Ricardo Arjona Galeria Caribe CD

This album took a while to connect with the mainstream U.S. audience, making the Billboard pop charts quite a while after its initial release, but in the pop world sleepers are often the most substantive successes. Accordingly, GALERIA CARIBE finds Hispanic heartthrob Ricardo Arjona delivering his patented brand of Latin pop with unprecedented vigor. While Arjona is primarily a romantic crooner, as evidenced by GALERIA CARIBE's bounty of lush, crystalline ballads, he's not beyond getting into some uptempo Latin grooves. Throughout the album, Arjona shifts easily and elegantly from crooner mode into a percolating feel propelled by hints of everything from salsa and samba to hints of Cuban son. Consequently, the pan-Latin sound of GALERIA CARIBE, with its multi-cultural pop aesthetic, has found favor with listeners of many tastes and backgrounds.

Guatemalan singer/songwriter Ricardo Arjona brings a collection of Afro-Caribbean sounds, exploring traditional rhythms such as guaracha, bachata, merengue, and salsa, adding his passionate voice and poetic lyrics. Giovanni Hidalgo plays a vibrating Latin percussion, while talented trumpeter Arturo Sandoval provides a seductive performance. Ricardo Arjona's exploratory work Galeria Caribe proves to be one of his most interesting records. [The Spanish release replaces the acoustic version of "Sólo Quería un Café" with "Cara O Crus"] ~ Drago Bonacich

Personnel: Carlos Cabral, Jr. (guitar, acoustic guitar); Fernando Medina, Arnaldo Figueroa, Omar Velázquez, Scott Flavin, Enrique Collazo, Alfredo Oliva (violin); Tim Barnes (viola); Jose D. De Jesus, José De Jesús Morales, Fermin Segarra, Chris Glansdorp (cello); Nestor Torres (flute); Angel Torres (saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Vicente Cusi Castillo, Joe Pujals, Arturo Sandoval, Luis Aquino, Raul Agraz, Angel "Angie" Machado (trumpet); Antonio Vasquez, Jesus R. Torres, Miguel Rivera, Ozzie Melendez, Jorge Diaz (trombone); Fernando Muscolo (piano, keyboards, programming); Georger Sergio, Elvin F. Torres (piano, keyboards); Marino Morales, José Lugo, Miguel Núñez (piano); Sammy Garcia (congas, guiro, maracas); Eddie Garcia, Richie Flores (congas); David Santiago (guiro); Angel "Cachete" Maldonado (percussion).

Audio Mixer: Isaias Garcia.

Liner Note Author: Ricardo Arjona.

Recording information: Altamar Music Studios; Caracole Studio; Estudios Acurero, Venezuela; Hit Factory, Miami, FL; One Way Recording Studio, Puerto Rico; Sono Dos Mil Estudios; sony Music Studios; Sound on Sound Studios, New York, NY; South Beach Studios, Miami, FL; The War Room, NJ; Ware House.

Photographer: Ricardo Trabulsi.

Unknown Contributor Role: Huáscar Barradas.

Arrangers: Georger Sergio; Victor Patron; Fernando Muscolo; Angel "Cucco" Peña; Sammy Garcia; Carlos Cabral, Jr.

Personnel includes: Ricardo Arjona (vocals); Carlos Cabral (acoustic guitar, keyboards, programming); Jorge Loboy (guitar); Enrique Collazo, Jaime E. Medina (violin); (Tim Barnes (viola); Jesus Morales (cello); Domingo David (accordion): Angel Torres (saxophone): Luis Aquino (trumpet); Jorge Diaz, Antonio Vazquez, Miguel Rivera, Mioses Nogeras (trombone); Elvin Torres (piano, keyboards); Jose Lugo (piano); Fernando Muscolo (keyboards); Jose Gazmei, Ricardo Lugo (bass); Eddie Garcia (congas); Cachete Maldonado, Giovanni Hidalgo, Sammy Garcia (percussion); Angel Pena, Aldo Matta, Dalver Garcia, Gilda Gonzalez, Jose Luis Ramos, Tempo Alomar, Tito Allen, Wichie Camacho, Yanira Torres, Angel "Cuco" Pena (background vocals).

Engineers include: Hector Rosa, John Thomas, Isaias Garcia.