Puente in Percussion

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Completely discarding the massive, brass-heavy mambo orchestrations that brought him mainstream fame, the legendary bandleader focuses entirely on raw, unadorned Afro-Cuban polyrhythms. Accompanied only by a bassist and a staggering lineup of master percussionists—including Mongo Santamaría and Willie Bobo—the session relies on deeply hypnotic, interlocking drum patterns and spontaneous vocal chants. The highly innovative, stripped-down project remains a foundational text for Latin jazz rhythm sections.