Pop Music Review : Former Soap Star Vives in Powerful Set

Don’t get fooled by Carlos Vives’ credentials--the sexy Colombian might be another former soap opera star turned singer, but he is also probably the best thing to happen to Latin music since Dominican mix-master Juan Luis Guerra.

Making his Los Angeles debut Sunday at the sold-out Universal Amphitheatre, Vives proved that the excitement caused by his 1993 “Clasicos de la Provincia” (Classics From the Province) album was justified. Backed by a superb 12-piece band, Vives offered an accessible, powerful performance.

The singer-guitarist has taken classics of vallenato , an indigenous music from Colombia’s Caribbean coast somewhat similar to cumbia , and added his own pop-rock spirit and instrumentation. His unorthodox approach--including a female chorus and occasional reggae touches--takes advantage of the melodic and danceable elements in these stories of love and death, appealing to both the mainstream and the purists.

Although the soul of “La Provincia” is accordionist Egidio Cuadrado, Sunday’s show also offered impressive showings from Amparo Sandino on vocals and guitar, Mayte Montero on vocals and traditional winds, and the solid rhythmic base of drums, traditional percussion and bass. Vives’ control of the stage and natural appeal kept the two-hour show consistently strong and left no doubt about his real feel for the music.

So far so good. Now the challenge facing Vives is to go beyond the genre’s classics and address contemporary concerns with his own compositions. That’s what will define his real status among the greats of Latin pop.