Freedman Forum Hosts Balladeer Jose Jose

One of Mexico’s most beloved balladeers, Jose Jose, pops into Orange County for a lone Southland appearance Saturday at the Freedman Forum Concert Theater in Anaheim.

After 34 years as a professional performer, Jose Jose continues to enjoy his unofficial titles as el principe de la cancion, or “the prince of song.”

Jose Jose’s everyman narratives, his ability to evoke warmth and his vocal range--although it has perhaps reached its limits at age 49--have earned him six Grammy nominations and sales of more than 30 million albums around the globe.

Preparing to release his 33rd record in November, Jose Jose hopes to continue to bridge the generation gap, injecting rock strains into a repertoires once limited to the kind of soft ballads favored by adult-contemporary radio stations.

Perhaps his 21-year-old son, Jose Sosa, will help. Last year at a sold-out show at the Freedman Forum, Jose Jose briefly passed the torch to his son, who did a solid duet with his father on “La Fuerza de la Sangre”--”the Power of Blood.”

* Jose Jose performs tonight at the Freedman Forum Concert Theater, 201 E. Broadway, Anaheim. 8:15 p.m. $35-$50. (714) 999-9599.