Descarga.com Classics Revisited, Issue #18

Sat Mar 3 12:30:52 EST 2007

The Descarga Review
Classics Revisited, Issue #18 • March 03, 2007

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Classics Revisited, Issue #18
Refreshing the parts of the Descarga.com catalog that other reviews  
don't reach.
by John Child

RENE BLOCH ORCHESTRA
Mucho Rock
VSOP
Originally released: 1958
Category: DANCE TRADITIONS; BIG BAND MAMBO JAZZ
EditorsPick: **Classics Revisited**
Born in Los Angeles of French Jewish descent, reeds player René Bloch  
was arguably "El Judio Maravilloso" of the West Coast Latin scene  
during the late '50s and early '60s. At age 17 he joined the Johnny  
Otis band and contributed a notable alto solo to the leader's first  
big hit "Harlem Nocturne" in 1945. Following stints with various  
swing bands, Pérez Prado recruited René as his band manager and lead  
alto player in 1952. After six years with Prado he departed and made  
his recording debut as the leader of an 18-piece band with Mucho Rock  
for the Andex label (10 tracks were later reissued as The Latin Moods  
of René Bloch on Famous). Don't be deceived by the title, because the  
contents comprise of mucho swinging big band mambo with a touch of  
cha-cha-chá, bolero and wa-pa-cha. Bloch's sound is distinct from  
Prado's and the only tracks that betray his apprenticeship with old  
Seal Face (Prado was nicknamed "El Cara de Foca") are "Frenesi" and,  
to a certain extent, "Raunchy" and "Cha-Cha-Stroll". Standout cuts  
include the mambos "Stop-When-Swinging", "René's Mambo", "Harry's At  
One" and "One More", all featuring velvety alto solos from René.  
Pianist Roberto Gil takes solos on "More Mambo" and "One More". One  
of the band's four-trumpet section solos on "Paul's Mambo" and the  
rollicking "Magitos", also featuring a timbales solo. Could this be  
from Willie Bobo?, who, along with Mongo Santamaría, are credited as  
members of the five-piece rhythm section. Willie and Mongo would have  
been part of Cal Tjader's seminal West Coast-based group at the time.  
Bloch, Gil and Paul López handled the arrangements. López, a prolific  
trumpeter, composer and arranger on the West Coast at the time who  
worked with Noro Morales, Jack Costanzo, Machito and others, wrote  
the bulk, weighing-in with 10 arrangements as well as nine  
compositions. Ironically, he is not credited as playing on the album.  
He went on to work on Bloch's next four albums between 1959 and 1962.
Highly recommended. (John Child)

SONG TITLES:
1. Raunchy (2:25) 2. April Nocturne (2:50) 3. Stop-When-Swinging  
(2:29) 4. Magitos (2:34) 5. Nature Boy (2:30) 6. Rene's Mambo (2:18)  
7. More Mambo (2:16) 8. Wa-Pa-Cha (2:43) 9. Frenesi (2:32) 10. Sylvia  
(2:49) 11. Cha-Cha-In-g (2:58) 12. Paul's Mambo (2:33) 13. One More  
(2:43) 14. Harry's At One (2:15) 15. Cha-Cha -Stroll (2:36)
MUSICIANS:
• Louis Valizian: Trumpet
• Marvin Brown: Trumpet
• Ronnie Ossa: Trumpet
• Bob McKinzie: Trumpet
• Rene Bloch: Sax
• Teddy Edwards: Sax
• Nash Maez: Sax
• Dick Houlgate: Sax
• Augie Alcaraz: Sax
• Vince Diaz: Trombone
• Roberto Gil: Piano
• Charlie Blackwell: Bass
• Willie Bobo: Percussion
• Mongo: Percussion
• Jack Navara: Percussion
• Lalo Guerrero: Percussion
• Juan Cheda: Percussion
• Modesta Duran: Percussion
Price: $17.98

• Click here to Order Mucho Rock Now!

RENE BLOCH ORCHESTRA
Mr. Latin
Collectables
Originally released: 1962
Reissued: 2005
Category: DANCE TRADITIONS; BIG BAND MAMBO JAZZ
EditorsPick: **Classics Revisited**
After his 1958 debut album Mucho Rock for the Andex label, big band  
leader René Bloch made three yet to be reissued titles: Everybody  
Likes to Cha Cha Cha! (Hi Fi Record, 1959), Let's Dance the Mambo  
(Capitol Records, 1959) and La Pachanga (Capitol Records, 1960). In  
1962 he recorded the 12-track album Mr. Latin for the Atlantic  
Records subsidiary Atco (10 tracks of which were reissued under the  
title Latin Discotheque). Alto and flute player René heads-up the 18- 
piece band's four strong sax section. The five-trumpet section  
includes Paul López, who arranged the Bebo Valdés composition "Rareza  
Del Siglo". The rhythm section features pianist/musical director Al  
Chaplin, who arranged the remainder of the album and composed four  
tracks, including the outstanding "Mr. Latin's Mambo" featuring a  
sparkling trumpet solo from former Pérez Prado sideman Louis Valizan.  
Distinguished members of the rhythm section are ex-Tito Rodríguez  
bassist Paul Rodríguez (who takes a solo on "Baila Cha Cha"), Machito  
and Cal Tjader alumnus Luis Miranda on conga and arch-freelancer  
Chino Pozo on bongo. Felo Brito, who recorded on the West and East  
Coast with the likes of Benny Velarde, Joe Quijano, Willie Rosario,  
Ricardo Ray, Larry Harlow and others, sings lead vocals on "Rareza  
Del Siglo" and the Julio Gutiérrez penned bolero "De Ti Enamorado".  
John Pisano's electric rhythm guitar lends a distinctly La Playa  
Sextet flavour to "Mr. Latin's Mambo" and "Pa Coco Solo", "Soy Un  
Caramelo", "Sera Charanga?" and "Pachanga Terrifica". There is a  
sprinkling of nice solos, notably former Prado sideman Nash Maez'  
tenor work on Chaplin's composition "Mambo Watusi" and Augie Alcaráz'  
flute artistry on "Pachanga Terrifica".
Highly recommended. (John Child)

SONG TITLES:
1. Mr. Latin's Mambo (2:51) 2. Encanto (3:01) 3. Lamento Latino  
(2:50) 4. Que? Otra Pachanga (2:20) 5. Rareza Del Siglo (Rarity Of  
The Century) (4:18) 6. Mambo Watusi (2:34) 7. Pa Coco Solo (For Heads  
Only) (2:25) 8. Baila Cha Cha (2:42) 9. Soy Un Caramelo ( I Am A  
Candymaker) (2:38) 10. Sera Charanga? (Is It A Charanga?) (2:04) 11.  
De Ti Enamorado (In Love With You) (3:44) 12. Pachanga Terrifica (2:50)
MUSICIANS:
• Rene Bloch: Alto sax & flute
• Augie Alcaraz: Tenor sax and flute
• Nash Maez: Tenor sax
• Bill Robinson: Baritone sax
• Marvin Brown: Trumpet
• Don Dennis: Trumpet
• Paul Lopez: Trumpet
• Tom Scott: Trumpet
• Louis Valizan: Trumpet
• Alan Chaplin: Piano
• Frank Vasquez: Bass
• Pat Rodriguez: Timbales
• Luis Miranda: Congas
• Chino Pozo: Bongo
• Johnny Cheda: Coro
• Luis Kant: Coro
• Felo Brito: Vocals on "Rareza Del Siglo" & "De Ti Enamorado"
Price: $15.98

• Click here to Order Mr. Latin Now!

JACK COSTANZO
Mr. Bongo Jack Costanzo And His Afro Cuban Band
GNP/Crescendo
Reissued: 1998
Category: DANCE TRADITIONS; MAMBO, CHA CHA CHA
EditorsPick: **Classics Revisited**
Dubbed "Mr. Bongo" by the eminent jazz critic Leonard Feather, Jack  
Costanzo is credited with introducing the bongos into American  
popular music when he joined Stan Kenton's band in 1947. The backbone  
of this CD reissue is 1956's Mr. Bongo, Jack's first album on Gene  
Norman's GNP Crescendo label. He deliberately emulated the trumpet  
conjunto format of Cuba's La Sonora Matancera to achieve the album's  
fat sound and tips his hat to the group by covering their hit "Melao  
de Caña". Personnel include the incredible pianist Eddie Cano and  
trumpeter Paul López, who wrote most of the arrangements and features  
on "Caravan" and "Just One Of Those Things". Jack describes Eddie as  
"an exciting soloist taking after the master Noro Morales, who played  
like a conga drum player and I know the pianos yelled for help when  
he hit them." Eddie particularly shines on the novelty "Chopsticks  
Mambo". In fact, we are spoilt for Cano solos, by my count, he  
features on another six tracks. Jack's keeps his soloing to a  
minimum, but the driving "Abaniquito" showcases a fine example of his  
hard-hitting bongo pyrotechnics. Singing lead vocals on Mr. Bongo are  
Kaskara (Manuel Ochoa) and Jack's wife at the time, Ohio-born Marda  
Saxon. Kaskara was born in Holguin, Cuba, and relocated to the US in  
1945 where he worked with Pérez Prado and René Touzet prior to his  
association with Costanzo. The remaining tracks on the CD include  
what Jack regards as some of the "okay" songs from his second GNP  
album, 1971's Viva Tirado, which he admits "was a turkey." Jack was  
also married to the singer on Viva Tirado, the former Playboy bunny  
Gerrie Woo.
Highly recommended on the strength of Mr. Bongo. (John Child)

SONG TITLES:
1. Coco May May Vocal: Kaskara (2:00) 2. Viva Tirado (3:10) 3. La La  
La Vocal: Kaskara (2:46) 4. El Resbaloso Vocal: Kaskara (4:00) 5.  
Chopsticks Mambo (2:32) 6. Melado De Cana Vocal: Kaskara (3:45) 7.  
Abaniquito Vocal: Kaskara (4:25) 8. Cu Cu Ru Curu (2:40) 9. Goza  
Negra Vocal: Marda Saxon (2:58) 10. Pata Pata (2:30) 11. Just One Of  
Those Things (2:07) 12. La Bamba Vocal: Gerrie Woo (2:30) 13. Caravan  
(3:07) 14. Chicken And Rice (2:45) 15. Guantanamera Vocal: Gerrie Woo  
& Jack Costanzo (2:50) 16. Bongo Festeris (2:30)
MUSICIANS:
• Jack Costanzo: Bongos and Leader
• John Anderson, Paul López, Tony Terran: Trumpets
• Willy Gallardo: Timbales
• Manuel Ochoa (Kaskara): Vocals and Maracas
• Eddie Gómez: Claves
• Ramón Rivera: Conga
• Eddie Cano: Piano
• Ernesto Montez: Bass
• Marda Saxon: Vocal
Price: $16.98

• Click here to Order Mr. Bongo Jack Costanzo Now!

JACK COSTANZO
Latin Fever: The Wild Rhythms Of Jack Costanzo
Capitol
Originally released: 1958
Reissued: 2003
Category: LATIN JAZZ; LATIN JAZZ
EditorsPick: **Classics Revisited**
This was the first of a short series of albums Jack "Mr. Bongo"  
Costanzo made for Liberty Records between 1958 and 1961, the others  
being Bongo Fever, Afro Can-Can, Learn To Play Bongos and Naked City.  
Although the producer is credited as Ray Stanley, one of the A & R  
men at Liberty, Jack later revealed that it was the label's founder  
Simon Waronker (1915-2005) who devised the concept for Latin Fever.  
Waronker instructed Jack to make an album entirely without  
arrangements with all the tracks jammed on the spot. Consequently  
Jack opted for an instrumental album giving pride of place to solos  
from his impressive array of sidemen. These included Costanzo  
stalwarts Eddie Cano on piano and trumpeter Paul López. Standout cuts  
include the title track, capturing Mr. Bongo's trademark skin  
scorching action, "Sax Con Ritmo" featuring tenor player Jay Corre  
and the magnificent "Malaguena", virtually an eight-minute solo by  
Cano. Over 40 years after recording "Malaguena", Jack told Eric  
González: "Every time we were going to stop, in the booth was Simon  
Waronker moving his hand, 'Keep playing! Keep playing!' So you hear  
the record, and there are about four times when you can tell that  
maybe we were going to stop! And then we keep going!" "Bajo Numero  
Uno" showcases bassist Tony Reyes. Flautist Augie Alcaráz shines on  
"Taboo" and López takes notable trumpet solos on "Cumbanchero" and  
"Oye Negra". Vance Graham's original liner notes quaintly describe  
the closing track "Drum-A-Mania" as: "a percussion holiday with  
Jack's bongos out in front." Exactly!
Highly recommended. (John Child)
[Note: This CD was an Editor's Reissue Pick of the Month from July,  
2003. Here's what we wrote at that time...
This white hot 1958 release captures bongocero Jack Costanzo at the  
peak of his skill and celebrity. Picture a smokey nightclub in New  
York or Los Angeles, and the dancers are going wild. This band,  
featuring the superb, fiery, Eddie Cano on piano, is what drives the  
frenetic intensity -- listen to the explosive, nearly 8 minute,  
"Malaguena." An unusually long track for 1958, but it does mirror the  
long Panart descargas being done at that time in Cuba with Cachao,  
Niño Rivera et al.
A Stan Kenton orchestra alumni, Costanzo includes one of the most  
swingin' versions of the "Peanut Vendor" to have ever been recorded.  
Features great use of Transistorized Stereophonic Hi-Fidelity Sound.
A must have -- Highly Recommended. (BP)

SONG TITLES:
1. Sax Con Ritmo (1:53) 2. Peanut Vendor (2:23) 3. Bajo Numero Uno  
(2:35) 4. Taboo (2:41) 5. Malaguena (7:40) 6. Latin Fever (3:00) 7.  
Malaguena (7:40) 8. Latin Fever (3:00) 9. Cumbanchero (2:20) 10.  
Hornacopia (2:24) 11. La Palmoa (2:10) 12. Oye Negra (2:23) 13. Mama  
Yo Quiero (2:40) 14. Drum-A-Mania (2:02)
MUSICIANS:
• Jack Costanzo: Bongos and leader
• Paul Lopez: Trumpet
• Jay Corre: Tenor sax
• Angie Alcaraz: Flute
• Eddie Cano: Piano
• Tony Reyes: Bass
• Eddie Aparicio : Drums
• Ray Rivera: Drums
Price: $16.98

• Click here to Order Latin Fever Now!

JACK COSTANZO
Latin Percussion With Soul w/Gerrie Woo
Tico
Originally released: 1968
Category: LATIN SOUL/BOOGALOO; LATIN SOUL, CLASSIC 60s or 70s
EditorsPick: **Classics Revisited**
Jack Costanzo, a.k.a. Mr. Bongo, was signed to make this one-off  
album for Tico Records after the label's A & R man Pancho Cristal saw  
him perform with a seven-piece group at the El San Juan Hotel in  
Puerto Rico. Cristal hired the talented New York-based pianist,  
composer, arranger, bandleader and producer Héctor Rivera (1933-2006)  
to arrange the songs he and Jack selected for the project. However,  
when Héctor arrived in Los Angeles to conduct the recording date by  
Jack's approximately 14-piece ensemble, he had only arranged his own  
compositions and none of the agreed selections. An enormous row  
ensued, but the session went ahead under Héctor's direction and Jack  
admits to this day that he was "a marvellous arranger". Personnel  
include Costanzo regulars Eddie Cano on piano and trumpeter Paul  
López (who clocked-up seven albums with Mr. Bongo) together with  
former La Sonora Matancera bass player Humberto Cané. It is more than  
likely that Tico were hoping to emulate Joe Cuba's 1966 pop and R&B  
chart success with Latin Percussion With Soul, but it didn't happen.  
Jack's wife at the time, Gerrie Woo, sings on the most dispensable of  
the dated crossover tracks. There are only three, or possibly four of  
these, the rest of the material comprises of swinging mambos and  
fusion a la Mongo replete with solos and a guajira; the highlights  
being the Héctor Rivera compositions "Recuerdos", "Mambo Jack",  
"Mantequilla" and "Que Vengo Acabando", Booker T's "Green Onions" and  
the Nat Adderly standard "Jive Samba". Jack remade "Mantequilla" and  
"Jive Samba" for his 2001 CuBop debut CD Back from Havana and "Green  
Onions" for the 2002 follow-up Scorching The Skins.
Recommended. (John Child)

SONG TITLES:
1. Recuerdos 2. Hey Boy (Hey Girl) 3. Green Onions 4. Words 5. Mambo  
Jack 6. Que Vengo Acabando 7. Some Kind-A Wonderful 8. Mantequilla 9.  
Don't Squeeze The Peaches 10. Jive Samba
MUSICIANS:
• Jack Costanzo: Bongos and leader
• Paul Lopez, Jimmy Salco, Tony Durán and Marcus Caputo: Trumpets
• Tommy Peterson: Trombone
• Humberto Cané: Bass
• Eddie Cano: Piano
• Pat Rodríguez: Drums
• Gerrie Woo: Vocals
• Héctor Rivera: Arrangements and Musical Director
Price: $16.98

• Click here to Order Latin Percussion With Soul Now!

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