In 2001, Harlequin Records brought out an album of previously unreleased broadcast recordings by England's popular Afro-Scottish-Venezuelan dance band leader Edmundo Ros. These live air checks were taped in 1960 and 1961. With the exception of several fine and danceable instrumentals, most of these performances feature a vocalist, and that is usually Ros himself. Highlights include "Eso Es al Amor," "Verde Luna," the flutes on "Rio Batucada," and nice dance arrangements of "Tenderly," "'S Wonderful," and "What Is This Thing ...
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In 2001, Harlequin Records brought out an album of previously unreleased broadcast recordings by England's popular Afro-Scottish-Venezuelan dance band leader Edmundo Ros. These live air checks were taped in 1960 and 1961. With the exception of several fine and danceable instrumentals, most of these performances feature a vocalist, and that is usually Ros himself. Highlights include "Eso Es al Amor," "Verde Luna," the flutes on "Rio Batucada," and nice dance arrangements of "Tenderly," "'S Wonderful," and "What Is This Thing Called Love?" Concessions to popular entertainment expectations arrive in the form of the Caribbean standard "Yellow Bird," "The Donkey Tango," and "16 Tons."Conversely, "La Bamba Mambo" appears to be unrelated to Richie Valens' famous "La Bamba," and the "Watermelon Man" heard in this set is not the well-known jam by Herbie Hancock. The album's title track "It's Illegal, It's Immoral or It Makes You Fat," was originally introduced by renowned British Decca recording artists and early TV stars the Beverley Sisters, Babs, Joy, and Teddie. It's nice to have access to these remastered tapes so as to be able to hear what Ros sounded like introducing his own band over the air. Anyone seeking his regular studio recordings from 1960 should investigate the 1960 album Dancing with Edmundo, which has been reissued by Dutton Vocalion in the same package with his pop-oriented recording of 1970, Heading South of the Border. ~ arwulf arwulf, Rovi
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