The Jazz Real Book Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White and Pérez Prado
(61) “Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White” and Pérez Prado
Pérez Prado (1916–1989), known as "The King of the Mambo," was a Cuban bandleader, pianist, and composer who popularized mambo music worldwide in the 1950s. He blended Cuban danzón with energetic brass arrangements and syncopated rhythms, creating hits like Mambo No. 5 and Qué Rico el Mambo. Moving to Mexico in 1949, he signed with RCA Victor, where he found success with Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White (1953). Featuring trumpeter Billy Regis, the instrumental topped the U.S. charts for 10 weeks in 1955 and became a defining mambo classic. Originally a French song (Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs), Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White is a 32-bar AABA tune, commonly played as a mambo or boogaloo. Its melody follows a question-and-answer structure, with a memorable call-and-response phrasing. Harmonically, the song follows a simple ii-V-I progression in Eb major, with smooth voice leading and a connecting diminished chord. Pérez Prado’s innovative brass arrangements and rhythmic drive cemented the song’s lasting appeal. Though his popularity declined in the 1960s, his contributions to Latin music endure, influencing salsa, Latin jazz, and popular dance music worldwide.