by Tony Wilds
With Sofrito, Mongo continues the synthesizer/electric piano-dominated sound typified by Eumir Deodato's records on CTI. The album features fine keyboards and a host of great players. Bata drums are featured on an update of the exotic spiritual &O Mi Shango,& but unfortunately, the essence of the song is all but quashed by the slick sound of the mid-'70s. Thankfully, the band manages to resist disco, but the laid-back L.A. synthesizer sound too easily degenerates into boring elevator music.