Ricky Martin [1999] (CD - 1999)

Personnel includes: Ricky Martin, Madonna, Meja (vocals); Robi Rova (acoustic & electric guitars, bass programming, background vocals); Dan Warner (acoustic & electric guitars); Eric Bazilian (12-string & electric guitars, mandolin); Tommy Anthony (nylon guitar, bazouki, sitar, keyboards); William Orbit (guitar, keyboards); Manny Lopez, Rusty Anderson, Rene Toledo (guitar); Tony Concepcion (trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn); Randall Barlow (trumpet, programming); Paquito Hechavarria (piano); Randy Cantor (keyboards, programming); Rob Hyman (organ); Ricardo Suarez, Hugh McDonald (bass); Kenny Aronoff, Alex Saris, Lee Levin (drums); Luis Enrique, Rafael Solano (percussion); Jon Secada, Gyan, Sueann Carwell (background vocals).

Producers include: Desmond Child, Robi Rosa, Madonna, William Orbit, Jon Secada.

Engineers include: Charles Dye, Jules Gondar, Sebastian Krys.

Walter Afanasieff won the 2000 Grammy Award for Producer Of The Year for "I Count The Minutes." RICKY MARTIN was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Pop Album. "Livin' La Vida Loca" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Record Of The Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s), and Song Of The Year.

"Livin' La Vida Loca" won the 2000 Billboard Latin Music Award for Latin Pop Track of the Year and was nominated for Hot Latin Track of the Year.

"Livin' La Vida Loca (Spanish version)" was nominated for the 2000 Latin Grammy Award for Record Of The Year and "Bella (She's All I Ever Had)" was nominated for the 2000 Latin Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Perforance.

Personnel: Ricky Martin (vocals, background vocals); Randall Barlow (guitar, trumpet, programming); William Orbit (guitar, keyboards); Rusty Anderson, Manny López (guitar); Tommy Anthony (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Robi Rosa (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Dan Warner (acoustic guitar); Eric Bazilian (acoustic 12-string guitar, electric guitar); Michael Landau (electric guitar); George Noriega (nylon-string guitar, sitar, organ); Assa Drori, Karen Karlsrud, Al Hershberger, David Ewart, John Wittenberg, Lamar Alsop, Jennifer Munday, Brian Benning, Anatoly Rosinsky, Gil Romero, Laura Oatts, Aimee Kreston, Alan Grunfeld, Henry Gronnier, Harris Goldman, Barbara Porter, Shari Zippert, Ruth Bruegger, Ken Yerke, Ethel Abelson, Pat Johnson , Mark Markman, Virginia Frazier, Gerry Hilera, Anthony Posk, Eve Sprecher, Michael Ferril, Elizabeth Lim, Mari Tsumura, Dennis Molchan, Lisa Johnson , Horia Moroaica, Bob Peterson, Gerald Tarack, Belinda Whitney-Barratt, Bob Sanov, Elliott Rosoff, Regis Landiorio, Henry Ferber, Marti Sweet, Murray Adler, Elizabeth Wilson, Dale Stuckenbruck, Rachel Purkin, Eve Butler, Pat Johnson , Ming Yeh, Tiffany Hu, Joel Derouin, Martin Agee, Richard Altenbach, Robert Chausow, Bruce Dukov, Clayton Haslop, Brian Leonard, Matthew Raimondi, Sheldon Sanov, Laura Seaton, Armen Garabedian, Darius Campo, Susan Chatman, Berj Garabedian, Miwako Watanabe, Ann Leathers, Max Ellen, Endre Granat (violin); Matt Funes, Sue Pray, Jorge Moraga, Julien Barber, Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Dan Neufeld, Jerry Epstein, Lynn Grants, Karen Ritscher, Mary Helen Ewing, John R. Dexter, Vicky Miscolczy, John Hayhurst, Alfred Brown , Brian Dembow, Juliet Haffner, Janet Lakatos, David Stenske, Thomas Dienner, Denyse Buffum, Mihail Zinovyev, Robert Berg (viola); Maurice Grants, Mark Orrin Shuman, Rudy Stein, Dennis Karmazyn, Erik Friedlander, Tod French, Daniel Smith, Roberta Cooper, Richard Treat, Vaje Ayrikian, Suzie Katayama, Larry Corbett, Stephen Erdody, Richard Locker, John Walz, Steve Richards , Stefanie Fife (cello); Diva Goodfriend Koven, Eddie Salkin (alto flute); David Siegel (clarinet); Tony Concepcion (trumpet, flugelhorn); Dana Teboe, John Kricker (trombone); Herman "Teddy" Mulet (horns); Paquito Hechavarria (piano); Rob Hyman (organ); Dan Shea, Randy Cantor, Damian leGassick (keyboards, programming); Juan Vincente Zambrano (keyboards); Kenny Aronoff, Lee Levin (drums); Olbin Burgos (shaker, percussion); Luis Enrique, Paulinho Da Costa, Rafael Solano, Archie Pena, Daniel Lopez (percussion); Khris Kellow, Lester Mendez (programming); Walter Afanasieff (drum programming); Claytoven Richardson, Donna Allen, Rita Quintero, Jon Secada, Skyler Jett, Sue Ann Carwell, Conesha Monet (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Mick Guzauski; Patrick McCarthy; Charles Dye.

Recording information: Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New York, NY.

Photographer: Diego Uchitel.

Arrangers: Randy Cantor; Juan Vincente Zambrano.

The statement may raise a few eyebrows, but this ex-Menudo hunk has come up a stunner of an album. A track like "Livin' La Vida Loca" makes a seamless amalgam of Pan-Americana in which surf guitars, electronica, and Mariachi horns rock together in fine form, and its Spanglish chorus feels as ordinary a pop hook as any other. Much of the album's appeal lies in the fact that it makes a booty-shakin' piece of art of North America's sometimes divisive bilingual reality. "The Cup Of Life," with its Carnaval-esque splendor, gathers a good deal of steam. "Shake Your Bon-Bon" and "Maria" do more of the same, while "She's All I Ever Had" and "Be Careful" take it more sweet 'n mellow. Subtle yet urgent, the latter track has the one and only Madonna adding heat to the pot, with English and Spanish pleading that twists into a fiery double helix with Ricky's soft crooning. minimize