Gloria Estefan - Alma Caribena - Caribbean Soul

Gloria Estefan's third Spanish-language album, Alma Caribena ("Caribbean Soul"), provides proof that Cuban music is where this household name does her most impressive work. With arrangements pitched lower than those for her often-flyweight pop ballads, the disc finds Estefan singing in a register that allows for a richer range of expression. The smart melding of traditional and cosmopolitan styles also speaks to a desire on Estefan's part for more creative sounds than the average Diane Warren tune can support. A cameo by the great Celia Cruz on "Tres Gotas de Agua Bendita" is as much a symbolic triumph as a musical one, but again demonstrates that Estefan's instincts are in the right place. A Latin-pop crossover star more than a decade before Ricky Martin, she makes a declaration on Alma Caribena for the true music of her heart. --Rickey Wright Amazon.com

mucha alma

Sometimes an artist with formidable cross-genre credits returns to her roots, as much for her own soul's sake as to mine a promising market. The results are often mixed, for spanning multiple blocks of fans is more than just a technical feat. As often enough, the broadening loosens the soil that surrounds the roots. To be widely admired is, often inevitably, to be far from home.

Still, Gloria Estefan's 2000 ALMA CARIBENA goes a long way towards disproving that this sad prognosis is set in stone. The angry,anguished, haunted `Por un beso' promises that the artist has not roamed far from the Cuban taproot of her music, but it is track two's `Punto de Referencia' that stakes her claim to own a piece of the land from which the tree itself springs. It is beautiful, understated, self-assured. Think Celia Cruz with the softness of Gloria at her most accessible. The confessional tone of `Dame otra oportunidad' frames a poetic lament for a lover's cruel indiferencia. Like so many other tones on this album, its balladic principal theme becomes complemented by some brilliant and subversively upbeat rhythm and brass before reverting to Gloria feeling bad about herself with minimal accompaniment.

Some of the works bear an otherworldly beauty, the music shimmering, the lyrics flowing off Gloria's lips as though she woke up one morning murmuring uninvited words. `Cómo me duele perderte' is one of these. Its opening stops the heart.

Cómo duele el día nublado
Cómo el tiempo es tan pasado
Sí, porque a diario pienso en ti.

Qué bien grita el silencio
Qué bien duelen los recuerdos
Sí, porque todo habla de ti

Qué delicia tu sensualidad
Qué locura cuando te sentía muy de cerca
Y ahora que estás lejos
Hasta el universo ha muerto ...

Cómo me duele
Qué pequeño se hace el cielo
Qué humillante es el deseo
Sí, porque ya no estás aquí.

Qué sincero se hace el frío
Como hielo mi sufrimiento
Ya no sé lo que es vivir .....

Como me duele perderte ...

This is classic Gloria, at ease with her style, not tempted to over-sing, backed by unsurpassable Carribean musicans. The word 'exquisite' should not be over-used, yet it presses its way repeatedly into this listener's thoughts.

Then there is the entirely alternative magic of Gloria paired with the late Celia Cruz in the jaunty `Tres Gotas de Agua Bendita'. A splendid little repartee between the two Cuban-born ladies of song makes one grateful this track was recorded before Celia's time has run its course.

There are other gems in here and perhaps one or two throw-aways. The cumulative value is strong. Often the instrumentals are as impressive than Gloria's own performance or even a bit more so. This is not uncommon in Cuban/Carribean music, where the marriage between soloist and band is as tight as in any musical genre but where the band often vastly outnumbers the lady (or the man) up front. Celia--of recent mention--made a career out of not getting lost in front of massive and celebratable instrumentation. Gloria pulls the same off here. There is not competition between the two, only solid musical reciprocity.

Gloria is to be saluted for becoming a crossover artist the mainstream English-language market while refusing to lose her roots in the process. ALMA CARIBENA shows just how deep into her native soil those fine roots still run. May 18, 2008

More Cuban Beat from Gloria

This CD could be the continuation of "Mi Tierra"; Gloria again sings the songs in Spanish and does a duet with the late Queen of Salsa "La Guarachera de Cuba Celia Cruz". Some songs are Boleros very mellow, others are Gurachas. However, all the songs are good and some are very romantic with the Cuban beat. I like it and some of the members of the Romanian Army who heard it liked the CD. Latin Music is very popular in Eastern Europe. If you liked "Mi Tierra" buy this one too. February 10, 2006

me encanta!

This is definitely my favorite Gloria cd. I loved it so much, especially the lyrics, that I went out and bought Unwrapped, which I haven't been able to get into. I love her in Spanish, it's her native language and so much more beautiful. I especially loved the great translations in the cd jacket, as I don't have a big enough vocabulary as I would like in Spanish, and missed some of the meaning. I've grown up a Boricua who loves Salsa and especially Gloria Estefan. It was refreshing to see her return to her roots. I loved the Celia and Jose duets! Way to rep Latinos! May 4, 2004

"Alma diferente"

I must admit this album took me by surprise because I was expecting something comparable to "Mi Tierra" which by far is one of the best tropical albums of all time. I think the title of this album is where the deception lies. "Alma caribena" leads one to believe that the album is soulful, upbeat and possibly danceable. However, the album cannot be described as such. It is rather mellow, nostalgic and slow paced with a few tropical songs which definitely uplift the production. I found it hard to rate this album at first because I did not want my perception of what I expected to hear influence my assessment of what the album really has to offer. No question about it's definitely a tropical album but contains mostly boleros with four songs that can fit into the category of salsa more or less or "tropical music". The musical arrangements are creative and the cuban influence and elements can be heard. In a nutshell expect a a very mellow slow-paced album with balads/boleros in a tropical rhythm. This album is good for easy listening and background music. Instead of "Alma caribena" maybe it should be called "Alma diferente". Overall it's a solid production. October 14, 2002

Gloria's best album!

This is my favourite Gloria Estefan album. I prefer her Spanish language songs. I like her English language songs too, but her voice seems to have even more colour when she sings in Spanish. It has a quality which hits me right in the heart. The first song 'Por un Beso' is a great opener. It's a sad song, but it also conveys a sense of strength, a determination to cope with disappointment: the singer tells her lover that she's going to leave him because she has caught him kissing abother woman, and yet she wishes him well. 'Como Me Duele Perderte' has a sad melody, very evocative. I love the spirit of 'Te Tengo A Ti', which is one of the most danceable numbers on the album. But the sweetest tune is probably 'Tres Gotas De Agua Bendita'. All the other songs are great, but the final song (in its first version) rounds off the collection perfectly. It's not out of place. It's less of a story song than the others: it's a celebration which comes after all the heartache and emotion of the real life and romance featured already. 'No Me Dejes De Querer' has an infectious rhythm. This really proves that a caribbean soul is not an alma de roca! It's wonderful. The flores mix which comes after reduces the same song to a simple dancefloor number: but that has its place too. I think this album is flawless, but it has me floored! December 14, 2001

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