Dioris Valladares con su Conjunto Típico / Merengues Vol. 2 (ALP 1204) is the second compilation of hits by Dioris Valladares “El Rey del Merengue” and his Conjunto Típico in New York City. Dioris is at his finest on these recordings, singing with great depth and feeling. There are many hidden surprises on this album representative of the sophisticated arrangements of the big-band sound and expanded capabilities of the típico ensemble during this era. Recorded at the famous Beltone Studios between the years of 1956-1957, the album was released in 1958 and featured the dynamic talents of Jorge López (trumpet), Manolin Morel Campos (trumpet), Ramón Quesada (alto saxophone), Gaspar Escalera (tenor saxophone), Willie Sosías (bass), Luis Quintero (tambora, tumbadora, bongo), Jaime Tavárez (piano-accordion), Héctor Pellot (piano), Dioris Valladares (güira), as well as the impressive vocals on chorus of Mon Rivera, Santos Colón, Yayo El Indio, and Vitín Avilés to name a few.

The album kicks off with “Mantecadito” or Ice Cream Merengue that opens with a lively introduction of blaring trumpets and saxophones. This infectious merengue holds sway until the song suddenly switches to a cha-cha-cha around the one twenty-two mark as Dioris goes into the ice cream vendor’s spirited pregón.

This album features three fantastic tunes, “Reina Mia,” “Mi Quisqueya,” and “Nena,” in the salve merengue rhythm (a salve is a call-and-response Afro-Catholic religious song) which combined the percussive elements of authentic (típico) rural Cibao style merengue with salve melodies and original compositions to create this big-band fusion arrangement.

The tunes “Fortunata” and “Candelita” are traditional merengues featuring the modern conjunto accompaniment of piano-accordion, güira, tambora, upright bass, and alto saxophone. “Merengue Sabroson” is a joyful slightly downtempo jalemengue (a jalmengue is a mambo-inspired saxophone introduction followed by a jaleo) that showcases the spectacular trumpet-playing on this gem.

In addition, there are signature big-band merengue style tunes such as, “Mi Pareja,” “El Rabo,” “El Difunto Andres,” “Apareja El Burro,” which combines the best of both worlds: ardent Dominican merengue music that stays true to its roots, and emphatic American big-band swing that provides the basic structure and instrumentation for Dioris Valladares and orchestra. The exciting merengue-mambo tune “Compay Juanico” is full of playfulness and humor. The track is divided into two parts: it starts off with a merengue, which ends with a saxophone solo or jaleo (riff) before switching to a mambo around the one thirty mark inspired by Dioris's love for cuchifritos (fried foods)!

Notable standouts on this album include “Reina Mia,” “Fortunata,” “Mantecadito” and “Compay Juanico.”

-Jhensen Ortiz