Perez Prado and His Orchestra Prez

Perez Prado and His Orchestra Prez. It could well have been that Peréz Prado regarded his nickname ‚The King of Mambo‘ not only as an honour but also restricting with regard to his ambition to move into big band jazz. Whatever the case, the release of his album with the shortened word ‚Prez‘ as its title shows that the Cuban-born arranger had plenty of self-confidence – it shouldn’t be forgotten that the saxophonist Lester Young, a living legend at that time, held the office of ‚President‘ in 1958.

Cu-Cu-Rru-Cu-Cu-Paloma

In his aspiration to enter the soundworld of the well-established bandleaders and soloists (and this album certainly signals healthy rivalry), Peréz Prado first strolls down the familiar path of Afro-Cuban folkmusic with such numbers as the sawing and gurgling „Maria Bonita“ and the highly descriptive „Cu-Cu-Rru-Cu-Cu-Paloma“. All the more surprising then is the B side which begins with a version of „Lullaby Of Birdland“ which is shaken to the core by hefty conga drum solos. Prado gives us his snappy mambo arrangement of „Flight Of The Bumblebee“, the first jazzed-up version of which was heard to buzz in concert halls in the Forties, performed by the brilliant trumpeter Harry James. Among the numbers are several red-hot big band pieces such as „Leo’s Special“ and „Fireworks“ which has a particularly lively trumpet section with the power to blast the paint off the walls.
All in all this is a recording which combines easy listening with a peppy Latin jazz feeling.

Side 1

1. Maria Bonita
2. Cucurrucucu Paloma
3. Borrachita (I’ll Never Love Again)
4. Machaca
5. Adios Mi Chaparrita (Goodby My Little Angel)
6. Marta

Side 2

7. Lullaby of Birdland
8. Flight of the Bumblebee
9. Leo’s Special
10. Come Back to Sorrento (Torna a Sorrento)
11. Fireworks

Speakerscorner’s junge Jahre – very rare Ausgabe