Arts & Culture

September 14, 2000

Performances shine
at Latin Grammys

By Fernando Gonzalez

Shakira. Photo: Digital Images

LOS ANGELES — While there was a lot of territory to cover, geographically and musically, in a relatively brief period of time, the performances of the 1st Annual Latin Grammys offered a tasty sampler of the wide variety of styles in the Latin music world.

Appropriately, the show opened with a nod to the late timbalero and bandleader Tito Puente, who passed away June 1, with a performance by Ricky Martin, who sang a new set of lyrics, paying tribute to Puente, backed by a band featuring pianist Michel Camilo, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, flutist Dave Valentin and percussionist Sheila Escovedo (best known as Sheila E) on timbales.

Puente and Martin are the bookends of 50 years of Latin music in the United States.

The segment peaked as the irrepressible Celia Cruz, a longtime Puente stagemate and also winner in the Tropical category (Best Salsa Performance for Celia Cruz And Friends: A Night of Salsa), and singer Gloria Estefan joined Martin for a medley of Puente’s music.

Perhaps the showstopper was Colombian singer Shakira's performance in “Ojos Así.” In a night in which she won two Grammys she not only offered a solid vocal performance but included in her set dancers, fire and special effects. There was also a tantalizing glimpse of flamenco music, anchored by the guitar of Tomatito, who won for Best Latin Jazz Album for Spain (with Michel Camilo) and Best Flamenco Album for París 87.

On the smoother end, Brazilian singer Djavan (who won Best Brazilian Song for "Acelerou") sang accompanying himself on the guitar, while the vocal groups Son By Four and ‘N Sync shared the stage for a version of “Yo Te Voy A Amar.”

Finally, a tip of the hat to the group that re-ignited interest in Latin music in the 1980s, Gloria Estefan brought out a reconstituted Miami Sound Machine for a tight reading of “No Me Dejes De Querer.”