Live review: An early Thanksgiving feast for Cuban diva Omara Portuondo at UCLA | Pop & Hiss | Los Angeles Times 26/10/09 11:32 Subscribe Place An Ad Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals Foreclosures More Classifieds ENTERTAINMENT LOCAL NATION WORLD BUSINESS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT LIVING TRAVEL OPINION MORE Search GO MOVIES TELEVISION MUSIC CELEBRITY ARTS & CULTURE COMPANY TOWN CALENDAR THE ENVELOPE HOT LIST Pop & Hiss Stay connected: THE L.A. TIMES MUSIC BLOG « Previous Post | Pop & Hiss Home | Next Post » advertisement Live review: An early Thanksgiving feast for Cuban diva Omara Portuondo at UCLA October 25, 2009 | 3:32 pm About the Bloggers Chris Barton August Brown Chris Lee Randy Lewis Todd Martens Ann Powers Scott T. Sterling Halloween still is a few days off, but for the Cuban chanteuse Omara Portuondo, Friday night's Margaret Wappler concert at UCLA's Royce Hall was an occasion for marking an early Thanksgiving. Hip-swiveling her way onstage as if she were hoofing it up at Havana's Tropicana cabaret, circa 1945, Portuondo was visibly eager to share the blessings of a long and well-lived life in music. At 79, she Recent Posts told her audience, she has abundant cause for gratitude. Live review: Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit | October 26, 2009, 12:10 am » Indeed she does. Amid the rattle and hum before U2's Rose Bowl Portuondo's contralto still registers as a formidably potent and emotionally limber instrument, show | October 25, 2009, 11:51 pm » telegraphing ruefulness or ecstasy, parental tenderness or swooning romantic fatalism. Her persistent Live review: An early Thanksgiving feast for potency is evident on her 2008 release "Gracias," on which she seamlessly blends her voice in Cuban diva Omara Portuondo at UCLA | October collaboration with Chico Buarque, Pablo Milanés and Jorge Drexler. (The disc, much of which 25, 2009, 3:32 pm » Portuondo performed Friday, recently scored a Latin Grammy nomination in the category of best The masses descend upon Pasadena for U2's contemporary tropical album.) Rose Bowl gig | October 25, 2009, 2:50 pm » On her current tour, she's surrounded by a virtuoso quintet led by guitarist-musical director Swami Bridge benefit: No Doubt's Gwen Stefani tears Jr., who has contrived a number of daringly robust, jazz-centered arrangements, more emphatic than up; Neil Young wraps up | October 25, 2009, 7:54 am » those on "Gracias." The warm appreciation flowing between Portuondo and her much younger musicians mirrors the singer's affection for the songwriters and other artists she honored during her program, including Ernesto Lecuona, Cuba's great fusionist of classical and popular styles; Juan Formell of the band Los Van Van; and Portuondo's late partner in devastatingly poignant Recent Comments duets, Ibrahim Ferrer, whom she toasted with a lump-in-the-throat inducing rendition of "Dos RE: The masses descend upon Pasadena for Gardenias." U2's Rose Bowl gig | comment by Pierre RE: Rose Bowl: U2 attendance will be venue's Most thankfully of all, following a six-year post-Sept. 11 cultural freeze between her native Cuba and largest ever for a concert | comment by sal the United States, the sometime Buena Vista Social Club member finally has been granted a visa to RE: The masses descend upon Pasadena for perform stateside. U2's Rose Bowl gig | comment by BEn http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/10/my-entry.html Página 1 de 4 Live review: An early Thanksgiving feast for Cuban diva Omara Portuondo at UCLA | Pop & Hiss | Los Angeles Times 26/10/09 11:32 It's a relief to know that septuagenarian Caribbean musicians apparently no longer pose a threat to RE: Bridge benefit: Sheryl Crow's 'favorite gig the U.S. homeland. They might, however, pose a challenge to the U.S. pop-music industry by in the world' | comment by Mike reminding listeners how much richer a musical culture can be when it maintains at least a RE: The masses descend upon Pasadena for minimal sense of connection to its own past. U2's Rose Bowl gig | comment by Barnacle Bob RE: The masses descend upon Pasadena for Quick-changing moods of joyful celebration and disillusioned regretfulness colored Portuondo's U2's Rose Bowl gig | comment by whamo excellent 90-minute set. "Adiós Felicidad," she sang in a bittersweet adieu to happiness that fully justified her epithet as the "Cuban Edith Piaf." Later, hunched in a chair, she crooned a traditional lullaby as if singing to a newborn. Although she was never overpowered by her band mates, Portuondo's clear, classy phrasing shone Categories brightest when she was accompanied by nothing more than some gestural brushwork, a gentle bass 2008: year in music 30 seconds to mars acm awards line or Swami Jr.'s elegant acoustic guitar, for an encore of "Bésame Mucho." adele afternoons album review alice in chains alicia keys alie ward amanda blank amas american At other moments, the band, propelled by percussionist Andres Coyao, shifted into poly-rhythmic idol amy winehouse and what rough beast, its hour come full-throttle on "Ámame Como Soy" and with a strutting bossa nova-tinted version of Buarque's oft- round at last... animal collective hysteria ann powers covered classic "O Que Será." antony and the johnsons apple aretha franklin armand van helden army navy art, etc. artist to watch asher Even if she hadn't climaxed the evening by pressing "Bésame Mucho" and that other irresistible roth ashlee simpson atmosphere august sentimental hot-button "Guantanamera," Portuondo already would've earned the grateful applause that the audience showered on this wise and vital artist. brown austin, texas auto-tune awards_&_biz babies back to school -- Reed Johnson backtracking band profile beastie boys beatles beck beefing beer before and after: the year in popular songs Photo: Portuondo performs in 2006. 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