JAZZ REVIEW : Santos Sings, Dances on Sunny Side of Street

Sonia Santos is a performer who probably could generate enthusiasm at a pessimists’ convention. Her performance at Maxwell’s Friday night--without benefit of spotlights, in a venue that can be more talkative than attentive--was a perfect example of her ability to create a sunny atmosphere of good vibes, no matter what the situation.

A small, slender woman, dressed in a skin-tight white gown, she paced the floor in front of the tiny bandstand (crammed full with two percussionists, a bass player and a keyboardist), raising her arms occasionally to signal the musicians, wiggling through a variety of dance steps and exhorting her listeners to share in the fun.

She tried to encourage her audience with familiar numbers--”Baia” (heard in Disney’s 1944 “The Three Caballeros”), “Brazil” and “Manha de Carnaval” (the latter, oddly enough, performed as a salsa, rather than in its typical guise as a bossa nova).

Toward the end of her set, Santos launched into a samba of her own, using its flowing rhythms to showcase percussionist Monhongo Jackson in an introduction of some of his exotic instruments.

To her credit, Santos’ powers of musical persuasion finally had their effect: Most of the crowd participated when she asked them to join in a wordless but highly rhythmic group vocal.

Behind her unquestioned skills as an entertainer, she is a first-rate singer, who can--and did--move easily from extrovertive, Carmen Miranda-styled sambas to sensual, more contemporary-sounding, Milton Nascimento-influenced vocalizing.

In addition to percussionist Jackson, she was backed by drummer Donnie Shogren, bassist Frederico Bol and keyboardist Bill Brendl. Santos and the band also performed at Maxwell’s on Saturday.