Search - Les Baxter :: Que Mango!

The last great exotica album

James D. Jones | 03/24/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On Les Baxter's last exotica effort, recorded in 1970 with the aid of the 101 strings orchestra and some crack rock session players, the master of the genre proves his ability to adapt to a changing musical landscape. All the Baxter trademarks are there: french impressionism-influenced harmony, lush orchestration, exotic percussion, and sweeping, simple melodies. Yet Baxter tweaks his sound just a bit by giving the entire album a distinctly more pop oriented feel, whether it be a funky r&b beat or a subtle fuzz guitar. The first -amazing- track is the best example. One would never think exotica could be so groovy and exhilirating, as Les welds a pop-samba groove and bouncy bass guitar with salsa piano and a theme that is just waiting to be used in a miami police drama; "Que Mango" is proof that exotica could be a viable musical form well into the next century. True, nothing else on the album quite matches the enjoyment of the first track, and the arrangments can't quite sustain the un-describable magic found on his classic capitol recordings, but this is still a must for any Baxter fan, or those interested in quality Space Age pop!"

Fantastic Lost Album

James D. Jones | 04/21/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I concur totally with the review above, with the exception that I don't find the first track to be the best one at all. 'Tropicando', the 2nd, could be considered a standout, but all in all I would say it is a consistently great record. Often funky, but also with some quieter moods."