BLACK AND WHITE TOUR - RICKY MARTIN
Ricky Martin’s “MTV Unplugged” found him singing in an acoustic, pared-down format. But this second live set in less than a year features him backed by a large ensemble befitting his recently ended arena tour. The sheer energy is radically different from the spiritual uplift of the “MTV” set. Martin includes tracks like “Living la Vida Loca,” but the underlying beat leans more sharply toward syncopated rock than Latin, with electric guitar lines subbing the trademark horns. It sounds like heresy, but it works, as does the rave intro of the danceable “Drop It on Me” and the more classic torch balladry of “Tal Vez.” The set ends with Martin’s latest single, “Tu Recuerdo,” an acoustic ballad with Spanish singer La Mari that detours into lengthy instrumental improvisation.
