Pop Reviews : Ana Gabriel at the Universal: A Good Voice and Orchestra Too

Mexican pop superstar Ana Gabriel showed at her concert Saturday at the Universal Amphitheatre that her distinctively raspy and well-trained voice is only half the reason for her success. The other half is her 13-member orchestra.

The ensemble, featuring three drum sections, is a highly versatile outfit--it recreated Gabriel’s classic composition “Pecado Original” (“Original Sin”) with a merengue rhythm, then played the melodramatic hit “Quien Como Tu” (“Who, Like You”) with a spicy accent.

One of the show’s most original moments came when the orchestra transformed into an authentic banda sinaloense --a classic lineup found in small towns all around the state of Sinaloa--for a rendition of such traditional songs as “El Sinaloense” and “Mi Gusto Es” (“My Preference Is”).

The singer/songwriter’s two-hour performance focused on her more commercial hits, such as “Ay Amor” (“Ay My Love”) and her current “Evidencias” (“Evidences), and also included songs from some other Mexican composers, such as Agustin Lara’s romantic bolero “Solamente Una Vez” (“Just Once”) and Juan Gabriel’s “Hasta Que Te Conoci” (“Until I Met You”). Gabriel sang the last two accompanied by the Mariachi Nacional de Mexico.

Gabriel remained too static, revealing some limitations as a dancer and performer. But the help of her ensemble and the power of her voice maintained a festive mood.