Best Of Rafael Mendez. Condition is "Used". Shipped with USPS Media Mail. Rafael Mendez was the greatest trumpet technician to ever grace this world. He has no equal, even today. Born into a musical family, Rafael was a child prodigy on trumpet. Mendez's first recognition came from the famous bandit Pancho Villa. Hearing the boy, then ten years old. Villa carried the Mendez family with the outlaw group for several months for entertainment. Rafael moved to the U.S. and in 1927 secured a position in the pit band at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. In 1934 he became the featured soloist at the Chicago World's Fair. Shortly thereafter a serious mouth infection forced Rafael out of music for a while. He had to relearn to play the trumpet all over again. Once back he moved to Hollywood becoming a highly- in- demand session musician while still playing concerts and performing on radio. After his death Doc Severenson produced a tribute CD to Mendez, which in addition to music , had a group of luminary trumpet  players recall the influence Mendez had on their careers. Arturo Sandival runs a Mendez festival each year in his honor, and there is a Rafael Mendez museum in Arizona. To hear him is a truely great experience. This is a two record set. Both records are in near mint condition and the cover is vey good plus. (See photos).