The number resonates among Cubans on both sides of the Florida Straits; noventa, Spanish for 90, stands for separation, for hostilities and suspicions, for yearnings and pain, for hope.
And it's the title of Gloria Estefan's first Spanish-
language album in seven years, 90 Millas, released Sept. 18.
It's the 25th album in the career of Miami's homegrown superstar, and it signals Estefan's return to the public eye after her retirement from touring three years ago.
90 Millas is new material. Still, the album is imbued with Cuban tradition -- a who's who of Cuban musicians backs the singer.
"(Cuban culture) is the only thing we have because we don't have our country," Estefan said last month in Key West. "We are missing something very important to a human being, and to share that culture is to counteract the political image we have."
Said her husband and ! producer, Emilio Estefan: "When I came from Cuba alone in my teens, it was the most depressing phase of my life. Without my parents. Without income. My only release was to grab a guitar, an accordion, percussion."
In his Crescent Moon studios in Miami, Emilio still looks like the laid-back "godfather" of Latin music.
Gloria, who recently turned 50, proves she can move freely between American pop and Latin roots, while Emilio can provide state-of-the-art production for her.
Gloria insists that her new release is no political album.
Like most other children
of Cuban exiles, she grew
up with an overabundance
of political tension.
"Dad was in Bay of Pigs and was a prisoner in Cuba for two years," the singer said.
But her songs aren't barbs aimed at the Castro regime.
They are, instead, reflections of an inner life, which includes the yearning of exiles to make it back home.
Her 25 albums have s! old more than 70 million copies, topped charts and won Grammys! . 90 Mil las -- which, like the 1993 Grammy-winning Mi Tierra, reinterprets typical Cuban genres -- is poised to match her achievements.
Her latest is the top Latin album on Billboard and No. 25 on the top 200 chart.
Two years in the making, 90 Millas has quality to burn.
The greatest living Cuban musicians are featured: trumpet player Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, who has had a successful career on the New York Latin scene; bassist Cachao, who later this month will celebrate his 80th anniversary in the business; Sheila E.; Jose Feliciano; Generoso Jimenez, the famed trombonist from Beny More's band; and Carlos Santana.
Source: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2007/09/29/2_ESTEFAN.ART_ART_09-29-07_E4_4M81MK7.html?
Ho! me Business Articles Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment