Preaching to the Converted -
Paulo FG
By KAYSEE
Versión
en español AQUI
First
impressions are not as lasting as the truism would have us believe.
The February 3rd, 2001 concert of Paulo FG y su Elite
came as a revelation for me as an aficionado of Latin music in general
and radically changed my impressions of this renowned Cuban performer.
Finally I can understand what has been motivating the excited comments
of timba aficionados internationally.
Before
I arrived at Club Cristal in Miami Beach, I didn't have much of an opinion
about Paulito FG. I'd heard a few of his songs
and not been particularly impressed. In the recordings I had heard,
he came across as cool and sometimes even a little shrill. I kept
getting distracted by this sharp quality which was reinforced by the
harshness of the horns that seemed to overwhelm the rest of the band.
I couldn't hear the balance between the instruments, and as a result
I couldn't really enjoy what was happening musically.
So
when I found myself in a position to see Paulito this
weekend after all, I wasn't particularly excited about it. The
responses to last week's show had led me to believe that my personal
impression would be reinforced by a live show. By the end
of the performance, however, Paulo's charisma and the
masterful playing of su Elite had radically transformed
my reactions.
The
big surprise for me was Paulo himself. Contrary
to my initial impression, I was influenced by Paulito's
own massive charisma and the intense energy he brought to the stage
almost from the very beginning. He drew his audience in with a
casual "¡Oye!" and a moment's conversation, fostering a sense
of intimacy between himself and the crowd on the dance floor. Swaying
them with his rapper-style interjections and at times his humorous remarks,
he worked his audience, propelling himself across the stage with lively
movements and often risqué gyrations that demonstrated a very powerful
self-assurance. Paulito ruled the stage with
complete confidence, accepting and tossing notes and kisses from fans
with equal panache, and at one point even giving a "salsa blessing"
to a silver cross tossed to him by a fan in the audience.
Notwithstanding a rocky start due to sound system failure, Paulo
soon held the audience in the palm of his hand, and there they remained
until the last notes of the band.
And
speaking of the band, the word for this impressive group of musicians
is "CALIENTE" - hot like fire! Never mind those
first impressions; there is not an un-balanced member in the lot!
Instead, I found a very fine musical accuracy, combined with excellent
tone and timba energy that had me alternately jumping up and melting
down. I was particularly impressed by the piano player's prowess
here, and Yosbel Bernal was masterful, especially behind the keyboards,
but also while dancing in front of them during one of the numbers.
The
band played with an unusual arrangement of three keyboards as well as
timbales, drum kit, and congas in the percussion section and a horn
section composed of two trumpets, a trombone and a tenor saxophone.
Another interesting feature of Paolo's Elite (especially
for the guys) is the presence of his lovely sister Ana
as one of his coro singers. Both she and Marcos Domenech,
the other background vocalist, provided a vibrantly sensual visual element
to the show while singing commendable coros. When one combines
all the elements of this group's presentation, it's no wonder that Paulo
refers to his band as his Elite.
By
the time Paulo rounded off his two-hour long show shortly
after 3 am, my thinking about his music had undergone a 180 degree shift
from indifference to excitement. I'm going to be acquiring some
Paulito FG albums, vintage and otherwise, in short
order. And for all you timba fans out there, you don't have to
convince me that Paulo has one of the tightest bands
in Cuba anymore. You're preaching to the converted!
