Daily News from New York, New York • 362

SONY DISCOS Ricky Airtist oftkb Month fn artista del mes UXju Ricky Martin is so hot his music transcends all styles and categories. Everybody is singing the infectious chorus of "Uno, dos, tres" from his mega-hit "Maria." And while the album "A Medio Vivir" meant the elevation of Ricky Martin to the ranks of the top stars of international Latin music, his latest creation is the supreme confirmation of all the expectations manifested by his earlier successes and mellifluous voice. The new album "Vuelve" gives the world a Ricky Martin in all his splendor with all the experience built up in these last years that have transformed him into Ricky Martin es tan popular que su musica transciende todos los estilos categorias. Todo el mundo parece estar cantando el contagioso cow "Uno, dos, tres' del super hit a pesar de que el disco "A Medio Vivir" elevo a Ricky Martin al nivel de las estre-llas mas famosas de la musica latino international, su creaaon mas reciente es la maxima confirmation de todas las expectativas que se manifestaron en sus anteriores exitos por su meliflua voz. El nuevo disco "Vuelve" qfrece al mundo un Ricky Martin en todo su esplendor con toda la experiencia que ha acumulado durante estos ultimos anos en los que se transformo en el tdolo inlernacional mas aclamado.

Martin. the most acclaimed international idol. Martin, 26, takes it all in stride. Indeed, success has given him the strength to grow as an artist and as a show business star. His new album has the consistency of the great works and at the same time the sonorous quality of the immediate, of the new, clearly demonstrating that we are witnessing the emergence of a new concept of artist.

"Vuelve" is a brilliant work, a product of the communion of musical ideas from Robi Rosa, KC Porter and, of course, Ricky. Three distinct ways of approaching music, which came together totally in the production and performance of this disc. The album presents a blend of the most diverse rhythms and styles that converge in the feel of Latin music and its sensuality, both equally contagious. Both the impressive ballads, like the album's title song, and the very rhythmic themes are infused with a layer of modernity that is surprising because of its legitimacy, clarity and roots. Themes such as "Por Arriba, Por Abajo," "Lola, Lola" and "La JJomba" combine both salsa and rumba as well as jazz, rock and pop without losing any of their innate force.

In the melodic themes the musical itinerary also covers a series of diverse approaches. "Vuelve," "Hagamos el Amor" and "Asi es la Vida" travel along more classic paths: the first becomes Gospel; the second, more delicate, transmits sensuality with symphonic trimmings; and the third is as openly pop as it is romantic. Ricky Martin's irresistible rise to fame began when, as a boy, he discovered not only reading and writing but also music, theater, cinema and television. That was 20 years ago deli anos, estd a la altura de sus circunstancias. El exito le ha dado la fortaleza para crecer como artista estrella en el negocio de la fardndula.

Su nuevo disco tiene la consistencia de los grandes tra-bajos al mismo tiempo tiene una calidad sonora que refleja lo inmediato, lo nuevo. Claramente demuestra que estamos presenciando el nacimiento de un nuevo concepto de artista. "Vuelve" es un excelente trabajo, un producto de la comunion entre las ideas musicales de Robi Rosa, KC Porter por supuesto, de Ricky: tresformas unicas de acercarse a la musica que se armonizan totalmente en la production montaje de este disco. El album presenta una mezcla de los ritmos estilos mas diversos que convergen en el sentir sensualidad de la musica latino, ambas cosas igualmente contagiosas. Las impresio-nantes baladas, como la cancion que lleva el titulo del album, al igual que los temas mds ritmicos, infundidos de un lono moderno que es sorpresivo, ya que las composiciones son muy legitimas profundus.

Los temas "Por Arriba, Por "Lola, Lola" "La Bomba" combinan salsa, rumba, jazz, rock pop sin perder la fuerzja innata de estos ritmos. En los temas melodiosos, el iti-nerario musical tambien incluye una serie de diversos estilos. "Hagamos el Amor" "Asi es la Vida" toman caminos mis clasicos: el primero suena a gospel; el segundo es mds delicado con el violin comunica una gran sensualidad; el tercero es totalmente pop romantico al mismo tiempo. La irresistible ascension de Martin a la fama comenzS cuando era nino, epoca en la que no solamente avrendid L2) i in Puerto Rico, the island for which he feels such affection and to which he owes so much. Puerto Rico in the 1970's was alive with rhythm, sound, color and light.

Rkky Martin remembers it as a paradise, a dream he looks back on in his moments of solitude. "That young boy is still alive and well and has become the guiding force behind the man I now am" he said. At a very young age he resolved to be a performer. When he heard about the musical group Menudo, he made it his life's goal to be a member. He attended many auditions but was turned down because he was too young.

Then in 1984 at the tender age of 12 he joined the group. After five years with the group, Martin made a change. "I gave everything to Menudo but when I felt the time had come, I left in the sure knowledge that I had to move on to the next stage of my career and of my life," he explained. Those next stages included acting in Mexico, three solo albums, and stints on the soap opera "General Hospital" and in the Broadway play "Le Miserables." And now with "Vuelve" Martin's metamorphosis into a great a leer escribir sino que descubrio tambien la musica, el teatro, el cine la television. Eso fue hace 20 anos en Puerto Rico, isla por la que siente tanto afecto a la que le debe muchisimo.

En los anos setenta, Puerto Rico estaba Ueno de ritmo, sonido, color luces. Ricky Martin lo recuerda como a un varaiso, un sueno al que regresa en sus momentos de soledad. "Ese muchacho joven toaavia estd vivo yseha convertido en lafuerza que me guia dentro del hombre que soy dijo. A una temprana edad, detidio ser artista. Cuando escucho sobre el grupo musical Menudo, detidio que algun dia seria miembro del grupo.

Participd en numerosas audi-ciones, pero fue rechazado porque era muy joven. Luego en 1984, a la tierna edad de 12 anos, ingresd al grupo. Despues de estar cinco anos con el grupo, Martin hizo un gran cambio. "Le di todo a Menudo, pero cuando senti que habia llegado el momento, mend con la seguridad de que tenia que pasar a la proximo etapa de mi carrera explica. Esas proximas etapas incluyeron actuar en Mexico, tres discos como solista apari-ciones en la novela General Hospital el musical de Broadway, Le international artist is complete.

Despite his youth, Martin has succeeded in being acknowledged as the most popular representative of Latin music around the world. Miserables. ahora con concluye la metamorfosis de Martin que lo convierte en un gran artista inlernacional. A pesar de su juventud, Martin ha tenido el exito de ser reconocido como el represenlante mds SONY DISCOS, INC. popular de la musica talma alrededor del mundo.

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