Esclava De Tu Piel (album)
Encyclopedia
Esclava De Tu Piel is the eighth studio album by Spanish
duo Azúcar Moreno
, released on Sony International in 1996. The album whose title translates as Slave to Your Skin includes the duo's biggest hit single to date, "Solo Se Vive Una Vez" ("You Only Live Once").
Esclava De Tu Piel was entirely recorded in the United States and was produced by one of Gloria Estefan
and Emilio Estefan Jr.'s longtime collaborators, arranger and producer Ricardo "Eddy" Martinez (a.k.a. Edito). Martinez has worked with some of the biggest names in the world of Latin music besides Estefan and Miami Sound Machine, such as Chayanne
, Luis Miguel
, Javier Garcia
, Malú
, Paloma San Basilio
, Arturo Sandoval
, Ilan Chester
, Latin Majik, Francesca Cezan and many others. After two albums in the mainstream Latin pop genre, Ojos Negros
(1992) and El Amor (1994), which had become their breakthrough on the South American and U.S. markets respectively, but which only had been moderate commercial successes compared to Bandido
(1990) and Mambo
(1991) in their native Spain, Martinez' production of Esclava De Tu Piel was a return to a more up-to-date, dancefloor oriented and altogether rougher soundscape, the prime example being the title track "Esclava De Tu Piel" which combined heavy dance beats with distorted guitars and toasting by American Salsa
singer Roberto Blades
.
The lead single released from the album was the reggaeton
and dancehall
influenced "Solo Se Vive Una Vez", written by Spanish singer Miguel Gallardo and Luis Cabañas, promoted by a slightly controversial genderswapping music video showing the Salazar sisters both as themselves and in other scenes in typical male attire such as pin-striped suits with slicked back hair and smoking cigars - and in turn one of their male dancers both as himself and as a drag queen
. The song was released in a wide variety of dance remixes, issued on two separate singles entitled The Mediterranean Remixes and The Caribbean Remixes. "Solo Se Vive Una Vez" became a major hit in the summer of 1996, topping the charts both in Spain and several countries in South and Central America, and has since served as one of Azúcar Moreno's signature tunes. In the 2000s the track was included on the first Spanish language editions of karaoke video game SingStar.
The follow-up proved to be another of Azúcar Moreno's highest charting singles; "Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti" (translated: "Today I Desire You"), originally one of Miguel Gallardo's biggest hits and first recorded in 1975, but then as a dramatic ballad. The duo's version was again notably different to the original, turning it into a modern dance anthem with rough guitars. The promo video was shot in New York and shows the sisters performing the song in the streets of the city as well as on top of skyscrapers. The following single release was the title track "Esclava De Tu Piel", which turned into their third big hit single in a row, and the track was also issued in remixed form on a release entitled The Slave Mixes. Esclava De Tu Piel was also Azúcar Moreno's first album to incorporate influences from the Middle East
; the fourth single was a radically reworked flamenco/rock/dance cover of the traditional "Hava Nagila
", sung entirely in Hebrew with a men's choir. Just like the preceding singles the track was available in a large number of dance remixes, issued on the Hava Naguila - The Middle Eastern Remixes release. The chart success of the album and its singles even resulted in a fifth single being released in Spain, Pedro Rilo's flamenco flavoured "Bandolero".
As a contrast to the album's dance tracks it also featured a few R&B flavoured ballads, such as "Enreda", composed by acclaimed British hitmaker Albert Hammond
and originally recorded in both Spanish and English, then as "Tangled Up In Tears", by Hammond himself in 1976, and later also covered by Leo Sayer
. Further mid-tempo tracks include "Tapame", written by Sevillan singer-songwriter Luis del Estad, a cover of Willie Gonzalez' romantic salsa "Ámame Toda La Noche", Alejandro Jaen's "La Cita" and the album closes with Cordoban
flamenco singer Manuel Ruiz Queco's "Tiritatando".
Esclava De Tu Piel remains the bestselling album of Azúcar Moreno's career to date, having sold some five hundred thousand copies in Spain alone and thus certified five times platinum. In the United States the album reached #43 on Billboard
s Top Latin Albums chart. The duo's first greatest hits album, Mucho Azúcar - Grandes Éxitos
, followed in 1997 and then included "Solo Se Vive Una Vez", "Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti" and "Esclava De Tu Piel". The Esclava De Tu Piel album itself was re-released with slightly revised cover art by Sony Music in 1998 under the title Latin Stars.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
duo Azúcar Moreno
Azúcar Moreno
Azúcar Moreno was a famous Spanish music duo who have sold more than 3 million albums and singles since 1985 domestically, and became famous in Europe, the United States and Latin America in the 1990s, with approximately 10 million albums sold worldwide.-Biography:Composed by sisters Antonia and...
, released on Sony International in 1996. The album whose title translates as Slave to Your Skin includes the duo's biggest hit single to date, "Solo Se Vive Una Vez" ("You Only Live Once").
Esclava De Tu Piel was entirely recorded in the United States and was produced by one of Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
and Emilio Estefan Jr.'s longtime collaborators, arranger and producer Ricardo "Eddy" Martinez (a.k.a. Edito). Martinez has worked with some of the biggest names in the world of Latin music besides Estefan and Miami Sound Machine, such as Chayanne
Chayanne
Elmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
, Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri is a Mexican singer. He is widely known only by the name Luis Miguel and is often referred to as "El Sol de México"...
, Javier Garcia
Javier García
Xavier García Gadea is a water polo player from Spain. He was a member of the national team that finished in sixth place at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece...
, Malú
Malú
Malú is a Spanish multi-selling singer.She is the niece of the famous flamenco composer and guitarist Paco de Lucía and is known for songs such as "Aprendiz", "Como Una Flor", "Toda", "Diles", "Si Estoy Loca" and "No Voy a Cambiar".-Discography:*”Aprendiz”*”Dondequiera que estés”*”Reflejo” *”Como...
, Paloma San Basilio
Paloma San Basilio
Paloma San Basilio is a Spanish singer. Although she was born in Madrid, at the age of 6 months the family moved to Sevilla , where she was raised till the age of 8...
, Arturo Sandoval
Arturo Sandoval
Arturo Sandoval is a jazz trumpeter and pianist. He was born in Artemisa, in the newest renamed Artemisa Province, Cuba....
, Ilan Chester
Ilan Chester
Ilan Chester is a celebrated Venezuelan singer, keyboardist, arranger and composer. Born in Israel in 1952, of European parents, Ilan emigrated to Venezuela in 1953.- Biography :...
, Latin Majik, Francesca Cezan and many others. After two albums in the mainstream Latin pop genre, Ojos Negros
Ojos Negros (album)
Ojos Negros is the sixth studio album by Spanish duo Azúcar Moreno, released on Sony-Epic in 1992. The album's title translates as Dark Eyes and is a reference to one of the tracks included, the Chilean folk tune "Yo Vendo Unos Ojos Negros"....
(1992) and El Amor (1994), which had become their breakthrough on the South American and U.S. markets respectively, but which only had been moderate commercial successes compared to Bandido
Bandido (album)
Bandido is the fourth studio album by Spanish duo Azúcar Moreno, released on CBS-Epic in 1990. The album became the Salazár sisters' international breakthrough....
(1990) and Mambo
Mambo (album)
Mambo is the fifth studio album by Spanish duo Azúcar Moreno, released on CBS-Epic in 1991.The duo's two previous studio albums Carne De Melocotón and Bandido had resulted in the release of two remix albums, Mix In Spain and The Sugar Mix Album...
(1991) in their native Spain, Martinez' production of Esclava De Tu Piel was a return to a more up-to-date, dancefloor oriented and altogether rougher soundscape, the prime example being the title track "Esclava De Tu Piel" which combined heavy dance beats with distorted guitars and toasting by American Salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
singer Roberto Blades
Roberto Blades
Roberto Blades is a Panamanian Salsa singer. His most popular songs are "Lagrimas" "Poquita Fe" "Detalles" and "Si Estuvieras Conmigo" among many more. He is the younger brother of singer Ruben Blades....
.
The lead single released from the album was the reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
and dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
influenced "Solo Se Vive Una Vez", written by Spanish singer Miguel Gallardo and Luis Cabañas, promoted by a slightly controversial genderswapping music video showing the Salazar sisters both as themselves and in other scenes in typical male attire such as pin-striped suits with slicked back hair and smoking cigars - and in turn one of their male dancers both as himself and as a drag queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
. The song was released in a wide variety of dance remixes, issued on two separate singles entitled The Mediterranean Remixes and The Caribbean Remixes. "Solo Se Vive Una Vez" became a major hit in the summer of 1996, topping the charts both in Spain and several countries in South and Central America, and has since served as one of Azúcar Moreno's signature tunes. In the 2000s the track was included on the first Spanish language editions of karaoke video game SingStar.
The follow-up proved to be another of Azúcar Moreno's highest charting singles; "Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti" (translated: "Today I Desire You"), originally one of Miguel Gallardo's biggest hits and first recorded in 1975, but then as a dramatic ballad. The duo's version was again notably different to the original, turning it into a modern dance anthem with rough guitars. The promo video was shot in New York and shows the sisters performing the song in the streets of the city as well as on top of skyscrapers. The following single release was the title track "Esclava De Tu Piel", which turned into their third big hit single in a row, and the track was also issued in remixed form on a release entitled The Slave Mixes. Esclava De Tu Piel was also Azúcar Moreno's first album to incorporate influences from the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
; the fourth single was a radically reworked flamenco/rock/dance cover of the traditional "Hava Nagila
Hava Nagila
"Hava Nagila" is a Hebrew folk song that has become a staple of band performers at Jewish weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.-History:...
", sung entirely in Hebrew with a men's choir. Just like the preceding singles the track was available in a large number of dance remixes, issued on the Hava Naguila - The Middle Eastern Remixes release. The chart success of the album and its singles even resulted in a fifth single being released in Spain, Pedro Rilo's flamenco flavoured "Bandolero".
As a contrast to the album's dance tracks it also featured a few R&B flavoured ballads, such as "Enreda", composed by acclaimed British hitmaker Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
and originally recorded in both Spanish and English, then as "Tangled Up In Tears", by Hammond himself in 1976, and later also covered by Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer is a British singer-songwriter, musician, and entertainer whose singing career has spanned four decades. Sayer became a naturalised Australian citizen in 2009. Sayer was a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s...
. Further mid-tempo tracks include "Tapame", written by Sevillan singer-songwriter Luis del Estad, a cover of Willie Gonzalez' romantic salsa "Ámame Toda La Noche", Alejandro Jaen's "La Cita" and the album closes with Cordoban
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
flamenco singer Manuel Ruiz Queco's "Tiritatando".
Esclava De Tu Piel remains the bestselling album of Azúcar Moreno's career to date, having sold some five hundred thousand copies in Spain alone and thus certified five times platinum. In the United States the album reached #43 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Top Latin Albums chart. The duo's first greatest hits album, Mucho Azúcar - Grandes Éxitos
Mucho Azúcar - Grandes Éxitos
Mucho Azúcar – Grandes Éxitos is a greatest hits album by Spanish duo Azúcar Moreno, released on Sony International in 1997.Following the success of 1996 album Esclava De Tu Piel and its string of hit singles Azúcar Moreno released their first career retrospective, Mucho Azúcar - Grandes Éxitos,...
, followed in 1997 and then included "Solo Se Vive Una Vez", "Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti" and "Esclava De Tu Piel". The Esclava De Tu Piel album itself was re-released with slightly revised cover art by Sony Music in 1998 under the title Latin Stars.
Track listing
- "Solo Se Vive Una Vez" (Luis Cabañas, Miguel Gallardo) - 3:31
- "La Cita" (Alejandro Jaen) - 4:24
- "Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti" (Miguel Gallardo) - 4:09
- "Enreda" (Albert HammondAlbert HammondAlbert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
, Oscar Gómez) - 3:38 - "Hava NaguilaHava Nagila"Hava Nagila" is a Hebrew folk song that has become a staple of band performers at Jewish weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.-History:...
" (Traditional, arrangement D. Carrasco, S. Juan, J. Bola, M. Maguesin, J.A. Rodriquez) - 3:21 - "Esclava de Tu Piel" (Luis Cabañas, Miguel Gallardo) - 3:09
- "Ámame Toda la Noche" (Alejandro Montalvan) - 3:57
- "Bandolero" (Pedro Rilo) - 3:35
- "Tápame" (Prelude) (Rafael DelEstad) - 0:48
- "Tápame" (Rafael DelEstad) - 4:31
- "Tiritatando" (Manuel Ruiz "Queco") - 4:06
Personnel
- Azúcar Moreno - vocals
- Carlos Salazar - vocals
- George Noriega - choirChoirA choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, chorusChoirA choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus... - Wendy Pedersen - choir, chorus
- Rita Quintero - choir, chorus
- Raul Midón - choir, chorus
- Roberto BladesRoberto BladesRoberto Blades is a Panamanian Salsa singer. His most popular songs are "Lagrimas" "Poquita Fe" "Detalles" and "Si Estuvieras Conmigo" among many more. He is the younger brother of singer Ruben Blades....
- rapRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”... - Ramón Huerta - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, programming - Eddie Montilla - programming
- Ricardo Eddy Martinez - keyboards, programming
- Luis EnriqueLuis EnriqueLuís Enrique is a given name, and may refer to:*Luis Enrique Martínez García, Spanish football manager and former player*Luis Enrique "Neco" Martinez, Colombian football goalkeeper*Luis Enrique, Nicaraguan salsa singer...
- percussion - Lee Levin - drum programming, percussion
- Ernesto Luke - drum programming, percussion
- Rene Toledo - acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - José Antonio Rodríguez - flamenco guitarFlamenco guitarA flamenco guitar is a guitar similar to a classical guitar. Flamenco guitar also refers to toque, the guitar-playing part of the art of Flamenco.-Brief history:...
- Ahmed Barroso - electric guitar
- Kiki Maya - flamenco guitar, rhythm guitar
- Julio Hermández - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Tony Concepcion - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Arturo SandovalArturo SandovalArturo Sandoval is a jazz trumpeter and pianist. He was born in Artemisa, in the newest renamed Artemisa Province, Cuba....
- trumpet - Ed Calle - baritone sax, tenor sax
- Dana Teboe - tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
Production
- Ricardo Eddy Martinez - record producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Lee Levin - musical arranger
- Eddie Montilla - musical arranger
- Rene Toledo - musical arranger
- Ramón Huerta - musical arranger
- Recorded at Criteria Recording Studios (Miami), additional recordings at Sinfonia (Madrid)´
- Carlos Martin - cover art, design
- Zaibi - photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Juanjo Manez - stylistWardrobe stylistA wardrobe stylist is the job title of someone who selects the clothing for published editorial features, print or television advertising campaigns, music videos, concert performances, and any public appearances made by celebrities, models or other public figures...
Sources and external links
- [ Allmusic discography]
- Discogs.com discography
- Rateyourmusic.com discography