The group on
Pachanga y Cha Cha Cha is all rhythm and almost all percussion. Ray Rivera is on lead conga and one of the chief vocalists. The "chorus," featured on most of the 11 tracks, is able enough and certainly spirited, even if none of the players qualifies as much of a singer. Vibes are the chief melodic instrument, and
Montez plays them variously in accordance with the tune. On the slower, quieter ballads his solos take on the hypnotic, beautiful quality typical of early Tico recordings. On the mid-tempo cha-cha-chas he fills in and around the singers very naturally. More than half the tunes are his originals, two others are by
Tito Puente. The cover of "Titoro" is a powerhouse track, and the level is maintained in a surprisingly captivating arrangement of "Blue Moon." The sound is clear and perfect for both vibes and pachanga, except the conga and bass could have been mixed slightly deeper. Still, pachanga albums (it is mostly cha-cha-cha) of this quality are very scarce on major labels. This one ranks just as high as a Latin and percussion album. ~ Tony Wilds