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Linda Valls is a beautiful woman with an equally beautiful voice who hails from Cordoba, Argentina. Her debut CD, Never Stop Dreaming, contains a blend of Spanish and English songs that range from pop to ballads to spicy Latin. She has a full range with a deep, rich vibrato, both sultry and sweetly expressive, that comes across beautifully on this recording. Sexy, strong, personable, and straight from the heart, Linda has unmistakable star quality.
This is her first foray into English-sung vocal recording. (The album opens with a cover of Cher's "Believe," and includes Diane Warren's "Un Break My Heart" and Sade's "Smooth Operator," along with eight Latin covers.) Her release is timely as a major trend towards Latin music is afoot these days, led by recent Time magazine cover boy Ricky Martin and his mega-hit "La Vida Loca." Others include Miami songstress Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias' son Enrique with music from the new Wild, Wild West movie, and film-star-turned-pop-singer Jennifer Lopez with her Top 10 album.
Closer to home, I had the joy of working with Linda when she sang in English for the first time last winter at a dance here in Fairfield. Everybody loved her. A consummate professional with a naturally giving soul, she wins everyone over just being herself. Many years of performing in Argentina have given her an immaculate ease on stage. Attractive and sensuous, she has dark, smoldering eyes that always seem to be smiling. Possessing the usual warmhearted enthusiasm that emanates from south-of-the-border performers, Linda adds a measure of class, soul, and sophistication. Put simply, she's a complete package and real as they come.
Produced by Linda and Robert Rivera at RMS Studios in Fairfield, Never Stop Dreaming is a joy to listen to from start to finish. The music floats. The rhythms are intoxicating. There are wonderful percussive flourishes. The arrangements are well conceived and executed. Executive producer Rivera, who also played much of the music along with Antonio Rodriguez, is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music, where he studied under Gary Burton. My only criticism is the reliance on keyboard samples, rather than actual nylon-string guitars or trumpets, for example. (The bass lines are very interesting, though.) Maybe the background vocals could be hotter here and there in the mix. But even with these few limitations in mind, I find the overall sound well balanced and delightfully inviting.
This is a great first effort from a very talented woman, and talented production team. Add this recording to your collection and dream on. It's available around town, or by calling 1-(888) 321-9207.
