LOS HEADLINERS : The Main Course for Many at ‘Taste’ Will Be Los Lobos

Los Lobos’ presentation has always been on the modest, unassuming side, especially given the group’s far-from-modest abilities and achievements.

So “Just Another Band From East L.A.” is an in-character title for the two-disc retrospective album of Los Lobos’ career that is due out in late August or early September.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary year, Los Lobos figures to be the most savory delicacy among the varied musical offerings at the fifth annual A Taste of Orange County gastronomic fest.

Stylistically speaking, the band--singer/guitarists Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo, bassist Conrad Lozano, drummer/lyricist Louie Perez and saxophone/keyboard player Steve Berlin--is a smorgasbord.

If you like music in the Springsteen heartland-anthem mode, there isn’t a better example than Los Lobos’ signature song, “Will the Wolf Survive?”

The band’s biggest hit, its cover of Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba,” showed its affinity for roots-rock.

Los Lobos also functions quite convincing ly as a full-on blues band (usually with Rosas taking the gritty lead), or as a purveyor of tender balladry (a specialty for Hidalgo, whose voice has a naturally plaintive, warmly caressing tone).

Then there’s the traditional Mexican folk that the band turned to in its early days, when it looked to its heritage for inspiration after tiring of playing Top 40 cover fare. A Los Lobos concert invariably includes some pumping songs sung in Spanish, featuring Hidalgo’s accordion and an array of traditional Mexican guitars.

The whole varied package came together last year on “Kiko.” Los Lobos’ grandest achievement, it captured the deep ache of life, the persistence of embattled hopes and the possibility of transforming magic and mystery. What made it especially striking was the way in which a band that had maintained a high level of quality in a variety of styles was able to stretch even further, coming up with its most adventurous, best-written album yet.

The Taste pop and jazz offerings will take place on four stages Friday through Sunday. Besides Los Lobos, the lineup includes such reliable locals as the Derek Bordeaux Group, specializing in spirited soul-music covers; the Mike Reilly Band, which plays Southern-fried blues-rock, and the Kid Ramos & Lynwood Slim blues band.

Some of the other names on the bill are Pete Bardens, former keyboard mainstay of the British prog-rock band, Camel; the sharp Southland rockin’-country band, Boy Howdy, and jazz-fusioneers Fattburger, Dan Siegel and Jeff Lorber.

Promoters had hoped to include some rap in the mix with Young M.C., but a Taste spokeswoman said that the event’s insurer refused to cover any rap bookings.