By Lorenzo Cimahombre (Lawrence Toppman to you English-speakers)
The drum kit at midstage seemed like a novelty, though classical composers from Haydn to Shostakovich have used non-classical drums. The conga set downstage clued us into the idea that this Charlotte Symphony (CSO) concert would cross unfamiliar borders. But the real novelty at Saturday’s “Havana Nights” was the sound of Spanish being spoken to my left and behind me.
That’s a sound CSO officials must have loved to hear. This concert, which nearly sold out the lower floor of Knight Theater as far as I could see, represented the most joyful and unforced kind of community outreach. When soprano Camille Zamora broke into “Besame Mucho,” I heard people murmuring gently along. Someone shouted “Quiero bailar!” midway through the Mambo Kings’ set, to which their leader replied, “Baila, baila!” If you want to dance, dance! (A few folks did, discreetly.)
The first half of the show left the audience grappling with unfamiliar material, as the orchestra ran through seldom-heard repertoire and Zamora sang zarzuela numbers, taken from the old-fashioned romantic operettas beloved in Spain. No screen descended to provide subtitles, so we had to rely on her brief introduction to each number. Luckily, her winning personality and warm voice made up for long lapses in comprehension.
Nobody needed a translator after intermission. Musical director/pianist Richard DeLaney introduced each number, and the Mambo Kings swung hard enough to get any feet tapping. He and flute/saxophone player John Viavattine handled the melodies and most of the improvisation. Bassist Hector Diaz, multi-percussionist Wilfredo (Freddy) Colón and conga player Tony Padilla laid down a rousing or soothing backbeat but also got chances to riff themselves.
You may be saying, “An Irish guy? An Italian guy? A band put together 1400 miles northwest of Havana 30 years ago in Rochester, N.Y.? How authentic can they be?” In a way, that was the point of the concert. (And as DeLaney told us, he grew up in Peru.)
You don’t have to have Latino heritage to love Latin music and play it well. What is Latin music, anyhow? That vague umbrella term can cover both Tito Puente’s “Oye Come Va,” borrowed by Carlos Santana and reclaimed Saturday night, and “Day Tripper” – yes, that “Day Tripper” – which really takes off when congas rumble. (The Beatles sang “Besame Mucho” in their early days, so it’s a fair exchange.) Begin Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo a la Turk” traditionally, shift to a bolero rhythm, and voila! Latin music.
Evan Roider, who has been to Charlotte both as a pops conductor and (if I recall rightly) music director for the national tour of “Wicked,” took the podium when CSO resident conductor Christopher James Lees fell ill. He exuded positive vibes and stuck to snappy tempos in the purely orchestral numbers, including multiple pieces arranged by Rochester-based conductor Jeff Tyzik. Roider relaxed as needed when accompanying Zamora and/or the Mambo Kings, where the orchestra provided unobtrusively sympathetic support.
The CSO put fresh roses on patrons’ seats Saturday to thank them for being season subscribers. Even that seemed appropriate for a concert with music from sunny climes that ranged from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic to Argentina. I came within an inch of sticking mine between my teeth on the way out.
Pictured: Camille Zamora and the Mambo Kings by Fay Fox.