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Desi Arnaz

The Best of Desi Arnaz the Mambo King

BMG

Although Desi Arnaz could hardly ever be considered the ''Mambo King'' in his day (a title usually reserved for Perez Prado or Tito Puente), this collection of Desi recordings is the best ever assembled. Every aspect of Desi's short but brilliant career as an orchestra leader is touched upon in the course of this sixteen-track CD. Standard Arnaz tunes like ''Babalu,'' '' El Cumbanchero'' and ''Cuban Pete'' are present, but Desi's excellent sense of rhythm and showmanship are also given their proper light. Featured instrumentals, like the brilliant ''The Peanut Vendor,'' Raymond Scott's ''Tia Juana,'' the well-known ''Brazil,'' and ''Tico Tico,'' with famed Latin pianist Rene Touzet, are some of the best examples of Arnaz's keen sense of musicianship. Integrating traditional Latin sounds with American orchestration, Desi melded a true blend of cultures, very apparent on such numbers as ''I Come from New York'' and ''Straw Hat Song,'' which was described by RCA at the time as a ''boogie rumba.''

Desi Arnaz was one of the greatest bandleaders of the twentieth century. If you're looking to add just one Desi CD to your collection, this is the one.

Track Listing

• 1. Babalu
• 2. Cuban Pete
• 3. Peanut Vendor
• 4. Holiday In Havana
• 5. Carnival in Rio
• 6. A Rainy Night in Rio
• 7. Guadalajara
• 8. I Come from New York
• 9. Mi Vida
• 10. Tico Tico
• 11. Rumba Matumba
• 12. Tia Juana
• 13. You Can in Yucatan
• 14. Straw Hat Song
• 15. Brazil
• 16. El Cumbanchero

Read other Desi Arnaz reviews:

• Babalu
• Babalu Music: I Love Lucy's Greatest Hits
• Desi Arnaz and Chico Marx: Big Bands of Hollywood