José José: Influences

If José José’s influences prove anything, it’s that this Mexican crooner was always swinging for the big leagues. He loved a grand gesture; songs like Frank Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York” and Louis Armstrong’s “Hello, Dolly!” resonate perfectly with the dramatic side of his oeuvre. But José José was also a tender balladeer, inspired by crooners like Johnny Mathis and Barbra Streisand. His early love for jazz also shines through here.