Mongo Santamaria - Afro Blue The Picante Collection

carlhackman

Review by Carl Hackman

Afro Blue: The Picante Collection – Mongo Santamaria’s Fire on Wax Alright, let’s just cut to the chase. If you’re into music that makes your spine tingle and your feet move like they’ve got a mind of their own, Afro Blue: The Picante Collection by Mongo Santamaria is the real deal. Released in 1997 under Concord Jazz Picante, this album slaps harder than most stuff out there today. It’s jazz, it’s Latin, it’s Cuban—it’s all over the damn place but in the best way possible. Mambo? Check. Charanga? Double-check. Global Jazz vibes so thick you can taste ‘em? Oh hell yeah. Now, I’m not gonna sit here and pretend every track blew my socks off (I mean, some are straight-up filler), but two tracks hit me like a freight train: “Afro-Blue” and “Un Dia de Playa (A Day at the Beach).” Let’s break it down. “Afro-Blue”—man, where do I even start? This tune doesn’t just play; it breathes. The percussion hits like thunder rolling through a summer storm, and when those horns kick in, forget about it. You’re transported somewhere else entirely—maybe Havana, maybe New York City in the ’60s, who knows? All I know is, this version screams passion and grit. It’s raw, unfiltered energy, as if Mongo himself was channeling something otherworldly while laying down these beats. Seriously, listen to how tight the band locks in with each other. They don’t miss a beat—not one. Then there’s “Un Dia de Playa.” This jam feels like sunshine melting into sand under your toes. It starts smooth, almost lazy, then BAM—it picks up speed and pulls you along for the ride. What sticks with me isn’t just the melody but the way Mongo layers rhythms upon rhythms without making it sound cluttered. That’s skill, baby. By the time the song winds down, you’ll feel like you’ve been on vacation—even if you’re stuck in traffic or slogging through another boring workday. Look, I ain’t saying this album reinvents the wheel or anything. Some tracks drag a bit (cough “La Tumba”), and live versions like “Bonita (Live)” feel kinda redundant after hearing the studio take. But overall? This collection delivers fire—real, unapologetic fire. Here’s the kicker though: listening to an album like this reminds you what music used to be about before algorithms started telling us what we should vibe to. Back then, artists didn’t care about trends—they cared about soul. And Mongo Santamaria? Dude had enough soul to fill ten albums like this. So next time someone tries to sell you on some cookie-cutter pop nonsense, throw Afro Blue: The Picante Collection on instead. Trust me—it’ll slap ‘em upside the head. Peace out.

Download Mongo Santamaria - Afro Blue The Picante Collection
Artist: Mongo Santamaria
Album: Afro Blue The Picante Collection
Rating: 4.0

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: mongo-santamaria-afro-blue-the-picante-collection.zip
  • MP3 size: 96 mb
  • FLAC size: 516 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Come Candela5:33
Bonita (Live)4:50
Manteca7:5
Para Ti6:6
Un Dia de Playa (A Day at the Beach)05:04
Un Dia De Playa (A Day At The Beach)5:05
El Campesino4:26
Afro-Blue10:44
Para Tí6:06
Con Mi Ritmo6:30
Un Dia De Playa5:4
Afro Blue10:31
Mayeya5:53
La Tumba5:23
Bonita4:50

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Catalog Numbers

CCD-4781-2

Labels

Concord Jazz Picante

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Formats

  • CD
  • Compilation

Companies

RoleCompany
Record CompanyConcord Records
Phonographic Copyright (p)Concord Records
Copyright (c)Concord Records

Barcodes

  • Barcode: 0 1343-14781-2 6
  • Matrix / Runout: TEPT 1792 156381-D3-7231-A **CCD-4781**

About Mongo Santamaria

Cuban rumba quinto master and an Afro-Cuban Latin jazz percussionist. Born: 7 April 1917 in Havana, Cuba. Died: 1 February 2003 in Miami, Florida, USA (aged 85).

Real Name

    • Ramón Santamaría Rodríguez

Name Vars

  • B. Santamaria
  • Bongo Santa Maria
  • M Santamaria
  • M. S. Maria
  • M. Santa Maria
  • M. Santamaria
  • M. Santamaría
  • M.Santamaria
  • Mango Santamaria
  • Mongo
  • Mongo S.M.
  • Mongo Santa Maria
  • Mongo Santa María
  • Mongo Santamaria And Friends
  • Mongo Santamaria And His Afro-Cubans
  • Mongo Santamaría
  • Mongo Santanera
  • Monguito
  • Mr. Watermelon Man Mongo Santamaria
  • Mungo Santamaria
  • R. Santamaria
  • Ramon \
  • Santamaria
  • Ramon Santamaria
  • Ramon Santanaria
  • Ramon Santemaria
  • Ramón \
  • Santamaría
  • Ramón Santamaría
  • Raymon Santamaria
  • Santa
  • Santa Maria
  • Santa Naria
  • Santamaria Ramon
  • Santmaria
  • âó´ûµó¿Þê¢

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know? Mongo Santamaria's album *Afro Blue: The Picante Collection*, released in 1997, is a vibrant mix of Jazz and Latin sounds. It blends styles like Mambo, Charanga, and Cuban Jazz. One standout fact: the track "Afro-Blue" appears twice, showcasing its importance. Recorded in the U.S. under Concord Jazz Picante, this album feels like a musical journey through Afro-Cuban rhythms and global jazz vibes. Even the live version of "Bonita" adds a special energy to the collection.