Published on Dec 7, 2000
Do the worlds of classical and Latin music work together? Can
they be combined to create something which would please the fans of
both genres?
That seems to be the question that hotshot young conductor Keith
Lockhart has to face as he leads The Boston Pops Orchestra through
14 selections on
The Latin Album. And in the end, the final verdict is as
undecided as a Florida voter’s mind.
Utilizing the talents of two highly talented bands, Mariachi
Cobre and Inca Son, proves to be the best move that Lockhart could
have made. Hearing these artists play the music of their heritage
helps to do something special to the overall performances: they
give them credence. Hearing the hauntingly beautiful vocals on
“Granada” and “Mi Cambio” helps to bring such a project into focus.
The disc’s closer, “Son De La Negra” (also with Mariachi Cobre),
seals the deal for the listener. If I had to list one major
disappointment, it would be that these two groups were not utilized
more. Their performances helped to kick-start the Boston Pops and
take the music to levels otherwise unattainable.
This isn’t to say that the Boston Pops can’t, in pop terms, kick
out the jams on their own. “Mambo Jambo” is absolutely a joy to
listen to, and you can hear the fun that the orchestra had to be
having with this particular musical selection.
Some of the selections on
The Latin Album, however, are ill-advised. Some selections,
such as Aaron Copeland’s “El Salón México,” seem to
be included solely because of their classical roots, and they don’t
really fit the bill that well. In a similar vein, selections like
“Malambo,” while keeping a Latin flavor to the music, sound like
seventh generation photocopies of the original. To be blunt, the
impression I got was of white people trying to play Latin music.
It’s at times like these where the outside influence of a group
whose roots are in Latin music would have been beneficial.
I don’t mean to sound prejudiced towards such an effort by
Lockhart and crew; indeed, they chose a daunting task that many
other symphonies might not have even dared to consider. But
The Latin Album is the kind of disc that occasionally smacks
of what could have been, rather than what is. This disc was meant
to be a classical tribute to Latin music; maybe the goal should
have been to take traditional Latin music, adapt it to the symphony
and merge the two worlds together through groups like Inca Son and
Mariachi Cobre. Somehow, I think the end result would have been far
more satisfying.