In telling Cesar’s story, Hijuelos weaves in cameo appearances by several real-life mambo musicians, including Desi Arnaz, Tito Puente, Pérez Prado, Machito and Mongo Santamaría.
Museo del Prado | Migdalia Pérez | Perez Hilton | Prado | Miguel Pérez, Jr. | Fernando Perez | Rosie Perez | Portia Perez | Adolfo Pérez Esquivel | Pérez Prado | Leoncio Prado | Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso | George Pérez | Fernando Perez (baseball) | Arturo Pérez-Reverte | Sergio Pérez | Paseo del Prado | Miguel Perez | Manrique Pérez de Lara | Javier Pérez de Cuéllar | Danny Perez Ramírez | Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba | Alberto Pérez-Gómez | Pérez | Nuño Pérez de Lara | Leoncio Prado Province | John Pérez | Francisco Pérez-Bannen | Ernesto Pérez Balladares | Carlota Perez |
Subsequently, the syncopated bass in the tune gave rise on the one hand to the dance genre known as mambo created by Pérez Prado, and on the other to the cha-cha-chá created by Enrique Jorrín.
"Mambo No. 5", a song originally recorded by Pérez Prado and, more recently, by Lou Bega