Music / Cuba,  Ayse Göknur Shanal. At Smith’s Alternative, August 31. Reviewed by NICK HORN.

Ayse Göknur Shanal brought an upbeat program celebrating the music of Cuba to a receptive audience at Smith’s Alternative.

Shanal’s honeyed lyric soprano voice was well matched with the drama and passion of Cuba’s popular music, with its blend of classical, folk and African influences. The singer was accompanied by cellist Karella Mitchell, percussionist Jess Ciampa and pianist Cheryl Oxley.

The core of the program was a selection of enchanting songs by internationally renowned Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona. These were interspersed with songs from the Son Cubano and Bolero (Trova) traditions, some – such as Miguel Matamoros’ Lagrimas Negras (Black Tears) and Compay Segundo’s Chan Chan – familiar from the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon, which launched this music world-wide in the 1990s.

Shanal’s beautiful version of Lecuona’s Siempre En Mi Corazón (Always in my heart) demonstrated all the passion – and more – of Plácido Domingo’s treatment of the same tune, well complemented here by Oxley’s stripped-back piano. Another highlight was to hear the familiar strains of Matamoros’ Malagueña gorgeously rendered in the lower reaches of Shanal’s soprano range.

However, if this show is to be repeated, it might be wise for the artists to spend a little time working on their balance in rehearsal and with the sound engineer before the show.

Despite the power of Shanal’s voice, at times the piano dominated – while not always achieving the delicate lightness and jump of the piano playing in the Cuban originals – and the cello’s function in the arrangements didn’t seem to be entirely resolved.

The charm of the vocal duet arrangement of Sindo Garay’s La Bayamesa was lost without a proper balance between Ciampa’s light tone and Shanal’s operatic torque. One also wished for the more solid drive of a double bass underneath the mix to nail down the rhythm, though the variety, nuance and snap of Ciampa’s percussion playing could not be faulted.

The casual, boho mood of Smith’s Alternative suits this kind of show very well, but Shanal’s well-meaning attempts to engage the audience in conversation from the stage occasionally felt somewhat strained, and the resultant gaps between items led to a certain loss of energy and momentum. The singer’s reliance on sheet music also detracted from her connection with the listeners.

Having said that, the audience appeared to appreciate the group’s relaxed style of performance, and to relish the intimacy that allowed for easy interaction with the artists between songs. And many responded enthusiastically to Shanal’s urging to get up and dance after the intermission.

All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon’s introduction to some of the gems of Cuban popular music, with Shanal’s luscious singing well supported by her associate artists.

And at the end, though we all knew it was coming, the yearning revolutionary verses of Joseíto Fernández’s Guantanamera lifted us up and left us with a song on our lips, and in our hearts.