Dante Vargas And The Cat Band
Mambo Lives
Import
CD
(Mambo Cat 82560),
Released 2008;
Editor's Pick:
Dante Vargas has a sense of humor. The musical producer, director, and trumpeter from Trujillo, Peru has a new modern mambo album out, and in addition to being extremely tight and hot, the thing is genuinely playful and fun! Greeted with open arms by his adopted country of Colombia, the hard working and easygoing Dante “El Gato” Vargas soon rose to prominence playing with a veritable who’s who of South American salsa, including the likes of Fruko, Niche, Gale, Titanes, Dinamita, Tropicombo, et al. Fresh from his years with Sonora Carruseles as producer musical director, Vargas now resides in Miami, becoming a sought after session musician and live accompanist for artists as diverse as Marc Anthony, Kumbia Kings Allstars, Olga Tañon, and Alejandro Saenz. While in the U.S. he somehow found time to create his dream project: a bilingual, theatrical sounding melting-pot fusion of swing and salsa. The sound is something like what was happening in New York in the 40s and 50s at venues like the Palladium, but with the speed, crispness and humor of Fruko and Carruseles, and a little bit of the musical Grease and even some tango and Broadway flash thrown in for good measure. It sounds like a ball, and brothers and sisters, it sure is! One can almost see the cartoon ‘gatito’ figure on the CD cover coming to life, playing his horn in an alleyway, and capering about to the mambo beat as the gruff voiced Willie Panama does hipster impressions with a Jamaican dancehall deejay accent. On “Está Bueno,” Vargas even has his wife and daughter saying “Damn, he looks good – sexy as hell – ooh, baby, meao, meao,” and when a male voice agrees saying, “You know I am hot, I am the bomb!” the ladies have second thoughts, sassily replying “But damn, he is so conceited, girl!” If that doesn’t get you snickering, you will at least be smiling at all the big band riffage and finger-poppin’ beats (note: lots of bari sax on this album!). “Mary Ann,” a staple of modern swing dancers the world over, is given the Tito Puente treatment, and the jumpin’ jive madness just keeps on getting más y más loco. There is even a bachata tune – though not your typical arrangement, as it has some wacky doowop vocals and big band brass. In a way, you can imagine big 50s cars with tailfins cruising by and chicks with bobby-sox bopping to this album (well maybe not the disco/house remix of “Mambo Lives” that pops up at the end). This one is for all the cool cats and kitties out there who enjoy their Latin ballroom with a touch of the Lindy and the Jitterbug. A must for Salsa Congress dancers and DJs. (Pablo Yglesias, 2008-03-29)
Song titles include:
Mambo Lives
Esta Bueno
Mary Ann
Pa' La Rueda
Elena
Aprovechemonos
When The Cat Is Playing
Quiere Mambo
Mama Yumbeo
Mambo Lives (Remix)
Musicians include:
Alex Duque Bass
Andy Guzman Piano
Rony Caceres Piano
Pablo Grajales Piano
Robert Vilera Timbal, bongo, y campana
Morist Jimenez Congas, menor percusion
Dante Vargas Trumpet & solos
Ismael Vergara Alto sax,
Ruben Trillo, Robin Espejo, Lucho Santana, Daniel Marmolejo, Gustavo Quintero Jr., Victor Hugo Romero, Javier Merino Chorus
Sandra Marin & Valeria Vargas Female chorus
Victor Hugo Romero Vocals
Willie Panama Vocals
Kathy Benitez Special guest
Category: Dance Traditions
=> Descargas/Mambo
Shipping Value: 1
ORDER TL-22900.10 CD $15.98
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