Smith & Co

From Cuban and Puerto Rican roots, the signature rhythms of what is now generally termed Afro-Cuban music pulsed out of New York City's 'Spanish Harlem' in the late 1940s/early '50s:  an inspiration for innovative jazz musicians of the era, soon becoming an essential repertoire ingredient of international dance bands and a pervading influence on composers, arrangers and producers in the pop mainstream.

The principal originators of this breakout all performed in The Netherlands and Belgium during the late 1970s/early '80s, where they were privately recorded for posterity.  Smith&Co now presents the first official CD releases of these historic recordings.

The series is launched appropriately with concerts featuring three of the biggest names of the genre:  composer/bandleader & "King of the timbales"  TITO PUENTE; composer/bandleader & "King of the congas" MONGO SANTAMARIA; vocal diva & "Queen of Salsa" CELIA CRUZ (who was already a star in her native Cuba in the '50s before settling in the USA).

Recorded at the Hoeksteen in Amsterdam on 24th November 1980, this double CD starring Celia Cruz with Tito's big band and Cuban percussionist Carlos 'Patato' Valdes features just about all you'd expect from a full-on celebration of their previous collaborations.  As well as a set of glorious reminders of the rhythm/vocal accord between Celia & Tito's band there is a tribute to an earlier Cuban singing star - Bartolome 'Benny More' Gutierrez - and a high-spirited drum battle between Tito & Patato.  A hot night in old Amsterdam.

Accompanying volumes:
SCCD2473:  TITO PUENTE LIVE IN BRUSSELS
SCCD2476:  MONGO SANTAMARIA LIVE IN THE NETHERLANDS

CD 1
CD1/1    Para Los Rumberos
CD1/2    Beny More Medley
CD1/3    Oye Como Va
CD1/4    Mambo Inn
CD1/5    Tito & Patato Drum Battle
CD1/6    Sonare El Tambo
CD1/7    Todo Mata
CD1/8    Yiri-Yiri-Bon
CD1/9    Que Pena Mi da

CD 2
CD2/1    Cunli
CD2/2    La Vieja Luna
CD2/3    Cucala
CD2/4    Ta Mi So Den Bosso
CD2/5    Caramelos
CD2/6    Bembe Colora
CD2/7    Quimbara