Gloria Estefan
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jfiedler17
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Seriously? I never figured k.d. lang or Chrissie Hynde were the slightest bit Karen-influenced. Karen's not a very obvious reference point for either.
Estefan's singing style and voice definitely seem a lot more comparable to Karen than lang or Hynde (or Madonna, for that matter). Estefan, I think, is a pretty great vocalist. Enjoy listening to her even when I don't like the songs themselves all that much. (Love her '85-'89 singles, though!)
Estefan's singing style and voice definitely seem a lot more comparable to Karen than lang or Hynde (or Madonna, for that matter). Estefan, I think, is a pretty great vocalist. Enjoy listening to her even when I don't like the songs themselves all that much. (Love her '85-'89 singles, though!)
I have often wondered if the management of Gloria Estefan / Miami Sound Machine looked to the difficulty of selling a family act such as the Carpenters (or any other family act for that matter) when the decision was made to focus on Ms. Estefan rather than the group as a whole. It seems to me that being a member of a family group somehow makes the individuals easier targets for would-be music critics.
[An aside: I recall reading somewhere that Richard once commented on this saying something to the effect that "A&M didn't know how to market a brother and sister act".]
Is it possible that the record label / management for Miami Sound Machine recalled the perceived marketing "problem" faced by A&M and as a result decided that the focus had to shift from the family-related group to Ms. Estefan as an individual?
It would be interesting to know the debates that must have gone on prior to that decision being made. Does anyone have any inside information on the management of Miami Sound Machine / G. Estefan?
Also, does anyone think that solo albums by Karen, but still produced by Richard, would have helped their record sales during the latter half of their career? Would it have been easier to market if they were no longer a family act?
[An aside: I recall reading somewhere that Richard once commented on this saying something to the effect that "A&M didn't know how to market a brother and sister act".]
Is it possible that the record label / management for Miami Sound Machine recalled the perceived marketing "problem" faced by A&M and as a result decided that the focus had to shift from the family-related group to Ms. Estefan as an individual?
It would be interesting to know the debates that must have gone on prior to that decision being made. Does anyone have any inside information on the management of Miami Sound Machine / G. Estefan?
Also, does anyone think that solo albums by Karen, but still produced by Richard, would have helped their record sales during the latter half of their career? Would it have been easier to market if they were no longer a family act?
Dave
Well-Known Member
AM Matt said:
I've just been thinking of how Gloria Estefan could have very much be a "Cuban (or Kuban
) Karen Carpenter".Yes, she very much immersed herself in the more modern 80's-90's American Pop--which was not helped much by a lot of Drum machines and Synthesizers propping up her act, rather than something with a bit more authenticity that Miami Sound Machine almost had.
I guess maybe she could make a "Roots" album--or HAS SHE?? And add to that some Melancholy Sounding stuff, not to mention a few songs Karen and Richard actually did; perhaps their own. Gloria does have a good singing style and much potential a career revival such as this could give her.
Maybe you might have something...
Dave
jfiedler17
Well-Known Member
ringves said:
I think it backfired, though. While Estefan's always managed to maintain a high public profile, her chart record these days (everything post-"Coming Out of the Dark") isn't anywhere near as impressive as her chart stats from the '80s. Partly 'cause, yes, the music scene's changed radically and veteran artists like Estefan have a difficult time cracking the Top 40 over the last few years, but, also, personally, I think, the records just haven't been as good.
I think the Miami Sound Machine singles are fantastic ("Bad Boy," "Falling in Love," "1-2-3," "Anything for You" all come to mind as favorites), but none of Gloria's post-"Coming Out .." singles have made all that huge an impression on me ('cept maybe her remake of "It's Too Late"), and I think "Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me" was her only CD of the last ten years I've been able to listen to from start to finish without getting bored. Her ballads seem notably more generic than her earlier ones, and the more uptempo stuff has started to sound more like all-out disco records rather than sleek pop with a mild Latin flavor to it like the MSM singles were. But I also haven't heard her latest ("Unwrapped") yet, and, from what I hear, it's supposed to be a huge step forward for her from her '92-'00 stuff. I'd LOVE it if she went back to making records that were more MSM-ish, though!
I'm not so sure there would have been much of a difference in the Carpenters' sales in the latter half of their career no matter HOW they were marketed or had they been Karen solo releases produced by Richard. I'm not so sure that it was the idea of Carpenters being a FAMILY act that most alienated a lot of critics and listeners so much as it was just the music that they made, which - while fantastic, of course! - always remained too soft and inoffensive for the countless number of millions of critics and listeners out there who think that music has to have some kind of "edge" to it to have any kind of value. (Those same people, incidentally, make the worst music reviewers, I think.) Had their sound not changed at all to something slightly more harder or edgier (and thank God it didn't) to win over people who otherwise would never be caught dead buying a Carpenters album, I'm not sure their sales would have risen much no matter HOW A&M tried to market them.
TulitaPepsi
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softly333
New Member
being anglo saxon in the usa we do not have a say in the popular music culture as such...........ever since ronald reagan cut the arts budgets to schools in the 80's...no child has been given proper funds, instruction or knowledge of how to read music..or given proper means of lessons on how to play piano, oboe or saxophone or understand a musical scale....no - they were regulated to make music at their own means........so this is why the usa is left to hear music from the next generation of things they created spinning turntables and borrowing other peoples music and not knowing how to chord a dimished seventh or understand the brilliance of a Bach invention or even contemplating the genius of Burt Bachrach...Only those who attended private NY schools have been afforded the lessons of the masters and the lessons of the greats that came and created before us...
In 20 years - high school reunions will be playing the music of Eninem, Beyonce of PUFT Daddy.........bitter yes I AM and that is why I treasure the music Richard and Karen made because no one will ever get the license and permission to actually have "vision" and create beautiful and timeless music as Richard sought to do.
...."Please, Mr.Postman" ( in my lifetime) to me is the last number 1 single I will ever be excited to buy or was given goosebumps at the first listening!!
[ Edited for content--attacks on artists or their music are uncalled for. --NR 1/22/04 ]
In 20 years - high school reunions will be playing the music of Eninem, Beyonce of PUFT Daddy.........bitter yes I AM and that is why I treasure the music Richard and Karen made because no one will ever get the license and permission to actually have "vision" and create beautiful and timeless music as Richard sought to do.
...."Please, Mr.Postman" ( in my lifetime) to me is the last number 1 single I will ever be excited to buy or was given goosebumps at the first listening!!
[ Edited for content--attacks on artists or their music are uncalled for. --NR 1/22/04 ]
Dave60640
Active Member
Back to the ORIGINAL question pertaining to Gloria as a Karen fan...
"Yes." I do not have the original papers in front of me now, but one of the reasons I fell in love with Gloria is from a late 1980's interview in which Gloria expressed admiration and awe at Karen's many musical talents.
In this article, Gloria expressed pride in the many comparisons in her warm vocals to those Karen mastered, but knew noone could ever come close to "Karen's warmth and understanding."
I love Gloria's artistic exploration and growth and am totally bummed out to think of what "mighta been" had Ms. Carpenter lived to do the same.
"Yes." I do not have the original papers in front of me now, but one of the reasons I fell in love with Gloria is from a late 1980's interview in which Gloria expressed admiration and awe at Karen's many musical talents.
In this article, Gloria expressed pride in the many comparisons in her warm vocals to those Karen mastered, but knew noone could ever come close to "Karen's warmth and understanding."
I love Gloria's artistic exploration and growth and am totally bummed out to think of what "mighta been" had Ms. Carpenter lived to do the same.
I can't figure out what everyone is getting all excited about here,but Gloria Estefan doesn't resemble Karen in the least.I think artists like Vanessa Williams,Diana Krall,Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughan are much more comparable to Karen.
Incidentally,Diana's new album "The Girl In The Other Room" is due out the same day as K&R's "As Time Goes By".(April 13).Perfect timing!
Incidentally,Diana's new album "The Girl In The Other Room" is due out the same day as K&R's "As Time Goes By".(April 13).Perfect timing!
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