Olga Tanon Makes Merengue Sizzlingly Sexy

Compared to the multilayered complexity of salsa, its addictive textures and sophisticated intensity, the Dominican-born dance known as merengue sounds a bit on the simplistic side, a monochromatic genre that could be easily dismissed.

That is, until you see Olga Tanon in concert.

When the Puerto Rican diva and her 16-piece band stay close to the roots of merengue, like they did during half of their performance Sunday night at the Universal Amphitheatre, Tanon sizzles.

A powerhouse singer blessed with deliciously raspy pipes and a dynamite dancer who can suggest hours of sensuous pleasures with a simple sway of her hips, Tanon is the kind of persona that’s sorely missing from Latin music: a performer with the sex appeal of a grown woman, not a kittenish teenager.

Unlike, say, Juan Luis Guerra, who uses merengue (and its cousin, the bachata) as a vehicle to express his highly idiosyncratic musical vision, Tanon is a mainstream artist in the lookout for an endless supply of hits.

The downside is a certain triteness of character that dominates most of her studio output. Entitled “Yo Por Ti,” Tanon’s latest is a mixed bag of slick but superficial pop tunes and more fiery merengue excursions. Ironically, the album’s pristine production robs the music of the warmth Tanon provides so generously in concert.

Live, even the most mediocre tunes from the record, such as “Mienteme” and “Como Olvidar,” had a certain orchestral oomph about them. A born entertainer, Tanon made the capacity audience laugh with her witty sense of humor. Her imaginative dance number during the sticky “Pegaito” made you wish she’d stay closer to her Afro-Caribbean roots--and the kinetic fever of the misunderstood merengue.