Destiny (CD - 1996)

DESTINY is an Enhanced CD containing both a full audio program as well as multimedia computer files. Those Enhanced CD features include behind-the-scenes footage of the "Reach" video, a photo album and a discussion by Gloria Estefan about Afro-Cuban music.

Personnel includes: Gloria Estefan (vocals); Hector Garrido (conductor); Jorge Casas (chant, guitar, muted banjo, tres, mandocello, bass); Clay Ostwald (chant, keyboards); 'Chembo' Febles (chant, African percussion, percussion); Emily Estefan (rap vocals); Kike Santander (guitar, keyboards, bass, hand claps, percussion, sound effects); Rene Toledo (guitar); Ed Calle (saxophone); Tony Concepcion (trumpet); Dana Teboe (trombone); Lawrence Dermer (keyboards, brushes, background vocals); Sal Cuevas (bass); Edwin Bonilla, Mario Ochoa (percussion); Donna Allen, Jorge Noriega, Rick Morris, Davonda Afolabi, Michelle Vandenbos (background vocals).

Producers: Emilio Estefan, Jr., Lawrence Dermer, Kike Santander, Jorge Casas, Lawrence Dermer, Clay Ostwald.

Engineers: Eric Schilling, Ron Taylor, Dave Reitzas.

Recorded at Crescent Moon Studios and Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida; Gettings Studio, Ocoee, Florida; The Power Station and Right Track Studios, New York, New York.

"Reach" was nominated for a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

With Destiny, Gloria Estefan ties together the Cuban and Latinbeat influences she had been exploring on her Spanish albums with the adult contemporary pop that dominated her early-'90s records. It's a stylish concept and, for the most part, Estefan pulls it off. Like most of her albums, Destiny suffers from uneven material and a creeping sense of sameness between the songs, but Estefan's voice keeps getting stronger with age, which helps her rescue the weaker material on the record. And the best moments of Destiny -- including the Olympic anthem "Reach," "I'm Not Giving You Up," and "Higher," among others -- rank with her finest work. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

On her first collection of original, English-language material in five years, Gloria Estefan (aided, as always, by her producer/husband Emilio Estefan, Jr.) has produced a fine, mostly quiet record, with memorable songs and expert musicianship. Estefan has always had a strong voice, capable of belting out a note when it needs to be belted. But on DESTINY she seems content to concentrate on the more peaceful aspects of her music, while at the same time exploring the nuances of a surprisingly flexible, subtle vocal talent.

The theme throughout is love, but not all is wine and roses: "Screaming in the silence/The promises we've spoken come back to haunt us." Almost every track contains Spanish-style acoustic guitar, and "Steal your Heart" goes all the way into flamenco. For the most part, though, DESTINY is slow, rolling calypso beats, congas and occasional strings--the stuff of moonlit nights and romantic encounters. If you're looking for the perfect record to throw on during your next candlelit dinner, look no further. minimize