Matt If you know anything about Latin music the Puente name is one of the first you would have heard. Just like his father Tito Puente Jr. plays timbales and knows how to swing with just as much style. Hard hitting with plenty of bounce is the approach towards the new album "Got Mambo" and one for all the Salsa dancers to include in their favourites as well. Marlow Rosado is the pianist, musical director and also contributes with three compositions in the album which is no surprise as Marlow has been composing for a while and has even written for El Gran Combo, Tito Rojas, Andi Montanez and Elvis Crespo just to name a few with a Grammy nomination as well for Alejandra Guzman's, "Lipstick". Five different lead vocalists on various tracks with Bobby Cruz who worked with Richie Ray throughout the sixties and seventies recording many a classic with Fania Records and also Kevin Ceballo who was with Isidro Infante's band and worked with Jimmy Bosch, India and Celia Cruz. Another vocalist that has to be mentioned is Joe Arroyo from Columbia who has been around for nearly as long as Bobby Cruz as Joe first started way back in 1969 with Fruko Y Sus Tesos and then the Latin Brothers followed. There are another two vocalists with Ricky Melendez being well known in Puerto Rico and was actually replaced by Ricky Martin when he left the band Menudo. The last guest vocalists being Hansel and Raul the Charanga duo who have smashed the Latin charts in the eighties and reunited since and still going strong.The band is enormous with nineteen members and Joe Arroyo is also one of the coros as well as his guest spot on lead in "Agua Limpia Todo". The album is divided in two parts with the first five containing vocals but the last five are instrumental with Mambo being the main feature and mambo that is played with great swing with solos everywhere throughout. Tito Puente Jr has carried on with his fathers tradition and made it his own with great driving rythmns bringing that neccesary swing component in bountiful proportions all fueled with improvision within all his tunes and if not dancing you will at least be toe tapping to another poly-rythmic cracker.

With it's name the style is apparent, "Charanga Pa' Nueve York" with Ricky Melendez singing lead and the flute from Billy Ross all over it in this mix which finishes with its screaming trumpet licks and you will be toe tapping. Every vocalist puts in a great effort but when Bobby Cruz starts "Ay Carino" you know it is a master Salsero with his phrasing and his quick improvs that he injects during the coros montuno and to the band with his intros with the first being Marlow Rosado playing great piano and when the horns come in it is son heaven. Joe Arroyo sings with great spirit on "Agua Limpia Todo" which gives great drive to the tune and them its Hansel and Raul doing the slammer "Cua Cua" and you will be singing the title with the coros in this mambo where the saxophones are driving it all along with the trumpets throwing in the high points on this marvelous track. All instrumental primarily for the the remainder and it's is Mambo with the coros only used with no lead vocals within "Jr's Mambo" giving this slammer with its great flute solo, trombone, trumpet and percussion contributions drive with a more drive."Brisa Azul" is a little reminiscent of "Oy Como Va" with the theme used but it is a sixties feel from the music within with that glide to the tunes we seemed to have from that period. Bobby Ross is back on the flute for "Habitacion" being a bit more up tempo from the previous with it saxophone and trumpet intro and he sure plays clear as you can hear every note. Another mambo to keep you jumping is next with the title letting us know who the composer is in "Mambo Rosado" and of course we finish with a the cracker "El Tico" another Marlow Rosado composition bringing a great modern approach to Latin Jazz with Julio Diaz playing wonderful trumpet during his solo with Marlon on piano.

Tito Puente Jr knows how to play great Latin music and he is not standing in his fathers shadow one bit with his modern, contempary approach to Latin Music. Great album for great times.