Marc Anthony (CD - 1999)

Personnel includes: Marc Anthony (vocals); Rodney Jerkins, Harvey Mason Jr. (various instruments); Rene Toledo, Dean Parks (acoustic & electric guitars); Michael Thompson, Marc Shulman (electric guitar); T-Bone Wolk (accordion, bass); Luis Aquino (trumpet); Rafi Torres, Victor Vasquez, Jorge Diaz (trombone); Walter Afanasief, Dan Shea, Cory Rooney (keyboards, programming); Fernando Muscolo (keyboards); Jose Gazmel (bass); Kachiro Thompson (congas); Tito de Garcia (bongos, timbales); Charlie Sierra, Bobby Allende (percussion); Chequi Ramos, Josue Rosado, Wichy Camacho (background vocals).

Producers: Rodney Jerkins, Walter Afanasieff, Ric Wake, Emilio Estefan Jr., Marc Anthony.

Engineers include: Hector I. Rosa, Joe Caldas, Gerardo Lopez.

"I Need To Know" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

"Dimelo" was nominated for the 2000 Latin Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and won the 2000 Latin Grammy Award for Record Of The Year. "De La Vuelta" was nominated for Best Tropical Song.

"You Sang To Me" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Personnel: Marc Anthony (vocals); Dean Parks, Rene Toledo (guitar, acoustic guitar); Michael Thompson (guitar, electric guitar); Maximo Torres (guitar); Russ Desalvo (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards); Marc Shulman (electric guitar); Fernando Medina, Victor Mendez Sanchez, Arnaldo Figueroa, Francisco Morla, Enrique Collazo, Henry Hutchinson (violin); Orlando Guillot, Fermin Segarra (cello); T-Bone Wolk (accordion); Luis Aquino (trumpet); Victor Vásquez, Jimmy Bosch, Raffi Torres, Jorge Diaz (trombone); Alberto Martínez, Angel Fernandez (horns); Corey Rooney, Dan Shea (keyboards, programming, keyboard programming, drum programming); Walter Afanasieff (keyboards, programming); Steve Skinner (keyboards, drum programming); Fernando Muscolo (keyboards); Tito de Garcia (bongos, timbales); Patrick Carroll (percussion, programming, drum programming); Charlie Sierra, Bobby Allende (percussion); Dana Calitri, Claytoven Richardson, Gordon Chambers, Josue Rosado, Melonie Daniels, Robin Thicke, Skyler Jett, Wichy Camacho, Conesha Monet (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Mick Guzauski; Rony Torres; Tony Maserati.

Recording information: Altamar Music Studios, Puerto Rico; Andora Studios, L.A; Cello Studios, L.A; Cove City Sound Studios, Glen Cove, NY; Digitec Studios, Puerto Rico; Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; The Dream Factory, New York, NY; The Hit Factory, New York, NY; The Village, L.A; WallyWorld, CA.

Photographer: Stephanie Pfriender.

Arrangers: Dan Shea; Marc Anthony; Angel "Cucco" Peña; Rick Wake; Russ Desalvo; Steve Skinner; Walter Afanasieff.

Marc Anthony was a salsa superstar throughout the '90s, long before the Latin pop explosion of the 1999. Once Ricky Martin ushered in a new era of crossovers that spring with "Livin' La Vida Loca," there was a rush of crossover acts, almost enough to make it seem like Anthony was left behind. After all, his bid for mainstream success as the starring role in Paul Simon's Broadway musical The Capeman was undone as it became one of the Great White Way's most notorious failures. Still, Anthony had his own English-language album in the works. Titled Marc Anthony, the record appeared in the fall of 1999, guaranteeing it a shot at a mass audience, which is exactly what it was designed to do. As a matter of fact, it's almost a bit too calculated, opening with two interchangeable ballads that set the tone for a pleasant, subdued set of Latin-tinged adult contemporary pop. Anthony sings beautifully throughout, but he's never given the opportunity to be truly electric, the way he can be with hot salsa numbers. The liveliest the album gets is the catchy, mid-tempo single "I Need to Know," which is gently danceable, or the mild salsa of "That's Okay," and the Latin dance-pop of "She's Been Good to Me." The rest is almost all pop ballads, perfectly produced and gamely sung by Anthony. Some of these work very well, others simply fade into the slipstream. That's particularly frustrating because Anthony is such a talented singer that it's evident that he's capable of much more than this. Marc Anthony isn't bad for what it is, and a few of its singles are quite good, but it's not at the level of his earlier records, or Martin's crossover bid of 1999, either. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Marc Anthony has hopped on a shiny new pop music train with his self-titled English debut. While longtime fans won't find much of the salsa here that they've always known him for, there's still plenty of continuity in the fact that he's as fine a singer as ever and a sure romantic. Then again, Marc Anthony has always been about putting his own spin on his roots, so would-be critics should be warned--he won't be tied down.

The single "I Need to Know," with its pulsing salsa horns and piano, was a ubiquitous item on mainstream radio that clearly rode the fast waters of the Latin floodgate opened by Ricky Martin and others. "That's Okay" delves a bit deeper into the clave, while the plaintive "How Could I" combines the fluid fire of Spanish guitar with soft, slow-jam programming. A sweet pop nugget, "You Sang to Me" offers soaring waves of keyboard as Anthony makes his amorous declarations with breathy urgency. minimize