In With the New at Mariachi USA Festival

Fittingly, the last Mariachi USA Festival of the millennium was all about plurality.

Not only was the usually testosterone-charged genre balanced by a handful of female ensembles--including Mariachi Femenil Tecalitan and Mariachi Las Alondras--but the stage Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl was also graced by an African American male and a Japanese female, both of whom should be granted honorary Mexican passports based on their bravura performances of rancheras.

The five-hour affair suffered from the lack of enough authentic sounds to satisfy the purists--as most groups these days engage in questionable adaptations of songs from other musical genres in the name of variety. Still, the festival was marked by such a streamlined pace that you were kept on your toes, waiting for the next surprise of the evening.

Among the highlights on the first day of the two-day event:

* The brief appearance of Timothy Pollard, a charismatic African American singer from Long Beach who offered a gutsy version of “Mujeres Divinas,” an ode to women. It was a triumphant and supremely emotional moment when Pollard put himself in the vulnerable position of dressing in a bright, sky blue charro outfit and singing alongside so many Mexican groups. The audience responded with an enormous, supportive roar and the singer shone like a fire in a forest.

* A colorful rendition of “El Barzon,” the tale of a hard-working peasant exploited by a greedy landowner. It was done at a frantic pace by the all-female Mariachi Las Alondras, which has demonstrated repeatedly that it has the necessary oomph to become one of this country’s most vital outfits.

* A haunting “Que Bonita Es Mi Tierra” performed in the dark by Mariachi Imperial de Mexico, as dancers dressed in white illuminated the stage holding tiny lights. The scene emanated an almost mystical sense of tranquillity that became the evening’s most wistful moment.

* A brief, but spectacular, appearance of Junko, the Japanese female who sings in Spanish with perfect diction and the soulfulness of a real mexicana.

The high points also involved the sight of thousands of Latinas chanting the chorus of “Volver Volver,” after the men in the audience failed to raise the noise level at the Bowl above a tame murmur.

Elsewhere, the sheer enthusiasm of presenter Rodri Rodriguez made up for some questionable choices. Having all of the ensembles join together in a majestic “mariachi symphony” for a performance of the birthday song “Las Man~anitas” was a great way to celebrate 10 years of rancheras at the Bowl.

Unfortunately, it was followed by a version of “La Copa de la Vida,” recently turned into a mega-hit by Ricky Martin, that made you sigh with nostalgia remembering the original.

Equally uneven was the debut of Mariachi Fiesta, a local coed group assembled by Rodriguez. Boasting a wonderful violin section, Fiesta offered thunderous versions of “Asi Es Mi Tierra” and “La Reina es el Rey,” but at times, the ensemble became a little too cutesy for its own good.

Perhaps the evening’s purest moment came with Mexico’s own Mariachi Internacional Guadalajara. The group’s medley of romantic songs, including “La Gloria Eres Tu” and “Como Han Pasado Los An~os,” was a romantic’s dream come true. It was no coincidence that this group hails from the birthplace of mariachi, and its tight musicianship and conservative repertoire made one yearn for more ensembles of its kind.