A Corazon Abierto (CD - 2004)

Personnel: Alejandro Fernández (vocals); Manny López, Luis "El Potro" Contreras (acoustic guitar); Marco Aurelio Sanchez (guitarron, vihuela); Fernando de Santiago (vihuela); Alfredo Oliva (concertina); Jose Hernandez Mariachi, Jason Carder (trumpet); Dana Teboe (trombone); Hector Infanzon (piano); Aureo Baqueiro (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, percussion, programming); Beto Dominguez (percussion); Milton Salcedo (programming); Ramiro Teran, Gabriel Ramos (background vocals).

One of Mexico's most successful artists of the 1990s, Alejandro Fernandez is the son of celebrated ranchera singer Vicente Fernandez, and has continued his family's rich tradition of heartfelt vocalizing into the new millennium. The smooth pop of A CORAZON ABIERTO is a slight departure for Fernandez, but his sensitive vocals are well suited to his material, which varies from the throbbing, sentimental "Me Dedique A Perderte" to the flamenco overtones of the uptempo "Se Va," one of the most traditional-sounding tracks on offer here. The sultry, acoustic "Lo Que Pudo Ser" again highlights Fernandez's smoothly seductive, pleading vocals, while the Cuban influence and instrumentation of "Luchare Por Tu Amor," a "secret" extra track, artfully demonstrates his versatility and his genre-straddling expertise. For all the pop trimmings on display here, Fernandez still has his roots in the soulful music of his family and his country. minimize