 Conga Bash March 2003 "Hello my little conga-ers, my conga lovers, my conga files, you know all those things that are conga, you are it! And I'm very, very grateful to have such incredibly devoted and loving fans as you all are! As you know Zeata and everyone else that has anything to do with us is thrilled to accomadate you and try to do as much for you as they can and as they have done in the past so I know you are gonna be in great hands and I know you're gonna have a fabulous party. Since I'm gonna be gone though I thought I'd tell you a couple of places that I think you should veesit, number one, v-veeset? Visit! That's what I mean! I think you should take an air boat ride namely because I have never taken one and I'm dying to know what that's like so is any of you gets the chance to go all the way to the everglades, (it's not that far really probably about an hour ride out fourty- five minutes down 8th street) al the way west I believe it is! Check it out and see there is the Miccosukee Indian tribe, don't bother going to the village because they are all at the bingo halls. So if you're in the mood for a casino gambling there they got the Miccosukee Indians out there. Although I did hear the Seminole Indian village is very nice, I'm gonna check that out myself, I havne't been there either. Parrot jungle is moving so the next time you have a conga bash you'll have Parrot Jungle right near my house and I'll probably be there with my pet parrot, Cosmo. In the meantime, what can I tell you that's new? I already gave you some nice info on the new English language album. It's a studio album but was recorded live. We've got some amazing musicians on there, Sting's drummer, Manu really did a spectacular job. We have people that we picked specifically for their style and they really did a spectacular, spectacular job. I'm thrilled, I'm beyond thrilled with how things are turning out. I've practically recorded everything, we are probably mixing right now as we speak and when you guys are in town so maybe you'll be at the studio at some point when they are doing some work and maybe they can play you a little something you know just to wet your appetite! In the meantime, on the personal side. I've got a new pet, we have got a new edition to the family, Nuelle, who we ended up with quite by accident! She's an English bulldog that I had bought for Nayib for Christmas but when she came, she's Colombian so a big shout out to all the Colombians and I have a dog from Colombia! When she came she was very ill actually and we thought she wasn't gonna make it it so I got him another dog so I would have it for christmas and then we ended up keeping Nuelle so now we have a new edition to the family. We have our eight birds that I don't know if you're aware of, still have my five dalmations and enjoying every bit of life here in sunny South Florida. It was really cold so I'm glad you guys missed it. I hope it's cold now when you're here, I hope it's nice and beautiful and warm like it has been recently. But I'll probably be seeing a lot of you throughout the year. I'm sure we are going to have some great surprises for you. There will be some performances, if not by the end of this year then probably almost certaintly by early next year I'll have to some kind of tour although I'm gonna do it in my way! Which is not how I used to do it before going out for sixteen months. But I'll definitley be probably many more places than I've been. I'm sure first I will be on a promotional tour so I will be able to see some of you in your native lands, almost certain that we'll have to head out to Europe. So I'll be able to see my European conga-ers probably doing different shows over there. In fact things are really kicking in and gearing up and a lot of work ahead so I'm getting in that mode, hard that it may be for me the think of you know going out and working. I've been enjoying myself so much on the creative side. You know that that is my favourite thing to do. So being in the studio has been spectacular and I can tell you that this album is definitely the most personal, because I've written every single lyric and a lot of the music. It has been the easiest album that I've ever recorded in my career. I have enjoyed every second not that I haven't the other ones but having the luxury just to take things at my own pace and be able to devote the time that I wanted to the creative side and the writing has been magnificent. What can I tell you? And I hope that you are as thrilled with it as I am. I saw some questions about if there were horns, there are no horns on this album, no dance music. There are some uptempo but not in the way that you are used to. I don't wanna blow the surprise but it's definitely a different sound that you've heard, then you've heard before and I hope you like it, I'm very, very happy with it. And to all of you, conga-ers and conga children, that I know a lot of the children come down especially from Emily a big hello and welcome and Nayib as well who is now living in town and we are thrilled to have him back with us. He is also working on a secret project for this album so I think you'll be very happy with that, it's secret so I can't tell you about that yet! But you'll know soon. Anyway thanks again for being, I think, the best fans that anyone could ever have, being so devoted even through times where I've been kind of reclusive, as they called me in the papers this year. I quite like that title, 'The recluse' I like it. What can I tell you, anyway thanks again for coming all the way to our town and I hope that everyone treats you beautifully and you have a fantastic time that you have great weather, that you all dance and sing and have a ball and enjoy each other and hopefully we will be throwing a lot more information your way and some exculsives b! efore anything comes out. And I love you all very much! Thank you again and have a great conga bash 2003!" Gloria Estefan |