The vibrant 'Color' of Tania Libertad The vibrant 'Color' of Tania Libertad (January 07, 2005)

Peruvian singer's CD boasts passionate vocals and danceable rhythms ***

by Marc Burkhardt

Americans are self-centered when it comes to notions of celebrity. If you're not successful here, you're not successful -- period.

Of course, such provincialism rules out hundreds of influential -- and, yes, popular -- artists who are household names throughout the rest of the world. But in our tabloid-centric culture, who cares about "second-stringers" like French singer/songwriter Jacques Brel, who commanded legions of fans in Europe and influenced artists as notable as David Bowie and Leonard Cohen? Let's instead check out what Britney is up to this week!

Peruvian singer Tania Libertad is another celebrity who exists outside of our somewhat narrow attention span. An established star in Latin America, her four-decade career encompasses more than 30 albums and collaborations with such (non-rock) legends as opera singer Placido Domingo and Cape Verde diva Cesaria Evora. She is also an honorary UNESCO ambassador.

"Negro Color," her second U.S. release, continues her career-long fascination with African influences on pan-American styles. The 15 songs on "Negro Color" subsequently boast an array of danceable rhythms under the passionate vocals of Libertad and her back-up singers.

The apparent joy of the music, however, is belied by the wistful lyrics that are helpfully translated in the CD booklet for benighted souls like myself. "La Cuerda Floja" -- which translates into "The Tight Rope" -- details a love where the singer is "no more even a mark in his pain/not a sigh in your sorrow/I am only, a random toy." Hardly the stuff of Top 40 radio.

Enjoyment of Libertad's music, however, doesn't require a translation sheet. The joy and pain of the album is centered entirely on her voice, which takes on an operatic quality at times but never sounds stilted or mannered. The only real setback to the album is its somewhat sterile production, an affliction that plagues many world-music albums. It would be interesting to hear these songs in a live setting, where the singing and arrangements could shake off the studio gloss and breathe properly.

"Negro Color" is recommended to anyone who wishes to take a left-turn from the tired and predictable nature of most contemporary music. As for the rest of us, well, I did hear that Britney will have an album out later this year.

Managing Editor Marc Burkhardt can be e-mailed at mburkhardt@paweekly.com.

**** = Phunky
*** = Phat
** = Phlat
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Who: Peruvian singer Tania Libertad, performing selections from her recently released CD, "Negro Color." The concert will be presented by Stanford Lively Arts.
Where: Stanford University's Dinkelspiel Auditorium
When: Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $38/$34 adults. Half-price tickets are available for people age 15 and under and discounts are available for students.
Info: For tickets and more information, contact the Stanford Ticket Office, located at Tresidder Memorial Union, at (650) 725-ARTS (2787) or go online to http://livelyarts.stanford.edu.

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