Puerto Rican tenor Alex d’Castro is gifted with one of the most beautiful voices in the history of salsa music. In fact, he’s simply a remarkable singer, no matter what he material he chooses to tackle. His unique blend of Christian gospel lyrics and salsa rhythms has made him a favorite among not only Puerto Ricans in the homeland and in the United States, but all over Latin America as well. This collection, deemed Esenciales: The Ultimate Collection, is a rip-off, however. With the exception of one track, “El Asta el Llegar,” performed as a duet with Yuri from the Gracias album in 1998, every track here — plus seven more — was available on 1999′s Serie Millennium 21, making that the truly ultimate collection of D’Castro’s material. Fans will have all the hits here anyway, such as “Sueño Desperio,” “Un Tenor Para el Cielo,” “El Todo Poderoso,” and more. There are 14 cuts here, issued at a budget price, all of them bona fide hits, but the real ticket is the other collection. – Thom Jurek
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