[Dixielandjazz] Translation Request - Tito Puente

[Stephen Barbone]

>
> From: "John Farrell" <stridepiano at tesco.net>
> My 11 year old grandson played me a wonderful Tito Puente CD yesterday, now
> I find that one of the songs keeps going round and round in my head
> (something which happens to us all now and again). The name of the tune is
> Mais Que Nada - which I believe is Portuguese - but what is the English
> translation?
>
> By golly - there must be at least 20 guys in Puente's knockout rhythm
> section.

I believe it means "More Than Nothing" (Check with Tito Martino & Luis Flores for
corrections) ;-) VBG

Barbone Street had the good fortune to headline with Tito Puente Junior's  Orchestra at the
Dover Downs Jazz Festival last November. He is based in Miami Florida and using his father's
charts and reprising the music at various Jazz and Latin Music Festivals. It is a killer
band, great rhythm section and the music is superb.

He and I had a long chat about his dad, and the music that band played at the Palladium in
New York City in the 1950's and 1960's.

The Palladium was THE Latin dance club in the big apple back then and I wandered in as a 19
year old after hearing Perez Prado's band and seeing some good looking young ladies enter.
(I was on my way to Birdland which was close by.)

Well, I have to tell you, the point was jammed with some of the hottest young latino girls I
had ever seen in my life. And they were dancing like nobody was watching. WOW!!!

Needless to say, I visited a few times to see Prado, and Tito Puente Sr. and watch those
girls dance. I can still hear that music and that rhythm.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone