Feliciano!

by

José Feliciano

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This is the album that started my passion for Jose Feliciano's music. It was 1978 and I was thirteen years old when I first heard this masterpiece recording at a friend's home. I remember telling my friend "who's that guy, he's fantastic". Up to that point I had never heard any music performed with so much feeling and emotion. I still remember the first time I heard LIGHT MY FIRE, I was blown away by its Jazzy/Soul feel and Jose's voice and guitar were the most beautiful sounds I had ever heard. The entire album is a gem there is not one bad song in it. His versions of the Beatles "IN MY LIFE" and the Mama's and The Papas "CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'" are superb and they by far surpass the originals. I love every song on this CD but I have to mention that one of my favorites is the last song on the album which is called "THE LAST THING ON MY MIND", this song is beautiful and Feliciano again does a superb job with the vocals as with his brilliant guitar playing. His instrumental version of "AND I LOVE HER is so beautiful that I can't help the tears from falling it moves me deeply. After I discovered this album I became fascinated with everything that Feliciano did and I started collecting all of his albums in Spanish and English. In either language he is excellent. This remains one of my favorite albums of all times and I listen to it often. When I found out that Feliciano was blind from birth and born under extreme poverty in the mountains of Lares in his native Puerto Rico, my admiration for him grew even more. I remember saying to myself in a number of occassions "how can someone that is blind be so extremely gifted,talented and versatile". In later years I heard a reporter ask Jose if he thought he was a better musician because he couldn't see, at which point he responded "no not being able to see made me focus better on what I really wanted to do with my life but sight has never had anything to do with it". That is one of the great things that I admired about this brilliant musician is the way he overcame adversity to become one of the greatest performers the world has ever known. FELICIANO! will always be a masterpiece and it should be in the music library of every person who really loves and appreciates beautiful music. I would like to say that this was the album that catapulted Jose Feliciano to world reknown status as an entertainer of the highest caliber. Please, get this CD you will love it for years and years I guarantee it. A timeless classic for all generations to enjoy.