuevas
Congas, Percussion – Mongo Santamaria
Lyrics By – M. Santamaria
Music By – T. Guerra
Piano – Charlie Palmieri
Timbales, Drums – Steve Berrios
Tres – Harry Vigiano
Vocals – Brenda Frazier, Frank Floyd, Gwen Guthrie, Hector Aponte, Raymond Simpson, Vivian Cherry, Zach Sanders
3     Jai Alai (Rena) 7:38
Arranged By, Conductor – Jay Chattaway
Bass – Gary King
Congas, Soloist – Mongo Santamaria
Drums – Steve Berrios
Guitar – Eric Gale
Guitar, Soloist – Jeff Layton
Other [Electric Balls] – Bob James
Synthesizer [Mini Moog], Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Barry Miles
Trumpet, Soloist – Jon Faddis
Written-By – G. King    
4     Jamaican Sunrise 5:54
Arranged By, Conductor – Jay Chattaway
Bass – Gary King
Bongos – Mongo Santamaria
Drums – Idris Muhammad
Flute – Doug Harris
Guitar – Eric Gale
Percussion – Jimmy Maelen
Piano – Barry Miles
Written-By – D. Harris
5     Afro-Cuban Fantasy 7:36
Arranged By, Conductor – Jay Chattaway
Bata – Hector Hernandez, Julio Collazo
Bata, Percussion [Guataca] – Mongo Santamaria
Bata, Shekere – Steve Berrios
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Electronic Drums [Electric Log Drums] – Bob James
Guitar – Eric Gale
Soprano Saxophone, Soloist – Mark Colby
Written-By – J. Chattaway
6     Sambita 5:45
Justo Almario
Arranged By, Conductor – Jay Chattaway
Bass – Lee Smith
Congas, Bongos, Soloist – Mongo Santamaria
Drums, Percussion – Thelmo Porto
Flute – Hubert Laws
Guitar – Eric Gale
Piano – Bill O'Connell
Written-By – J. Gellardo, J. Almario