Interpreta los Grandes Éxitos de José José / Interpreta los Grandes Exitos de Jose Jose

In romantic Latin pop — Latin adult contemporary, if you will — José José enjoys the sort of popularity that Luther Vandross enjoys in the R&B field. Although José José is from Mexico, he has never been marketed as a regional Mexican artist; rather, the veteran singer has an across-the-board appeal in the Spanish-speaking world. José José can sell out a concert hall in Mexico City, but he is equally popular in countries that range from Spain to Argentina to Venezuela. And because José José caters to the Spanish-speaking world in general rather than having a specifically Mexican focus, it's fascinating to hear Mojado providing a Mexican-oriented tribute to the Latin pop star. The English translation of this CD's title is Mojado Interprets the Major Hits of José José, and "interpret" is exactly what the group does to well known gems like "La Almohada," "Cuando Vayas Conmigo," and "Ya Lo Pasado Pasado" — Mojado gives the songs more of a regional Mexican flavor, making them relevant to the grupero style. Of course, Mojado's members aren't hardcore purists when it comes to regional Mexican music; grupero, like tejano, is essentially Latin pop with Mexican overtones, just as salsa romantica is essentially Latin pop with Afro-Cuban overtones. But even so, this excellent album is certainly much more Mexican-flavored than a typical José José release — again, José José's Latin pop is designed to appeal to a broad range of españolhablantes (Spanish speakers), not Mexicans exclusively. And by giving these songs more of a Mexican flavor, Mojado successfully gives you a fresh new way of looking at them. Mojado Interpreta los Grandes Éxitos de José José is one of the finest, most intriguing CDs in the group's catalog.