Thirteen tracks from Tico, including ones by
Tito Puente, Machito, and
Ray Barretto, would seem too good to be true. There are a few dismissable tracks by lesser names, but generally the album lives up to its title and then some. "El Watusi" and "Que Rico Vacilon" are major hits, and some other tunes, such as "Caramelos" and "Temptation" (both
Tito Puente) are very nice to see included. The Puente tracks alone are enough to justify hanging on to the album until one can track down the originals. And Machito's "Twist Changa" is a rocker, a classic of the short-lived but fun Latin-twist idiom. ~ Tony Wilds