The Mambo Kings (soundtrack)

The Mambo Kings
Soundtrack album
Released 1992
Recorded in New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA
Genre Salsa, Boogaloo, Latin jazz, Bolero, Tropical
Length 48:28
Label Elektra 61240, 1992 Elektra 62505-2, 2000
Producer Robert Kraft
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
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The soundtrack to The Mambo Kings is a solid effort that effectively conveys the atmosphere inherent in the film, which was based on Oscar Hijuelos’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. Assembled here is a selection of mambos, rumbas, boleros and cha cha chas performed by stellar artists of the Latin scene including Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Benny Moré, Johnny Pacheco and Arturo Sandoval mixed with well-known performers with roots in the form like Linda Ronstadt and Los Lobos. Besides this, the Mambo All-Stars are a high energy dance band composed of top studio sidemen from New York City and Los Angeles. With only a couple of exceptions, the tracks were cut specially for the film and as such, add a novel, accurately reflecting the Cuban music sound of the 1950s. The 2000 Elektra updated edition adds a remix of Tito Puente's "Ran Kan Kan" by Olga Tañón and a rendition of "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" featuring Antonio Banderas and legendary crooner Compay Segundo of Buena Vista Social Club fame.

Contents

Track listing

Track Song title Composer(s) Performer(s) Time
  1 La Dicha Mía J. Pacheco Celia Cruz 3:20
  2 Ran Kan Kan T. Puente Tito Puente 2:50
  3 Cuban Pete José Norman Tito Puente 2:25
  4 Mambo Caliente A. Sandoval Arturo Sandoval 3:26
  5 Quiéreme Mucho Gonzalo Roig / Agustín Rodríguez Linda Ronstadt 2:57
  6 Sunny Ray Ray Santos Mambo All-Stars 2:35
  7 Melao de Caña Mercedes Pedroso Celia Cruz 2:51
  8 Beautiful Maria of My Soul Robert Kraft / Arne Glimcher Antonio Banderas  4:10
  9 Para los Rumberos T. Puente Tito Puente 1:51
10 Perfidia Alberto Domínguez Linda Ronstadt 3:41
11 Guantanamera Fernández / Orbón / Angulo,
based on a poem by José Martí  		 Celia Cruz 3:05
12 Tea for Two V. Youmans Mambo All-Stars 2:31
13 Accidental Mambo C. Franzetti Mambo All-Stars 1:23
14 Cómo fue Ernesto Duarte Benny Moré 2:54
15 Tanga, Rumba Afro-Cubana   Mario Bauza Mambo All-Stars 3:31
16 Beautiful Maria of My Soul Robert Kraft / Arne Glimcher Los Lobos 4:26

Arrangements

* Johnny Pacheco / Pedro Knight     track 1
* Tito Puente tracks 2, 3, 9
* Alberto Naranjo track 4 [orchestration]
* Arturo Sandoval track 4 [arrangement]
* Ray Santos tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15
* Pete Seeger / Ray Santos track 11
* Carlos Franzetti track 13
* Ernesto Duarte track 14
* Domenico Savino / Ray Santos track 15
* Los Lobos track 16

Chart performance

Chart (1992) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200[2] 50
U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums[2] 3
U.S. Billboard Tropical Albums[2] 1

Credits

Soundtrack Studios (NY)
Skyline Studios (NY)
BMG Recording Studio (NY)
Clinton Studio (NY)
Capitol Recording Studio (LA)
Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound (NY)

Awards nominations

Beautiful Maria of My Soul (best music, original song)
Robert Kraft (music)
Arne Glimcher (lyrics)
Beautiful Maria of My Soul (best original song, motion picture)
Robert Kraft (music)
Arne Glimcher (lyrics)
Mambo Caliente (best instrumental composition for a motion picture)
Arturo Sandoval (composer, arranger and performer)
Alberto Naranjo (orchestrator)
Beautiful Maria of My Soul (best original song for a motion picture)
Robert Kraft (music)
Arne Glimcher (lyrics)
Antonio Banderas (performer)
Ray Santos (arranger)

See also

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ a b c "The Mambo Kings – Original Soundtrack". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/album/soundtrack/the-mambo-kings/64976. Retrieved December 14, 2011. 

External links