Pop and Jazz Reviews : Distinctive Vocals From Ofra Haza

Ofra Haza, one of Israel’s most popular musical performers, is not yet a household name in this country. Even so, her distinctive vocals have found their way, via sampling, into such dance hits as “Pump Up the Volume” and “Paid in Full,” and she sang for the soundtrack of the film “Wild Orchid.”

But these tiny glimpses of her music only hinted at the power of the high voltage presentation she made before a less-than-capacity crowd at the Wadsworth Theater on Friday.

Songs such as “Ya Ba Ye,” “Fatamorgana” and “Kaddish” were rich with the passionate vocal twists and turns and rhythmic propulsion of Middle Eastern music. Yet they were framed in settings that made them completely accessible to a Western audience.

Best of all, Haza’s voice was a gorgeous instrument, a sound so filled with intensity that it transcended both style and language. Far more than most performers grouped under the nebulous World Music category, she demonstrated a convincing ability to bridge the gap between the ethnic sources of her art and the commercial demands of the pop market.