Disney Hall embraces Kinky and Ozomatli’s chaos

Compared with Latin rock royalty such as Cafe Tacuba or Manu Chao, Mexico’s Kinky and L.A.’s own Ozomatli are not exactly the kind of bands that make great, transcendental albums. The strength of both outfits lies in their raucous live shows, which explains why their pairing (with Juana Molina as opening act) as part of a Latin Christmas show Wednesday at Disney Hall was so satisfying.

Boosted by Ozomatli’s brass section, Kinky began its effervescent set quoting “Jingle Bells,” then wasted no time in displaying the utterly hip brand of sonics that has turned these five muchachos from Monterrey into KCRW-FM (89.9) darlings: relentless, semi-electronic beats, a quirky sense of humor and faint (really faint) echoes of Latin styles such as cumbia or samba.

Kinky’s songs are not really songs. In the case of “Mas” and “Presidente,” they’re more like intriguing ideas in search of a tune, sketches of promising grandeur seeped in loads of attitude and texture.

But the band is tight. On Wednesday, even such improvised tidbits as an electro-jazz version of “Feliz Navidad” gleamed with vibrant percussion licks and tongue-in-cheek lounge. Kinky’s recorded output may be inconsistent, even irritating. Live, however, this band is hard to beat.

The same certainly applies to L.A.’s most lovable multiculti party outfit. Ozomatli’s show was yet another opportunity for the 10-piece collective to demonstrate the tremendous growth it has experienced in the last couple of years.

Beginning with the mysterioso, Middle Eastern strains of “Believe” (with the band taking advantage of Disney Hall’s imposing organ), Ozomatli explored the zeitgeist of the new millennium, where turntable scratching collided with ancient tabla patterns and a zesty merengue segued naturally into MC Jabu’s rambunctious rap interludes.

So what if Ozo’s bluesy take on “Silent Night” was somewhat soporific? The band’s shows are uneven by nature, which makes the funky highs all the more electrifying.