Gilberto Santa Rosa

Gilberto Santa Rosa is probably the most famous latin singer, also known as "El Caballero de la Salsa" (The Gentleman of Salsa), born August 21, 1962).

Santa Rosa is a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero.

Singing career

During the 1980s, he recorded "Homenaje a Eddie Palmieri" with the Puerto Rican All Stars.

He also recorded with various orchestras, amongst them the Tommy Olivencia Orchestra, the Willie Rosario orchestra and El Gran Combo.

In 1986, Santa Rosa formed his own band and signed with Combo Records; a string of hits followed, such as "Good Vibration",

"De Amor y Salsa", "Punto de Vista", "Vivir Sin Ella" and "Perspectiva".

Santa Rosa was also the first singer of tropical salsa to carry out a concert at the Carnegie Hall Theater, in New York, where he performed as the opening number,

his unique version of the salsa tune, "Represento" , composed by Lou Briel. This event was recorded live at the hall, and later released as an album. [3]

A highlight of the night was the four-minute unscripted addition he made to his song "Perdoname" , which solidified his improvisational talent.

This live version became such a sensation thereafter that Santa Rosa had to memorize his own improvised lines for future concerts, and Perdoname became the closing song to his shows.

In 1990, Santa Rosa joined the all star "La Puertoriqueña" project which included Andy Montañez; in the same year he was awarded the Billboard Lo Nuestro Award for Best Male Singer.

He also participated in the play "La Pareja Dispareja" alongside Luis Vigoreaux and Rafo Muñiz. In 1995, Santa Rosa traveled to Japan as Puerto Rico's Good Will Ambassador,

where he sang "De Cara al Viento" in Japanese. In 1996, he recorded "Caballero de la Salsa, Vol 2" and he also participated in the First "Festival Presidente" in

the Dominican Republic. In 1997, he sang with Andy Montañez in New Yorks Lincoln Center and later that year, with Olga Tañon at the Universal

Studios Amphitheater in Hollywood, California.

Santa Rosa's hits continued with the album "Expresion" which included the single "Fulana" and in 2001 with the album "Romantico". He released "Viceversa" in 2002

which became a "hit" in the Latin community in the United States and in all of Latin-America.

Discography

1986 - Good Vibrations (album)|Good Vibrations

1987 - Keeping Cool (album)|Keeping Cool

1988 - De Amor Y Salsa

1988 - Salsa... En Movimiento

1990 - Punto De Vista

1991 - Perspectiva

1992 - A Dos Tiempos De Un Tiempo

1993 - Nace Aquí

1994 - De Cara Al Viento

1995 - En Vivo Desde El Carnegie Hall