With a title like The King, you can expect ten great tracks. With superb material and performances by
Santos Colon, Andy Senatore, and
Rudy Calzado, as well as one top instrumental ("Safari"), El Rey is possibly the king of
Puente albums on Tico. Three are originals, and two are by
Bobby Marin, but all feature the great arranging talent of
Puente. "It Was Love" is a swinging ballad, and the mod excursion "Safari" is topped off by a sax-anticipating Harlem River Drive. "T.P. Treat," the second great Senatore song, is a wild "scat" boogaloo, and, of course, "Pata Pata" was obligatory in the boogaloo era. "Erasmo el Loco" keeps the crazy party going while taking a brief step back from the mainstream. "Shing-a-Tin Tin" is final proof that
Puente can cut as good a boogaloo album as anyone. That may not be saying much, and indeed El Rey does not say much, but it sure feels good, and that's the point. ~ Tony Wilds