Latin Album
Even their harshest critics can't accuse Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops of not trying to have fun. OnThe Latin Album, they tackle a repertoire that includes big-band favorites and compositions from Piazzolla, Perez Prado, and Aaron Copland (in the form ofEl Salon México). These are mostly dance tunes, filled with crashing percussion, Latin rhythms, and familiar melodies. To their credit, the Boston Pops get this fiesta right about half the time--opening with Alberto Ginastera's "Malambo," they set a furious, rollicking mood that's heavy on the percussion. They shine on Jacob Gade's "Jalousie" (an early hit for Lockhart predecessor Arthur Fiedler) and on the more atmospheric "Mi Cambio" by César Villalobos. Unfortunately, their arrangement of Piazzolla's "Oblivion" is about as subtle as the music found in soap operas (and about as exciting) and "Perfidia" is a disappointment, "smooth" but hardly sultry. Still, the Pops know how to play their brassy, rhythmic showpieces, and the recorded sound here is excellent.--Jason Verlinde