So-called ‘Jukebox Musicals’ are nothing new. Perhaps they have become more blatant, and there are more of them around these days, but they have always been around - either based around composers, artists or musicals genres. The latest one to hit Broadway is the ‘biopic’ story of one of the most popular singers / groups of the '80s and '90s - Gloria Estefan and The Miami Sound Machine.

The show certainly has pedigree in terms of it’s development and production. Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray) and choreographed by Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo(Jersey Boys, Memphis) with an original book by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman, The Bodyguard Musical), then it would suggest quality. Indeed, the cast recording is produced by the Estefans (Gloria and Emilio) themselves.

Performers on this album are lead by Cuban-American singer and actress Ana Villafañe, named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s top Broadway Breakout Stars of 2015, makes her “star-is-born, supernova debut” (Deadline) as Gloria Estefan opposite Josh Segarra, who brings a “forceful magnetism” (New York Times) to the role Emilio Estefan. The cast also stars Drama Desk Award winner Andréa Burns (In The Heights) as Gloria’s mother, Gloria Fajardo; Alma Cuervo (Beauty and the Beast) as Gloria’s grandmother, Consuelo; Alexandria Suarez as Little Gloria; and Eduardo Hernandez as Nayib/Young Emilio. Rounding out the ensemble are Fabi Aguirre, Karmine Alers, Yassmin Alers, David Baida, Natalie Caruncho, Henry Gainza, Linedy Genao, Carlos E. Gonzalez, Nina Lafarga, Genny Lis Padilla, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Hector Maisonet, Marielys Molina, Felix Monge, Doreen Montalvo, Liz Ramos, Eliseo Roman, Luis Salgado, Marcos Santana, Martín Solá, Jennifer Sanchez, Brett Sturgis, Kevin Tellez, Eric Ulloa, Tanairi Vasquez and Lee Zarrett.

Unfortunately, none of this could save this from becoming perhaps the worst cast album I’ve ever listened to. It’s problems are many. Firstly, this cast recording has been recorded live in the theatre. Not a bad thing - look back at the London Cast of Kinky Boots and Bend It Like Beckham to show that this can work extremely well. However in this case, it sounds like it’s been recorded in a bathroom the size of Wembley. The echo makes everything sound like a mush, and is about as intimate as a meal for two in Madison Square Gardens. It sounds awful, and I can’t believe this is what the Estefan’s have allowed out. Secondly, the performances, both from the company and band whilst been adequate, are not a patch on the original performances, and hence much of this cast recording comes over as being a performance by a so-so covers band.

But mainly for me, it’s the usual problem that there’s very little theatre on this recording of any quality. Where there is lib involved, or where the songs have been arranged with a musical-theatre approach (very few) it sounds forced and cliched. Things pick up towards the end of the album, after the coach crash that nearly ended Gloria’s life, but this is short-lived before the obligatory MegaMix kicks in, but not enough to rescue this from the reject pile.

This may be a great show to experience in person, but for me, the recording is best left alone. If you want to listen to the Estefan’s work, buy a Greatest Hits.

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Ian Gude