Live at the Playboy Jazz Festival
Tito Puente, the  Puerto Rican king of the timbales, reigned as the master of Latin music for more  than 50 years until he died in 2000. This live date at the Playboy Jazz Festival  in 1994 captures the danced-charged electricity he released from the bandstand.  Backed by a sizzling band of young Turks, Puente launches into his zesty, Cubop,  mambo-motored, Latin-jazz-fused dance grooves. His swing on Hilton Ruiz's "New  Arrival," which was also featured on the movie soundtrackCalle 54, highlights his  skills on the vibraphone, while jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's standard  "Little Sunflower" dances as well as trances. Only Puente could get more grooves  out of the well-worn Mongo Santamaria standard "Afro-Blue." "Ti Mon Gi," his  update of the famous percussion track "Ti Mon Bo" from the legendary '50s recordTop Percussion,  highlights the incredible conguero Giovanni Hidalgo. This CD brings back Tito  Puente's magic and majesty.--Eugene Holley, Jr.