Besides being a master of Latin styling, José Melis is a ‘pop’ piano virtuoso capable of performing in a great variety of musical moods. His enthusiastic facility at the keyboard and abilities as an orchestra leader on the Jack Paar Show has endeared him to countlesss millions of television viewers throughout the country. In this album, José’s famous smile literally travels to his fingertips in a happy-time collection of tunes that shine with that particular Melis drive and finesse. Yankee Doodle comes to town a-ridin’ on a pony express in a jaunty opener that introduces José’s talents for improvisation… a fast ride with variations, entitled Yankee Doodle Rag. For an encore, José dips into his infinite stock of piano figurations and comes up with a swinging revelation as he leads the orchestra in I Dipped My Pen In My Heart. Then, it’s trio time, an interlude for piano and bass, bongos and drums in a dazzling rumba that bears the name of José’s wife… Suzanne. The orchestra returns in the capricious Kissamiss, an invigorating novelty nuance that features top trumpeter Nick Travis. Then, José and the boys prove you can have your cake and beat it too with a topsy-turvy bit of swing that’s served up as an Upside Down Cake. The flip side begins with José Melis’ fingers portraying the premiere danseuse pirouetting across the keyboard in a fast novelty bit called Ballerina. Then, the relative size of the dancers decreases, but the spirited fun increases in a pixillated melody that traces the malicious antics of the Dancing Elves. The trio takes the spotlight again as Frank Garisto, Jr. on drums, Steve Porpora behind the bass and Frank Marino at the guitar join José for some rumba inflections that are attuned to the album’s fun and frolic theme, and aptly named Feliz Melis or “Happy Melis.” The Latin mood continues with Red Spanish Shawl, a fusion of orchestrated local color and exciting rhythms that isolates in bold relief the grandeur of Spain. The album concludes with some swing polka impressions of the night,as José’s ten fingers matches wits with eighty-eight keys and the orchestra contributes its share to the throbbing beat of the Night Shift.