Angel Melendez & The 911 Mambo Orchestra: The 911 Mambo Orchestra

Latin Beat Magazine, Oct, 2004 by Gilbert Rivera

ANGEL MELENDEZ & THE 911 MAMBO ORCHESTRA The 911 Mambo Orchestra (Latin Street Music)

Led by composer/arranger/trombonist Ángel Meléndez, The 911 Mambo Orchestra is a 20-piece big band from Chicago, Illinois, that interprets the music of Machito, Tito Puente and Pérez Prado, as well as some original tracks, all in the traditional Palladium mambo-era style. Classics such as Prado's Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White and Que Rico el Mambo, Rafael Hernández's El Cumbanchero, Puente's A Gozar Timbero and the immortal Besame Mucho, will have you dancing instantly. As for the original tracks Mambo a la Sandoval, Ven Pá Que Gozo and Changó, Meléndez and orehestra let Ioose with explosiva arrangements and a run-away swing worthy of a super mambo machine. Their merengue version of the international classic Havah Nagilah will definitely blow you away. Recorded in only three sessions of 12 hours each, under the wizardry of Grammy Award-winning engineer Jon Fausty, this debut CD features the vocals of Mike Maldonado and Lina Marie Pérez, plus background vocals by Angel Meléndez and Frankie "Hollywood" Rodriguez. (GR)