Entre Amigos

Tejano stalwart Emilio Navaira is in fine form on Entre Amigos, which showcases his knack for choosing solid, radio-ready hits that showcase a sturdy, confident vocal style. Navaira's been at it now for 15 years, so he knows his way around a galloping cumbia or a shuffling norteno song. He's particularly effective on tracks "Tarde o Temprano," "Parece Que" and "Herido," the album's winsome opener. Not one to rest on his laurels, Navaira ably tackles a winning bilingual version of the country staple "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" and makes it his own. He also enlists R&B hotshot DJ Kane for an update of Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler," transforming it into an effective urban-Tejano hybrid. Beto Zapata of Pesado and Jose Luis Ayala of Los Humildes also make appearances, but this is Navaira's party from start to finish and a solid portrait of a Tejano titan capably comfortable in his own skin. --Joey Guerra