The
BMG Heritage
budget series
Platinum & Gold Collection
works best when it covers those artists who have a short discography of prize-winners, since 12 songs may be all that most listeners need to hear of
the Real McCoy
or
the Verve Pipe
.
Tito Puente
, of course, enjoyed a career that lasted over half a century, most of which never appeared on
BMG
-associated labels. Still,
works surprisingly well, because it includes the most energizing music of
Puente
's entire discography -- his late-'40s and early-'50s sides for
RCA
-- and, for the purposes of the curious, it will be all they'll need. Highlights include
"Ran Kan Kan,"
"Hong Kong Mambo,"
and
"Cao Cao Mani Picao."
~ John Bush