Rating:
Genre:
Latin
Release Date: 03/01/2005
From the very beginning of
Desde el Carnegie Hall,
Victor Manuelle and his crew are a cut above the rest. This is easily evident in the adoring cries of a packed-out house, sometimes nearly overpowering the confidently swinging band. As with any project out of the
Estefan camp, the arrangements and instrumental performances are virtually peerless. With a strong preference toward the studio, most
salsa artists of the day miss out on the opportunities afforded by the live disc, which are both obvious and richly appreciated on
En Vivo. The raw, vital sound quality of the instruments is a fresh change from the sterile over-processed tone listeners have come to expect, and the oceanic sway of the groove over rigid studio precision would be the clear choice in a blindfold taste test of any
salsa fan. With a crowd-pleaser-filled set, including
"He Tratado" and
"Tengo Ganas," Manuelle has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand, and the sentiment is contagious. Finally bringing down the house with
"La Vida Es un Carnaval," Desde el Carnegie Hall is not only a fine choice for dedicated
Manuelle fans, but for anyone looking for the hottest live sound to grace
salsa in years.
~Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music Guide