Music » Merengue Music

Juan Luis Guerra, Grandes Exitos de Juan Luis Guerra Y 4.40

There's a palpable sense of joy in Marc Anthony's voice. The salsa star and pop sensation may be slight in stature, but when he opens his mouth to sing, the sheer power and passion of his tenor grabs a hold of your heart and makes you sit up and pay attention. The king of contemporary salsa was born and raised in New York City, but as good as Anthony is in his native tongue, he is triumphant when he sings in Spanish. Like Youssou N'Dour, Celia Cruz, and other great voices, Anthony's intensity and purpose transcend language barriers: even if you don't understand his words, it's difficult not to feel what he is expressing. On his first salsa collection since 1997's potent Contra la Corriente (and his first CD since his 1999 self-titled, slightly watered-down pop smash) Marc Anthony allows the emotionality of the rhythm to take control. Backed by a topnotch band, Anthony's supple voice carries the beat along, and on tracks like the propulsive "De Que Depende" he soars. His joy and the joy of hearing a great singer are contagious. --Amy Linden

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The cries of "azucar" are unmistakable on Regalo del Alma, the posthumous album from salsa queen Celia Cruz. Though she was battling cancer at the time of its recording, Cruz sounds positively electric throughout the 11-track collection, which effortlessly melds native Cuban rhythms with soulful grooves and pop sensibilities. She teams with rap star El General on album opener "Ella Tiene Fuego," an irresistible call to the dance floor. The album's first single, "Ríe Y Llora," simmers under a Santana-esque guitar lick; and the bittersweet, deceptively cheery "Diagnóstico" finds Cruz visiting her doctor because she is homesick for her native country. Cruz's strength lies in her ability to personalize every song she sings; she makes every lyric, every word important. Anchored by her weathered, one-of-a-kind vocal delivery, Regalo del Alma stands as a glittering testament to a woman whose talent, spirit, and grace continue to carry the music straight to the hearts of anyone willing to listen. --Joey Guerra

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Merengue firebrand Olga Tañón delivers her best material in a red-hot setting at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida. The Puerto Rican native spread her wings and dove into pop with her 1996 album Nuevos Senderos, and she still has that eagerness to mix it up. Among the choice cuts here are "Mi Eterno Amor Secreto," which mixes bluesy soul with romantic salsa, and "El Frio de Tu Adiós," for its melodic intensity and mature lyrics of accepting the end. Tañón shows off her versatility, swinging from the mid-tempo ballads "Presencié tu Amor," to the full-blown dance-pop workout of the bonus track "Viva la Música," which recalls the heavy percussion of Marc Anthony's "I Need to Know." --Ramiro Burr

Dance pop-merengue star Elvis Crespo shot to the top of the charts in Billboard with his feverish and horn-fueled mix of nonstop merengue, as best exemplified by the anthem "Suavemente." Even if you don't know Spanish, the tribalistic grooves connect solidly enough that suddenly even merengue dance steps seem instinctive. The tune has been such a smash that label reps released a "Spanglish" version that was included in the movie musical Dance with Me. Also instantly hypnotic is "Tu Sonrisa," another blitzkrieg-paced merengazo propelled by bewitching horns and relentless percussion. These two tunes alone are worth the cost of the CD. Elsewhere, there are more merengues and the occasional romantic bachata--especially noteworthy are "Llorando" and the flamenco guitar-fueled "Te Vas." Another bachata, "Nuestra Cancion," is classic bachata, reminiscent of the great singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra. --Ramiro Burr

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