Salsa Festival at Last Captures Proper Flavor

It took the organizers of the annual Salsa Festival at the Hollywood Bowl four years to get it right, but they finally did before a sold-out crowd Saturday.

Despite the daunting task of transferring a musical genre that belongs in the intimacy of a club to as large and intimidating a setting as the Bowl, concert promoter Ralph Mercado overcame the odds with a show that delighted the audience on many levels.

During the five-hour affair, the crowd was treated to a sizzling new discovery from Cuba, a contemporary Nuyorican diva, a tireless showman from Venezuela and a historic reunion of two salsa legends.

The discovery was Vocal Sampling, a group that relies solely on its voices to re-create the sounds of a full-blown salsa combo. The effect: dazzling.

The diva was India, a singer who has defined on record the sound of mid-’90s salsa: syncopated drum machines and crystal-clear, digital production values. Although the audience seemed to love such hits as “Dicen Que Soy” and “Mi Primera Rumba,” her voice was so strident that it bordered on overkill. Conclusion: numbing.

Oscar D’Leon followed India, displaying his trademark energy as a vocalist and performer. Backed by a superlative orchestra and surrounded by his sons on backup vocals, he danced, jumped and sang a too-brief set of favorites, including “Ven Morena” and the percolating “Lloraras.” The impression: show-stopping.

D’Leon set the mood for the finale: the first concert appearance in about 15 years of Ruben Blades and Willie Colon, who recently ended a bitter separation. The pair, the foremost architects of the late-’70s salsa movement, became top sellers with “Siembra,” the first such album to mix long, complex song structures with socially conscious lyrics.

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Earlier in the evening, both singers had been featured in solo sets that were a tad subdued. Blades presented a delightfully unexpected set list, including some of his best songs that are rarely heard live, such as the humorous “Decisiones” and “Maestra Vida,” the latter from an obscure musical he composed in 1981. He was backed by a new band of Panamanian musicians, which understandably lacked the seasoned spice of his previous outfit.

Colon’s set was briefer, sprinkled with hits such as “El Gran Varon” and “Talento de Television.”

When Blades joined him onstage, the energy level doubled, as both men seemed suddenly to come to life.

It was hard not to be moved watching these old pals forget their differences, embrace and sing classics such as “Siembra,” “Plastico” and “Buscando Guayaba.”

Blades did subtle dance routines, while Colon played a few blistering trombone solos. They then embraced again and sang the anthem “Pedro Navaja,” perhaps the most popular salsa tune ever.

Although both men have enjoyed hugely satisfying separate careers, the sheer quality of their performance together made one wonder why they split in the first place. It was an intense, bittersweet finale. The verdict: unforgettable.