ON YOUR FEET: A CD Review

Original Broadway Cast – 2016 / Music and lyrics by Gloria & Emilio Estefan

Starring: Anna Villafañe, Josh Segarra, Andréa Burns and Alma Cuervo

Rate: 5 (from 1 to 10) / Photos by Matthew Murphy

Review: This won’t be a surprise for anyone who knows me, but Gloria Estefan’s songs, like the ones from other pop stars of the 80s and 90s, weren’t the kind I listened to. While my friends played their records, I was listening to Sondheim, Porter, Herman and so on; you get the point.

Nevertheless, when I played this cast recording for the first time I was surprised that I recognized more than a couple of songs. Not only that, but I also enjoyed some of them: “Anything for You”, “1-2-3”, “Here We Are”, “Conga” and “Don’t Wanna Lose You”. The truth is that my husband liked her and had a couple of her albums.

This is the last jukebox musical that opened on Broadway and this live recording is a feast for Gloria Estefan’s fans. Giving life to Gloria, Anna Villafañe sounds uncannily like her and sings with feeling. As her husband, Josh Segarra doesn’t show a very strong voice and sometimes seems to push it more than he should. In supporting roles Andréa Burns and Alma Cuervo keep the Latin spirit alive.

Although I couldn’t be a worst connoisseur of any kind of pop music, I think this is probably Latin pop at its best. The fact that it was recorded live, give it a more thrilling side and the result is an entertaining recording that will probably make you want to get up and dance. As for me, I really like some of the songs, but this isn’t my kind of music.