By BARRY BLITZER Post Columnist UCLA’s Royce Hall was the scene of Friday night’s performance of Peru Negro, an exuberant, irresistible song and dance company, which since its founding in 1964 has paid homage to Peru’s African heritage. The large and superb cast of male and female dancers, singers, guitarists and percussionists (2004 Grammy Award winners for their CDs) played to a full house of all colors and sects, young and old. Interestingly enough, many of the instruments that Peru Negro uses originated in the early 17th century when the Spanish Conquistadors banned their Peruvian slaves from drumming because they were fearful of religious connections and the ability to transform the participants with trances. So the slaves, in turn, adapted the rhythms to play on chairs, tables and wooden boxes; a fruit crate became a flamenco-like drum, a donkey’s jaw a replica percussion instrument currently played to give the music its rattling charm. Included in the two-hour show were colorful courtship dances, a Peruvian contest of virtuosic tap-dancing, and what was apparently the audience favorite, “Son de los Diablos,” a frantic, up-tempo carnival with dancing devils in comedic costumes, striving to scare the hell out of us. Also rousing were subsequent boy-courts-gal numbers (and vice versa) with numerous pelvic thrusts by both sexes. Provocative to say the least. Minor quibbles. The second act was somewhat repetitious, so, unhappily, was the lengthy audience participation “sing-off” between a vivacious female vocalist/dancer and her macho male singers counterpart; mostly incomprehensible to those in the audience, whose knowledge of Spanish was limited to “Buenos Dias” and “Gracias.” Nonetheless, Peru Negro was a spectacular happening, not to be missed. Back to the present and the ever challenging L.A. jazz scene. Tonight, March 2, The Vic, that funky old pseudo-speakeasy on Main Street in Santa Monica, celebrates its fourth anniversary with the pianist Stu Elson trio. Special guests include belting songstress, the always swinging Barbara Morrison. Call impresario Ray Slayton at (888) 367-5299 for reservations, show times and tonight’s “secret password” to gain admittance. Last, and far from least, is our home away from home, The Jazz Bakery in revitalized Culver City, gratefully a hop, skip and jump from the Palisades, aptly described by its founding mother Ruth Price as a nonprofit jazz theater. Next week’s attractions: Pianist Jon Mayer on Monday, March 6, followed on Thursday through Sunday by the legendary sax man Pharaoh Saunders and trio. There’s free parking, half- price for students with IDs at show times (if not sold out) plus gourmet eateries in the immediate vicinity. Finally, a brief nonsectarian sermon: Stash those John Coltrane and Diana Krall CDs, donate your iPods to Goodwill, then treat your spouse or significant other to some good old low-down live jazz and blues. The musicians themselves will appreciate your patronage and so will we fanatical jazz critics. Amen.
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