ISSUE #29 MMUSICMAG.COM ISSUE #29 MMUSICMAG.COM Q&A Why this album, and why now? What’s your approach to songs in not choke it off. And to really emote, you This genre is my heart. This is what I listened different languages? want to be in control of your instrument. to growing up. This is what I played on my In Spanish, for example, there is no way of guitar for my mom and dad, from Johnny being overly romantic or passionate. Even Are you touring behind this record? Mathis to Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. in the melodies you need more space to I did my last major tour in 2004, and now I do When I grew up, I always planned to do get an idea across. In English you have to one-offs and things. I’m going to do the Royal something like this, but I was waiting for use more restraint, because it becomes Albert Hall in England, and I’m doing a concert the right moment and the right idea. Two saccharine. You have to be more concise in Basel, Switzerland. I would love to do that years ago I was at a trustee dinner for the in the meaning. When I’m writing in each kind of thing, maybe eventually in the States, University of Miami, and Shelly Berg sat language, I can approach it directly from that like maybe Carnegie Hall or Radio City. at the piano and said, “Come on, Gloria, language, because I’m bilingual. Because I let’s do a song together!” I rarely do that, sing in Spanish, I have different phrasings But not a daily grind? but I wasn’t going to be a stick-in-the-mud. in English that might not occur to a person No, I can’t do that anymore. It’s grueling, and So I said, “Do you know ‘Good Morning who only speaks English because it’s not I’m at a different point in my life now. I really Heartache’?” As we performed, and I saw in their vocabulary. So it really does extend want to enjoy my grandbaby and my mom. his passion and the feeling I got, the whole my possibilities. And Emilio and I run a lot of businesses. It’s thing unfolded in my head—I saw the album a handful! Let the up-and-coming performers in front of me. It’s my first album that I’ve Did any songs test you? do it. When I was in my 20s I told Emilio, “I’m produced completely, and it’s been my baby The whole album did because I knew going to work really hard so one day I don’t from inception. I was going to do it live, and I wanted have to.” And oddly it’s not that I’m working to keep the liveness. I’ve been working less, but I’m able to choose luxuriously what I How did you select the songs? with a new vocal coach, Torb Pedersen, do and when I do it. To me music has always I literally went through thousands of titles who gave me a new way of looking been an emotional thing. It’s never been and narrowed it down to 50 that meant at certain things neurologically—the about, “Let me be famous and put out a hit something to me. The only thing I could possibly bring to these standards that have Jesus been done by the cream of the crop is to bring my own experience, heart and style C ordero to the performances. So I downloaded five to six different versions of the songs I had chosen. Shelly and I selected the 16 we recorded. Then I just sang it from the heart and let it fly! Is it intimidating singing songs that GLORIA ESTEFAN have become classics? Realizing a longtime dream with her take on timeless tunes Yes, it’s daunting—but taking risks, it’s what we do in our career. Every time you put out an album, you’re setting yourself SINCE HER 1985 BREAKTHROUGH Charlie Chaplin’s immortal “Smile” into a and sax ace Dave Koz on “How Long Has up. It’s the nature of the business. So the with the Miami Sound Machine, Gloria sensual affirmation in both Spanish and Italian. This Been Going On” and “The Way You biggest compliment I got was from Chuck Estefan’s hits like “Anything for You,” Estefan, 56, also displays her vocal skills in Look Tonight.” Violin virtuoso Joshua Bell John Parra Berghofer, the bassist who played with all “1-2-3” and “Live for Loving You” have added French and Portuguese. adds his rich tones on Argentinean idol the greats of the genre. He told me they a Cuban flavor to pop success that’s made the The project has been a dream for Carlos Gardel’s “The Day You Say You thought I had done the consummate version Havana-born songstress a household name. the seven-time Grammy winner since she Love Me,” included because it was Estefan of “Good Morning Heartache.” That to me Onstage in Miami for PBS’Gloria Estefan: The Standards, 2013 After more than 20 albums, Estefan’s performed “Good Morning Heartache” on her and husband Emilio’s wedding dance song. was ridiculous, but beautiful to hear! latest is a far cry from her early kinetic dance firstTonight Show appearance in 1985 while physical nature of your grooves. On the aptly titled The Standards, promoting her first smash, “Conga.” “They You sang live during production. Five languages, how’d you do that? throat and how to ‘The whole thing unfolded Estefan, along with Shelly Berg, dean of asked us to do a second song,” she recalls, This genre was always recorded that way French was my minor in college. I brought my use those muscles. I the University of Miami Frost School of “so I thought, ‘OK, I’m going to show people because the technology didn’t exist. You get daughter’s French teacher to make sure—I started preparing for it in my head—I saw the Music, delves into the Great American what I love to do—something completely something very special when you perform wanted it to be the best it could be. Then I a year before, really Songbook for a lush collection of Tin Pan different from what I’m doing here.’” live with other musicians—things happen that brought in my daughter-in-law’s father, who’s being in top, top vocal album in front of me.’ Alley classics. She not only adapts English She’s been surprising audiences ever don’t when I’m just putting my voice on one from Milan, when I was doing the Italian performance shape. It’s lyrics to Brazilian Antonio Carlos Jobim’s since. On The Standards she enlists Italian track. Each time we performed, something version, to make sure the pronunciation was not the same in ballads as when you’re singing record so we can make money.” We got lucky “Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar,” but also turns singer-songwriter Laura Pausini on “Smile,” else would come. right. I wrote the Spanish version of “Smile,” uptempo songs, where you’re singing that we enjoyed some wonderful years in the which is something unique—I was able to like a machine gun. It’s much easier to industry. Art has always been done for the write with Chaplin! I sang it for Geraldine sing fast songs. sake of art. If you can find a way to make a Chaplin, and she cried and said she loved living at it, that’s fantastic. But an artist is ‘Every time you put out an album, you’re setting it more in Spanish than in English. I do have, So you can’t fake a ballad. going to need to share that with the world. yourself up. It’s the nature of the business.’ fortunately, a world audience, and I wanted You have to be able to really do it. That’s the whole point of being an artist. to make it more of a world-focused album. You have to be able to sustain the note and –Bob Cannon 36 37 M mag 29.indd 36 8/26/13 1:11 AM M mag 29.indd 37 8/26/13 1:12 AM.