POP MUSIC REVIEW : Teena Marie Plays the Part of an R&B; Diva Wanna-Be

“If I Were a Bell” is the name of one of the more tuneful and appealing songs that Teena Marie sang Wednesday at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. But as its lilting title refrain sounded, it was easy to keep hearing an extra consonant: “If I Were LaBelle.”

Throughout her 80-minute show, Marie traced the gaudy vocal patterns of the sort of full-blown, diva-style R&B; singing epitomized by Patti LaBelle. But Marie, unfortunately, is neither a bell nor LaBelle. The problem is not that she is a white woman working in a black style--something the 33-year-old singer from Venice has been doing with moderate success on the R&B; charts since her 1979 Motown Records debut. It’s that her voice just doesn’t have the breadth, mass and richness of hue to support the curvy, sweeping melodic designs that she kept sketching for herself in hopes of fulfilling the soul-diva tradition.

While her splashy style certainly rang the fans’ bell, it trampled most of her songs. Marie’s most communicative singing came late in the show when she quieted the fans and toned down the dynamics during the shimmering ballad “Deja Vu,” for once putting sense before sensation.

Marie also plays the Strand in Redondo Beach on Friday, Saturday and Tuesday.