Tito Puente – Live at the 1977 Monterey Jazz Festival

1	Introduction By Jimmy Lyons	0:19
2	Para Los Rumberos 	5:58
3	Oye Como Va 	5:59			play
4	Babarabatiri	8:41
5	Delirio		9:33
6	Tito's Odyssey	7:22
7	Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing (Cha Cha Cha)	7:52
8	Pare Cochero	8:59
9	Rey del Timbal, El	4:57			play
10	Picadillo	2:42

Personnel:
Tito Puente (vibraphone, timbales); 
Frank Figueroa (vocals); 
Mauricio Smith (flute, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); 
Albert Shikaly (tenor saxophone); 
Jimmy Frisura (trumpet, valve trombone); 
Paulo De Paula, Julio Rodriguez, Manuel Santos (trumpet); 
Richard Pullin (trombone); 
Paquito Pastor (piano);
Nilo Sierra (bass instrument); 
Mike Collazo (drums); 
Jose Madera (congas); 
Louis Baizo (bongos). 

Another in a series of Concord albums celebrating the Monterey Jazz Festival (previously: Brubeck, Tjader) presents the music of an American-born, but purely Latin music maestro, Tito Puente. It was recorded during his band's triumphant appearance at the 1977 festival, the first of many he would make at the storied venue through the years.

At the time, Puente was a respected, well-known Latin musician and bandleader, but had not yet started the string of chart-topping records and Grammy wins that would be coming his way. It could even be argued that Monterey helped make that happen, along with his equally successful shows at the Newport festival.

Puente was born in the Spanish Harlem section of New York City, the son of Puerto Rican immigrants, and was a child prodigy who learned to play a number of instruments at a virtuoso level. As he grew to adulthood and began to make his mark in Latin music, he leaned mostly to percussion - especially timbales - and during the many years he performed while leading his own band, his talent and his flamboyant style were always part of his recipe for success.

After the introductory track, the nine musical tracks on Live At The 1977 Monterey Jazz Festival include some of Puente's best songs, and first up is the tune that would later be one of his biggest sellers, "Para los Rumberos." It's a perfect opener to set the mood because it takes off running and doesn't stop.

He also performs "Oye Como Va," a piece perhaps more familiar when played by Santana, but hearing the composer's own version is a real treat. On another of his compositions, "Picadillo," he's joined onstage by Cal Tjader, playing vibes for a Latin legend he admired. But even though most of the tunes Puente performs here are his own, he doesn't stop there. He also includes a few surprises, among them a cha-cha version of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry About A Thing," and "Babarabatiri," a classic Afro-Cuban inspired song that has been performed by many others, but none better than Puente.

Outstanding music from a beloved Latin musician. Highly recommended. --- blogcritics.org

The top NY salsa bands rarely traveled out of town at the beginning of the Salsa craze of the 1970's. The obvious place to go, and a real sign that the music was booming outside New York, was California. Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, and Eddie Palmieri were the first to go. I was out there for that one, at the Hollywood Palladium one night and at a little Latin club the other night. What was the name? I remember that Palmieri didn't like the way the piano sounded and threatened to walk.

Getting back to this CD, this hidden gem was not released (that I know of) when it was recorded, but hey, who cares! We have it now! An energetic if not frenetic Tito Puente meets and greets his California audience, and this might have been his first big gig out West! The band is great, but as with most old live outdoor recordings, it's gone with the wind.

For a great Puente live recording listen to LIVE AT BIRDLAND from 1999. You won't believe this thing.

But this 1977 Puente live recording is still a nice historical item. I am sure the guys in the band had the time of their lives in that California sun. --- Juan N. Montenegro, amazon.com Tito Puente was a percussionist, bandleader, and composer whose music and style bridged modern jazz and mambo, Afro-Cuban and 1970's rock, and got lots of generations dancing in the process. Puente also influenced the rock band Santana, as well as many others both in and beyond the Latin sound. 1977 MONTEREY is a previously unreleased concert recording of Puente's big band tearing it up in front of a wildly appreciative audience. Throughout, Puente lights a fire under both the band and the crowd with his crackling timbales and vibraphone. In addition, vibes legend Cal Tjader joins in for one song. ---cduniverse

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