Customer Rating: 
Summary: The Evolution of a Diva
Comment: The Miami Sound Machine started out as a band, then became Gloria Estefan and The Miami Sound Machine and ultimately became the Gloria show. This volume of Gloria's best chronicles that arc; beginning with the exuberant "Conga," which introduced her to the masses, to the Adult Contemporary balladress who sang the gospel inflected "Coming Out Of The Dark;" you can follow her from pop-novelty to one of those 80's divas who could be called by her first name. (Think
Madonna, Cher, etc.)
It is interesting to note how the fun, latin pop was so tongue in cheek (Gloria's husband, Emilio, even called his production team 'Emilio and The Jerks') until a sense of seriousness began to bland the songs into superstar predictability. Oddly enough, it's those early dance singles that hold up the best. When it came time to do a guest spot on "Dancing With The Stars," it was "Rhythm is Gonna Get You" that was the crowd pleaser. (MIA from the dance singles: "Dr Beat" and "Bad Boys.") Her voice was one of the first to really make inroads into the English Language Latin Pop scene.
As such you can hear the maturation process. She became a richer and more nuanced singer by the time this 1991 best of appeared, which stops at the album Into the Light. At times, her purity recalls Karen Carpenter ("Here We Are") and the production is very 80's-centric. Heavy keyboards dominate, along with synthesized percussion. The drama attached to "Coming Out of The Dark," the near-tragic 1990 bus crash along I-80 in Northern Pennsylvania, added to the Diva mystique and helped elevate Gloria into the iconic status she enjoys to this day. Just bear in mind that, the more manipulation that was going into making Gloria into a Diva/Superstar (and in the late 80's, she had few rivals for popularity), the less vital the music became. Her ballads are wonderful, but the frothy fun of "1.2.3" or "Betcha Say That" is missed from the later albums. However, as an enjoyable collection of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine's best radio pop, this collection flows solidly.
If you need more, go to The Essential Gloria Estefan, which follows her entire career.
Customer Rating: Summary: Not satisfied
Comment: I ask for N'sync and Gloria Estefan's song "MUSIC OF MY HEART" I wanted her CD that contained that song. However, the CD that was mailed to me did not have Music of my Heart on it. What is the best thing to do in this situation? I still need the song "MUSIC OF MY HEART." Thank you for your help.
P.S. I have not opened the tape that was mailed to me.
Glenda
