A world beat to Dudamel’s welcome

by Ann Powers

‘¡Bienvenido Gustavo!’ began with a youthful, multicultural blending of musical genres — things close to the new L.A. Phil conductor’s heart.

Diversity was programmed into “¡Bienvenido Gustavo!,” the concert honoring the new musical director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. But it didn’t feel artificial, as it can at such community-oriented events. The presence of student players on the pop portion of the bill, which led up to Dudamel’s entrance, was partly responsible for the unpretentious mood. More than that, it came from an attitude that Dudamel seems to represent: a celebration of music as a multilingual, integrative force.

The five acts that played brief sets embodied the polyglot heart of pop music — and of classical music too. Selected by the Bowl’s programmers and its artist advisory committee, the performers spanned gospel, jazz, Cuban and Mexican regional music, soul, rock and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. More important than the range of genres represented was the fluidity with which they mingled; it was a manifestation of Dudamel’s approach, which seeks to welcome all comers into the musical experience.

The Los Angeles luminaries onstage trumpeted their enthusiasm for this attitude. “As a band, we always mix genres, cultures, generations, and now to have a musical director who does the same, it’s awesome,” said Ulises Bella of Ozomatli, the Latin hip-hop fusion band, during one introductory segment. Like much of the day’s banter, this statement was in English and Spanish, now the unofficial parlance of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

complete article here.