Edmundo Ros - Hollywood Cha Cha Cha

Everything I read about Edmundo Ros declares him the king of Latin music in the UK for "The Greatest Generation". I don't know enough about what kind of competition he had to get that title, but after hearing the music it seems deserved. What do I know. I do know that before getting this record I had come across Edmundo on some of my lounge music CD collections. Just about every track here could fit onto some Latin lounge collection. The songs are wall pretty well known themes from Hollywood movies re-intepreted with Edmundo's Latin flare. There are interesting and odd percussion instruments peppered throughout the compositions. The album truly is a joy to listen to on a big stereo where you can hear how he and the producers took full advantage of the new stereo technology.

The opening song is great. It has a wide range of instruments and has a fun "cha cha cha" male chorus. Toward the end some funny little instrument comes in that sounds like some kind of little mouth organ or something. It makes the Moulin Rouge Theme sound like it is a Popeye the Sailor tune. if anyone knows what that is let me know.

"As Time Goes By" is another really good one in my book. It takes this nostalgic, sentimental song and has fun with it. Like many of the other songs there is some fun cowbell action going on. I just find it particularly entertaining to hear it in the context of this song which is so strongly related to "Casablanca".

The "Third Man Theme" is another one that I've been playing a lot recently. It has this fun organ thing happening that reminds me of the Adams Family. That to me is a nice flavoring to add to this already fun song. The "Third Man Theme" is one of those touch stone songs. I think it is a really fun song and when I see it on a record I get excited. it is one of those songs that is hard to mess up.

As a whole the record is nice to throw on for a quiet evening at home. It sets the mood quite nice. It truly is an "easy listening" record if there ever was one.

Enjoy!

01 The Moulin Rouge Theme.m4a
02 It's Magic.m4a
03 Tammy.m4a
04 Theme From _Picnic__Moonglow.m4a
05 Third Man Theme (The Harry Lime Theme).m4a
06 Around The World.m4a
07 Love Is A Many Splendored Thing.m4a
08 As Time Goes By.m4a
09 High Noon.m4a
10 Fascination.m4a
11 Three Coins In The Fountain.m4a
12 True Love.m4a

The whole thing here.