The Bottom Line
It can be disconcerting to listen to an album that is not what you expect, and that's the problem with Directo Al Corazon. If you've never listened to Gilberto Santa Rosa before, this album contains some wonderful music. Santa Rosa's smooth voice breezes through tunes that can tame your bad mood any evening of the week. If you're looking for Santa Rosa's signature hot salsa, then this album might be a disappointment.
Pros
- Listen to Santa Rosa switch styles with hardly a blink of an eye
- "Isla Del Encanto" - salsa track so good you should download it if you don't want the album
Cons
- If you're expecting Santa Rosa's normal, hot salsa, not the album for you
Description
- 10 tracks, half salsa, half romantic pop
- Rosangela, Victor Manuelle, Joseph Fonseca singing background vocals
- Released by Sony Latin (Norte)
Guide Review - CD Review: Gilberto Santa Rosa - Directo Al Corazon
It is important to remember that musicians are artists and artists need to experiment with different genres of their art from time to time. If you listen to the album in that light, it's pretty good. Santa Rosa's voice certainly works well singing romantic ballads, although it's more the sheer beauty of the voice than convincing sentiment that comes through.
Of course, one of the problems of being an icon of salsa is that there are certain expectations that come with the title. As one of the world's premier salseros, Santa Rosa's last album, Authentico was much closer to what his audience has come to expect. Directo Al Corazon is a little bit of salsa and a lot of tropical pop.
The CD does have wonderful vocal backup from Rosangela, Victor Manuelle and Joseph Fonseca. I also really loved "Isla Del Encancto", because this track is salsa that has that special mix of the sound of the islands, with Edwin Colon Zayas' fine cuatro introduction, layered with great salsa voices and synched to a driving rhythm.
If you can put aside your "salsa only" mentality, sit back and listen - you're going to love this album.