Charanga At The Palladium, Vol. 1 (2007)

Various Artists – Charanga at the Palladium Vol.1
2007 Protel Records 176-160-448-2 / UMD / Tico

01 Johnny Pacheco – Charangas
02 Jose Fajardo – Dame Un Besito
03 Tito Puente – La Charanga
04 Fajardo, Palmieri y Pacheco – Moliendo Cafe
05 Pupi Lagaretta – Dejala Que Siga
06 Orquestra Novel – Seis Lindas Cubanas
07 Mongo Santamaria y Justo Betancourt – Kindimbia
08 Tipica 73 – Busco Una Chiquita
09 Charlie Palmieri – El Baile Nuevo
10 Tito Puente – El Guiro de Macorina
11 Jose Fajardo – Por La Maceta
12 Johnny Pacheco – Quiero Ser

No useful information provided in the CD booklet or tray card.

Although this is one of those oddball compilations with zero historical information in the packaging, this is a fun listen. The charanga was one of many dances / musical styles that were fashionable in the early 60s, and The Palladium Ballroom was the premier New York City venue for mambo and related styles from its late 40s heyday until it closed in 1966. So as you can see from the list of albums below that provided the material, only a few of these songs were actually recorded while The Palladium still existed. A person might get the impression (as I did) from the title that this is a live album, which would be an interesting historical document. Alas, it is not. Hell, two of these groupss (Tipica 73 and Orquesta Novel) didn’t even exist when The Palladium Ballroom was around, although they were made of members who would have played there with other outfits. Speaking of which, the track by Orquestra Novel, with violinist Eddie Drennon soloing through a wah-wah pedal, is a stand-out track on this. I can’t find much info about this compilation or the label that put it out, and I don’t believe there was ever a “Volume 2”.

Research shows these albums were used to make this compilation:

Tito Puente – Pachange Con Puente (1961, Tico Records LP 1083)
Charlie Palmieri and his Charanga “La Duboney” – Pachanga at the Caravana Club (1961, Alegre Records LPA 804)
Pacheco, Palmieri And Fajardo – Las Charangas (1961, Alegre Records LPA 807)
Pupi Lagaretta (as Pupi y Su Charanga) Gonzalo, Pacheco, y Pupi (1975 Vaya Records XVS-40)
Mongo Santamaria y Justo Bettancourt (as Mongo y Justo) – Ubane (1976 Vaya JMVS-44)
Orquesta Novel – Canta y Encanta (1979, Fania Records JM-00539) – featuring Eddie Drennon
Jose Fajardo – Señor…Charanga! (1980, Fania JM570)
Tipica 73 – Charangueando con La Tipica 73 (1980, Fania Records JM 560)
Johnny Pacheco – ¡Sima! (1993, Fania Records JM 670)

16-bit 44.1 khz

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