Tengo Ganas [Version] - Victor Manuelle, Estefan, Emilio Jr.
Pero Quién - Victor Manuelle, Manuelle, Victor
Te Propongo - Victor Manuelle, Jesús, Pedro
Amarte Es [Version] - Victor Manuelle, Gianmarco
No Me Hace Falta - Victor Manuelle, Gaitán, Alberto
Si Me Preguntan - Victor Manuelle, Manuelle, Victor
Tengo Ganas [Version] - Victor Manuelle, Estefan, Emilio Jr.
Yo Te Daré - Victor Manuelle, Estefan, Emilio Jr.
No Te Dije - Victor Manuelle, Gaitán, Alberto
Contigo - Victor Manuelle, Estefan, Emilio Jr.
Amarte Es [Version] - Victor Manuelle, Gianmarco
Victor Manuelle and his blistering band bring tropical fire and irresistible grooves for an easy dance party on his latest CD. For this project, Manuelle teamed up with some big guns, including veteran producer Emilio Este... more »fan, Colombian singer-songwriter Carlos Vives, and arrangers Ricardo and Alberto Gaitan (Ricky Martin, Thalia). As a singer, Manuelle is a strong tenor with a good range. His emotive vocals are proficient enough for power ballads, but his chief strength is his soneo, or the ability to improvise vocals and lyrics within a salsa tune. He is right at home on the frenzied salsa tunes such as "Te Propongo" where he trades leads with the horns, piano and percussions at a blitzkrieg pace. "Tengo Ganas," the first single, percolates with insistent percussion and elephantine horns. A ballad version of the tune is more subdued but connects with its melodic hook. However, it's the theme that hits home. The hero is trying to pick up the broken pieces of his life and move on to a new love, but he's haunted by a ghost in his past. Nostalgia is evoked on "Si Me Preguntan," which is in the old son montuno style that recalls the smoky club heyday of Willie Colon and Ruben Blades. --Ramiro Burr« less
Victor Manuelle and his blistering band bring tropical fire and irresistible grooves for an easy dance party on his latest CD. For this project, Manuelle teamed up with some big guns, including veteran producer Emilio Estefan, Colombian singer-songwriter Carlos Vives, and arrangers Ricardo and Alberto Gaitan (Ricky Martin, Thalia). As a singer, Manuelle is a strong tenor with a good range. His emotive vocals are proficient enough for power ballads, but his chief strength is his soneo, or the ability to improvise vocals and lyrics within a salsa tune. He is right at home on the frenzied salsa tunes such as "Te Propongo" where he trades leads with the horns, piano and percussions at a blitzkrieg pace. "Tengo Ganas," the first single, percolates with insistent percussion and elephantine horns. A ballad version of the tune is more subdued but connects with its melodic hook. However, it's the theme that hits home. The hero is trying to pick up the broken pieces of his life and move on to a new love, but he's haunted by a ghost in his past. Nostalgia is evoked on "Si Me Preguntan," which is in the old son montuno style that recalls the smoky club heyday of Willie Colon and Ruben Blades. --Ramiro Burr
CD Reviews
Very disappointing
Salsero | Staten Island, NY United States | 03/18/2004
(2 out of 5 stars)
"First, let me say that Victor Manuelle is THE BEST "Salsero" (Salsa singer) out there. He's SO good, he's been bestowed the honor of being a "Sonero" - which represents someone who is truly at the top of the Salsa world. (As a perspective, Marc Anthony would be a student and Victor Manuelle would be the professor with a PhD.)My disappointment with this CD is that the style in which it was produced is not the norm for Victor and does not suit him. It does contain a few good Salsa cuts, but it also contains pop and ballad tunes in the manner of Gloria Estefan - when I saw who produced it, I cringed: it was Gloria's husband, Emilio Estefan, who tends to produce lousy Salsa records.As for the CD, as I said before, there are a few good tracks:
1. "Llore Llore" - trademark hard Victor - extremely danceable
3. "Pero Quien" - has a "Jibaro" feel to it - very danceable
4. "Te Propongo" - smooth and danceable
5. "Amarte Es" - Salsa version of a ballad - very soft and smooth
6. "No Me Haces Falta" - more upbeat and very danceable
7. "Si Me Preguntan" - old-school Son Montuno-style - nice!!I may have been spoiled as a result of his previous CDs which contained really great Salsa tunes. If you want to listen to some really great Salsa, get Victor's other CDs: "Le Preguntaba a La Luna", and "Inconfundible". They contain awesome hard-hitting and smooth-as-silk extremely danceable tunes.For me, this CD is a disappointment. Emilio Estefan should stick to strictly pop and ballads and stay away from Salsa. Victor (and all Salseros for that matter) should stay as far away from Emilio and his pop machine as possible."
Victor Manuelle is the man
Latin Angel | CT | 10/14/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is awesome! I love every song on here. I bought two of them and gave one to a special person in my life. I suggest that everyone have a copy of this cd.
"
Victor Manuelle...Salsa Legend in the Making
A. Colon | West Hartford, CT | 08/11/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Great cd. My compliant lies with the record companies. 12 tracks but subtract the 'balada' or 'salsa' tracks and you end up with a 6 to 8 track cd. ANYWAY...Victor proves once again why he is this generations great salerso. Every track is good. Jerry Rivera and Marc Anthony are good but Victor Manuelle is a true salerso. Translation: no crossover Latin Pop"
He's back at it!
mitzigg04 | VA | 05/28/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I was disappointed with the cd previous to this one, but victor is back. The first two tracks are some great amazing salsa. I agree with other reviewers hip/hopish and ballads don't work for Victor. They sound really awkward and embarrasing. Stick to the salsa!"
It would be five stars if it was all salsa
Luis D. Vargas | Ponce, Puerto Rico | 03/18/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The salsa songs sound more like his 1999 and 2001 release than his 2002 release. He is one of the very few young salseros with talent that can keep this genre going now that most of the other ones have been pushed aside by the old school salseros that have come back. But please, no pop. I always hear from these artists saying that they do not want to be locked up in one genre or want to try singing other genres, making fusion seem like a bad word. Victor, stick to salsa and just make it better."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1