The Mambo Kings (soundtrack)
The soundtrack to The Mambo Kings is a solid effort that effectively conveys the atmosphere inherent in the film, which was based on Oscar Hijuelos’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. Assembled here is a selection of mambos, rumbas, boleros and cha cha chas performed by stellar artists of the Latin scene including Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Benny Moré, Johnny Pacheco and Arturo Sandoval mixed with well-known performers with roots in the form like Linda Ronstadt and Los Lobos. Besides this, the Mambo All-Stars are a high energy dance band composed of top studio sidemen from New York City and Los Angeles. With only a couple of exceptions, the tracks were cut specially for the film and as such, add a novel, accurately reflecting the Cuban music sound of the 1950s. The 2000 Elektra updated edition adds a remix of Tito Puente's "Ran Kan Kan" by Olga Tañón and a rendition of "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" featuring Antonio Banderas and legendary crooner Compay Segundo of Buena Vista Social Club fame.
| The Mambo Kings | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Soundtrack album | |
| Released | 1992 |
| Recorded | in New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA |
| Genre | Salsa, Boogaloo, Latin jazz, Bolero, Tropical |
| Length | 48:28 |
| Label | Elektra 61240, 1992 Elektra 62505-2, 2000 |
| Producer | Robert Kraft |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
Track listing
| Track | Song title | Composer(s) | Performer(s) | Time |
| 1 | La Dicha Mía | J. Pacheco | Celia Cruz | 3:20 |
| 2 | Ran Kan Kan | T. Puente | Tito Puente | 2:50 |
| 3 | Cuban Pete | José Norman | Tito Puente | 2:25 |
| 4 | Mambo Caliente | A. Sandoval | Arturo Sandoval | 3:26 |
| 5 | Quiéreme Mucho | Gonzalo Roig / Agustín Rodríguez | Linda Ronstadt | 2:57 |
| 6 | Sunny Ray | Ray Santos | Mambo All-Stars | 2:35 |
| 7 | Melao de Caña | Mercedes Pedroso | Celia Cruz | 2:51 |
| 8 | Beautiful Maria of My Soul (Bella María de mi Alma) | Robert Kraft / Arne Glimcher | Antonio Banderas | 4:10 |
| 9 | Para los Rumberos | T. Puente | Tito Puente | 1:51 |
| 10 | Perfidia | Alberto Domínguez | Linda Ronstadt | 3:41 |
| 11 | Guantanamera | Fernández / Orbón / Angulo, based on a poem by José Martí | Celia Cruz | 3:05 |
| 12 | Tea for Two | V. Youmans | Mambo All-Stars | 2:31 |
| 13 | Accidental Mambo | C. Franzetti | Mambo All-Stars | 1:23 |
| 14 | Cómo fue | Ernesto Duarte | Benny Moré | 2:54 |
| 15 | Tanga, Rumba Afro-Cubana | Mario Bauza | Mambo All-Stars | 3:31 |
| 16 | Beautiful Maria of My Soul | Robert Kraft / Arne Glimcher | Los Lobos | 4:26 |
Arrangements
| * Johnny Pacheco / Pedro Knight | track 1 |
| * Tito Puente | tracks 2, 3, 9 |
| * Alberto Naranjo | track 4 [orchestration] |
| * Arturo Sandoval | track 4 [arrangement] |
| * Ray Santos | tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15 |
| * Pete Seeger / Ray Santos | track 11 |
| * Carlos Franzetti | track 13 |
| * Ernesto Duarte | track 14 |
| * Domenico Savino / Ray Santos | track 15 |
| * Los Lobos | track 16 |
Chart performance
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200[2] | 50 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums[2] | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Tropical Albums[2] | 1 |
Album certification
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[3] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^shipments figures based on certification alone | ||
Credits
- Robert Kraft, producer
- Steve Ralbovsky, executive producer
- Robin Urdang, music coordinator
- Thomas Drescher, supervising music editor
- Michael Golub, recording engineer and mixing
- Michael Farrow, recording engineer and mixing
- Frank Wolf, recording engineer
- Dan Stein, technical assistant
- Recorded at:
- Soundtrack Studios (NY)
- Skyline Studios (NY)
- BMG Recording Studio (NY)
- Clinton Studio (NY)
- Capitol Recording Studio (LA)
- Mastered by:
- Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound (NY)
- Oscar Hijuelos, liner notes
Awards nominations
- Academy Award
- Beautiful Maria of My Soul (best music, original song)
- Robert Kraft (music)
- Arne Glimcher (lyrics)
- Golden Globes
- Beautiful Maria of My Soul (best original song, motion picture)
- Robert Kraft (music)
- Arne Glimcher (lyrics)
- Grammy Awards
- Mambo Caliente (best instrumental composition for a motion picture)
- Arturo Sandoval (composer, arranger and performer)
- Alberto Naranjo (orchestrator)
- Beautiful Maria of My Soul (best original song for a motion picture)
- Robert Kraft (music)
- Arne Glimcher (lyrics)
- Antonio Banderas (performer)
- Ray Santos (arranger)
See also
- List of number-one Billboard Tropical Albums from the 1990s
References
- Allmusic review
- "The Mambo Kings – Original Soundtrack". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
- "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Mambo Kings". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.