is passionate, flamboyant, exotic, and incredible talented – and on her aptly titled new CD A Gozár! (to enjoy), she demonstrates why critics have long called her the “Latin Tina Turner.” “Salsoul”, the genre Noël created to describe her sound, combines elements of salsa, soul, jazz, funk, and afro-cuban.

Featuring smoking hot Latin grooves laced with rapid-fire Spanish lyrics, A Gozár! is a manifestation of Noël’s love of music and dance and a dedication to her family in her native Perú. Noël wanted the CD to be “something that you can put on at your party and dance to… take a little break to dance to the ballad cheek-to-cheek and then dance some more.”

Close to her extended family back in Perú, Noël hopes, more than anything, that this album makes them proud. “In 1996,” she says, “I went to Perú and I saw how important it was to them that I was living my vision and inspiring them…and the money I make – all of that money goes back to them. That re-energized me and motivated me to put this album together.”

The tracks on A Gozár! range from tributes to some of the great Salsa and Cuban artists of the past, to Noël’s originals, and some of her favorite long-time standards. Written by Rafael Hernández, one of the most prolific Puerto Rican composers, “El Cumbanchero” references the “party man” or percussionist.

Her choice to record the song was made at the request of her mentally handicapped cousin, Mateo, who has repeatedly asked her to add it to an album. “La Culebra” is a Cuban standard that has been part of Noël’s repertoire for many years. It was originally done by Benny Moré, a famous Cuban band leader and singer in the early 1960’s.
“La Cumbita” is a tribute to the Fania All-Stars (of which Celia Cruz was a member). Put together by Jerry Masucci and Johnny Pacheco, the band created the salsa movement in the US in the 1970’s.

The name of Ismael Miranda’s “Asi Se Compone Un Son“ translates to “how to write a groove”.
The lyrics, says Noël, “speak to mixing ingredients and cooking slowly because otherwise you’ll spoil the recipe. You have to make it perfect so that the dancers who are not professionals can feel the groove.”

While “Candela” is “just a little song about fire and flirting with men”, Noël covers heavier topics in “Tu Condena” which talks about the weight carried by those who betray their friends and “Bolero de Salon” which, Noël says, “is the song I imagine my father singing to my mom.

My father would drink a lot and this is a song of him regretting that”. Originally recorded in Spanish on Noël’s Bongoland album, “Carlito’s Way”, was written for the 1993 mafia film of the same name. While it didn’t make the soundtrack, it remains as one of the originals Noël is most proud of.

A Gozár!, says Noël, “is the soundtrack of my life in a way. These are the songs I’ve enjoyed singing the most, the ones that get people up and really dancing, and the ones that really blow people away. I call what I do ‘hardcore salsa’ because nowadays there is a lot of romantic salsa but I’m more of a punk salsa singer. I hope people will appreciate the intensity and the passion of this record. It’s not lightweight; I’m the Nine Inch Nails of salsa.”

A Gozár!, says Noël, “is the soundtrack of my life in a way. These are the songs I’ve enjoyed singing the most, the ones that get people up and really dancing, and the ones that really blow people away.

I call what I do ‘hardcore salsa’ because nowadays there is a lot of romantic salsa but I’m more of a punk salsa singer. I hope people will appreciate the intensity and the passion of this record. It’s not lightweight; I’m the Nine Inch Nails of salsa.”

Originally from Lima, Perú, Noël’s career began at the age of eight with a starring role in a Perúvian television show called “El Tío Johnny”.As a teenager, Noël's mother Menina Pereira sent her to Argentina and Germany to take voice, violin, and piano lessons.

Encouraged by the legendary Stan Getz to move to the US, Noël relocated to New York City and briefly performed as a dancer with Jo Jo’s Dance Factory and Menudo.

Noël moved to Los Angeles in 1989, shortly getting involved in the local artistic movement and in the early 1990s, formed Cecilia Noël and The Wild Clams.

A James Brown meets Pérez Prado band, The Wild Clams received quick attention for their explosive live shows and were consequently booked at the House of Blues and the Playboy Jazz Festival.

Cecilia Nöel and The Wild Clams released a live concert DVD "Live in Hollywood" in the summer of 2008 and in December, participated in the Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration on PBS/KCET.Noël also performs and records with husband and former Men At Work frontman Colin Hay.