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Tito Puente and Woody Herman teamed in 1958 for a mutually satisfying meeting in the same way that Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Machito found common ground in the late ’40s. Puente’s Latin rhythms and beats meshed with the swing and bebop of Herman’s band on half of the disc’s cuts, and the results were hot and delightful. With Puente heading the rhythm section and playing timbales, Robert Rodriguez on bass, and assorted percussion from Gilbert Lopez, Raymond Rodriquez, and Ray Barretto, the band stays locked into the Latin groove while the saxophonists and trumpeters weave in, out, and around the beat. There are also more conventional Herman swing numbers such as “Blue Station” and “Woodchopper’s Ball,” where the standard Herman stomping sound is in effect (Ron Wynn/AllMusic).

Track listing:

A1 Blue Station
A2 Pillar To Post
A3 Midnight Sun
A4 Woodchoppers Ball
A5 Balu
A6 Lullaby Of Birdland
B1 Latin Flight
B2 New Cha-Cha
B3 Mambo Herd
B4 Cha-Cha Chick
B5 Tito Meets Woody
B6 Carioca

Personnel:

Baritone Saxophone – Al Belletto
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Woody Herman
Contrabass – Robert Rodriguez (tracks: B1 to B4), Major Holley
Drums – Jimmy Campbell
Percussion – Gilbert Lopez (tracks: B1 to B6), Ray Barretto (tracks: B1 to B6), Ray Rodriguez (tracks: B1 to B6)
Piano – Al Planck
Reeds – Al Cohn (tracks: B1 to B4), Danny Bank (tracks: B1 to B4), Paul Quinichette (tracks: B1 to B4), Peter Mondello (tracks: B1 to B4), Sam Marowitz (tracks: B1 to B4)
Tenor Saxophone – Jay Migliore, Joe Romano (2), Marty Flax
Timbales – Tito Puente (tracks: B1 to B6)
Trombone – Bill Elton (tracks: B1 to B6), Billy Byers, Frank Rehak (tracks: B1 to B4), Jimmy Guihan, Roger DeLillo, Willie Dennis
Trumpet – Al Forte, Bobby Clark (2), Danny Stiles, Ernie Royal (tracks: B1 to B4), Hal Posey, Marky Markowitz (tracks: B1 to B4), Nick Travis (tracks: B1 to B4), Steve Lipkins (tracks: B1 to B4), Willie Thomas

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Label: World Record Club – TP 66
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: UK