A remarkably well selected two-disc collection, THE ESSENTIAL TITO PUENTE focuses on the Latin-music icon`s heyday, from 1949 to 1960. Endlessly enthusiastic, undeniably charming, and prodigiously talented, Puente was the king of New York City`s mambo scene in the `50s, fascinating jubilant crowds at the Palladium and other esteemed venues with his stunning skill as both a bandleader and a percussionist. Highlights of this amazingly solid set include the lively "Mambo Gozon," the frenetic "Pa` Los Rumberos," and the utterly infectious "Oye Como Va," later famously covered by Santana. All of these tunes feature boisterous horn charts and an intricate web of percussion.