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Gilberto Santa Rosa rises once more in this fourth Sony Latin release, which features more sure-fire hits like "Sin Voluntad" and "Me Volvieron a Hablar de Ella (both composed by Omar Alfanno). "Amor de Umbral" (arranged by Bobby Valentín) and "Que Manera de Quererte" (arranged by the great Papo Lucca and Sonora Ponceña conga player Georgie Padilla) are particularly tasteful. A strange feeling of déjà vu over the romantic material is the only complaint. Nonetheless, this is completely irresistible. ~ José A. Estévez, Jr.

An unnecessarily brisk collection of Tito Puente's greatest hits, Colección Diamante does include a bare few of his career highlights ("El Cayuco," "Dance Manía"), but there are many better compilations available, including Rhino's The Best of Tito Puente: El Rey del Timbal!. ~ John Bush

With a fiercely loyal fan base and over ten years of success in the salsa world, Grupo Niche decided that with its six studio albums, and as many compilations, 1994 was ready for The Best. According to the charts, they were right. The Best charted well for them, and continues to be among their best-selling records. Unfortunately, though this may be the best of Grupo Niche, it is not artistically the best that salsa has to offer. Somehow, Grupo Niche has managed to make a name and lasting career for themselves without ever raising their horn-writing above the rudimentary or introducing any of the improvisational elements that give salsa, as a genre, its heat and flavor. Specializing in both smooth, romantic ballads and sensual salsas, the vocals, arrangements, and even the percussion section are incredibly smooth. They are so smooth at times that they are utterly ignorable. The listener might wonder where to direct his attention. Though every element has merit, it is difficult to find a standout, to find the true center of Grupo Niche. Similarly, The Best is a nondescript listen, lacking movement and direction. For the dedicated fan, those who know and love the repertoire, this may be a perfectly good addition to his collection. However, for those looking to explore and wander slightly off pop-salsa's beaten path, this could prove a disappointment. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez

In his effort for the multinational label CBS Discos, Gilberto Santa Rosa came into his own, combining romantic and traditional salsa trends with excellent results. This very danceable recording helped Santa Rosa to gain great public appeal in the very early '90s; Jorge Luis Piloto's "No Me Dejes Solo" is a bomba that adds a breath of fresh air to the proceedings. Punto de Vista is Alex d'Castro's last recording with the orchestra before he embarked on a solo career. ~ José A. Estévez, Jr.