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 Entertainment | July 2005 
The Lady of Latin Funk
 Sarah Villicana - The Porterville Recorder
| | Having studied opera, Lila Downs' rich voice captivated concertgoers. (Photo: John Tipton) |
Mexican-American performer Lila Downs put on a striking performance at Fresno's Arte Americas outdoor plaza and her illuminating stage presence and power vocals, presented on a heated Friday night, are best described with a single word - hot.
"This is a hot day," said Downs into the microphone, as she joined her band, already tuning on the stage.
"When it's this hot, it seems like everything you try to do takes twice as long," Downs joked.
Downs is considered a rising star who performs her own unique compositions, which take from by both Mexican and American culture influences.
An audience of all ages and cultural backgrounds filled the outdoor seating area to catch Downs and her band perform their mixtures of cumbia, reggae, jazz and classic ranchera.
Earlimart school teacher Roberto Betancourt saw Downs on television and was at Arte Americas to see her perform live for the first time.
"She's very versatile and she carries a message," said Betancourt, who teaches the eighth grade at Earlimart Middle School.
Downs' lively compositions are accompanied by deep and meaningful lyrics in Spanish, English and several Indian languages native to Mexico.
The Fresno show was one stop on her current tour, taking her to spots in the U.S. and in Canada. Over the last few years, Downs has also made several appearances in Latin America and Europe.
Between songs, the stifling heat of the Central Valley night prompted a moment of reflection in Downs.
"I have so much respect for the people who labor in the fields and in this kind of heat to feed the nation," Downs said during Friday evening's show.
Downs' songs often include political and humanitarian messages in their lyrics.
On the Fresno stage, she performed her own rendition of "La Cucaracha," an old Mexican folk song about giving marijuana to soldiers to help them fight in the revolution, Downs said.
The sweltering heat did not deter Downs from climbing off the stage to dance in the grassy aisle with a few selected members of the audience.
The spirited artist seems to bring people together in celebration with her music and while it appeals largely to a Mexican-American audience, she draws on the similarities between all people.
"You think on where we come from in the past," Downs said. "All our ancestors have been through hard times. I think we need to remember this."
The diverse singer will follow up her latest album, "One Blood/Una Sangre," this fall, when she will go into the studio to record her fifth album, scheduled for release next spring.
Downs' most noticeable work can be observed in the movie "Frida," about the life of Mexican painter and political icon, Frida Kahlo. In the movie, starring Selma Hayek, Downs can be seen and heard performing several of her songs.
After the show, Downs rested for a few minutes inside a room in the Arte Americas building before visiting with fans in the upstairs lobby. She took a moment to address her female fans within Tulare County with a message of encouragement.
"As an advocate, I must say to all the women who are fighting out there for dignity and respect for those who don't have it, particularly, that we have the people out there on the edges of the world and not far away - there are people who care about them." |
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