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 Leroy Gomez is an American, and a native
of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. At the age of 14 he formed his
first band, and within a short time was recruited to join the
band TAVARES, who had a number of hit records, and with whom
Leroy toured throughout the United States, Canada, eventually
leading to a major European tour. Leroy fell instantly in love
with Italy – so much so that he left TAVARES to stay in Europe
and discover more of this new-found land. Leroy eventually
settled in Paris where he quickly became one of the top
recording session saxophone players and vocalists, working
with many great artists such as Gilbert Bécaud, Claude
François, Patrick Juvet, and many more. Leroy was a featured
saxophonist on the celebrated Elton John album, “Yellow Brick
Road.”
Leroy’s first recording success in his own right was the
single “Here We Go ‘Round” which became an instant hit in
Europe and Latin America. This was soon followed by the
worldwide success of SANTA ESMERALDA “Don’t Let Me Be
Misunderstood” which sold more than 15 million albums
within a few months of release. To date, this is the biggest
selling disco hit on record, earning Leroy 48 Gold and 42
Platinum albums! SANTA ESMERALDA – Leroy Gomez
has also received 6 Cash Box and Billboard awards in the
United States, and has twice been awarded the “Mask of
Success” for Best Live Show in Europe by the Federation of
European Press. Leroy Gomez is the first
American artist to receive the prestigious Gondola D’Oro Award
at the Venice Music Festival.
In addition to his recording and performing successes,
Leroy is also a songwriter, with the hit song “You’re My
Everything” to add to his list of credits.
SANTA ESMERALDA – Leroy Gomez remains one
of the greatest disco hits to which people all over the world
have danced. Leroy has just completed a new album entitled
“Lay Down My Love”.
RECORD REVIEW -
"The
Best of Santa Esmeralda"
The Best of Santa Esmeralda: You're My
Everything reveals that the group's recordings have held up
quite well. The disc wisely chooses the full-length album versions
of the group's tracks, thus allowing the listener to get the full
effect of the lush, epic arrangements that characterized the
recordings. The up-tempo cuts effectively pit pop hooks and melodies
against insistently danceable rhythms and are delivered with brio by
the studio musicians: "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" effectively
layers staccato handclaps and horn arrangements out of an Ennio
Morricone soundtrack over its stomping dance beat, and "Another Cha
Cha" is a bravura disco epic where serpentine horn arrangements duel
with percolating salsa rhythms to create dance track that is as
suspenseful as it is thrilling. Elsewhere, Santa Esmeralda takes the
intensity down a few notches to create some lovely ballads: "Sevilla
Nights" is a lush instrumental that creates a mellow, tangibly
nocturnal mood, and "You're My Everything" is a heart-tugging ballad
highlighted by a gorgeous, lilting flamenco guitar solo. Special
note should also be made of the group's vocalists, Leroy Gomez and
Jimmy Goings, who keep the music's slick sound from becoming
impersonal with their impassioned, rich vocal stylings. In the end,
the listener's tolerance for disco will determine how much they get
out of The Best of Santa Esmeralda: You're My Everything, but
anyone who appreciates Euro
disco at its most lush and romantic will enjoy this disc.
Santa Esmeralda's debut dropped on Phillips
Records in 1977, then Casablanca Records for worldwide distribution;
Hot Records reissued it on CD in 1994. Originally titled Santa
Esmeralda Featuring Leroy Gomez Casablanca changed the title to
capitalize on the hit single "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." The
old Animals' classic covered an entire side of the original vinyl
album, "Esmeralda Suite," was simply a reworking of the hit.
Contains three others: a dull ballad "You're My Everything," an
elongated remake of "Gloria," that's borderline disco, and the
refreshing "Black Pot," a soulful number that uses Spanish guitars,
flamenco percussion, and lead guitars to good effect. There's no
bonus tracks, so you're getting the original album intact.
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