Miguel Bosé - Sereno (2001)

Simply put, the Panama-born Miguel Bosé is larger than life. He's a singer, composer, film scorer, thespian, and television host. On top of that, Picasso was his godfather and Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dalí, and Jean Cocteau were family friends. With nearly two dozen albums to his credit, the much-traveled, thundering baritone--who made waves with his 1985 hit, "Bandido"--shines in this recording from his own crib in Madrid. Backing Bosé on this date are Mana's ace drummer, Alex González, and Antonio Carmona from Ketama. The group receives expert production by Peter and Greg Walsh, who worked with Peter Gabriel and Simple Minds. Included in this set is the hip-hop friendly "Morenamia"; "El Hijo del Capitán Trueno," a reggaefied shout-out to his bullfighter father; the atmospheric "Mirarte"; and "Puede Que," a dedication to the daughter of Latin pop star Alejandro Sanz. The album title, which means Night Watchman in English, is tailor-made for the clubs, and the album itself received a 2002 Latin Grammy Award nomination for Album of the Year. -- Eugene Holley Jr.