Lila Downs became famous worldwide in 2002, when she sang with the Brazilian legend of music, the so called “Brazilian Bob Dylan”, Caetano Veloso the ballad of Elliot Goldenthal, ‘‘ Burn It Blue’’ in the film Frida.
Whether singing in her mother tongue with a harrowing voice for ‘‘la Llorona’’, the legendary mother who drowned her children in a fit of madness and since then haunts over the centuries the river valleys of Mexico, or singing American jazz, legends of Mexico and Indians in their native languages, Lila Downs is rightly one of the biggest singers of our times achieving in a unique way a mixture of culture, languages, rhythms and voices with sociopolitical messages.
Born in Mexico from a Mexican mother and an American father she grew up and studied in both countries voice and anthropology. It was however in Mexico where she began her career and “found the healing qualities of music’’ as she once said, having in the meantime gone through a long and painful journey of pursuit, therapy and self- knowledge, after her father died of a heart attack before his adolescent daughter who was alone in his house.
“I question sometimes how I go musically in one direction without losing what is precious to me, which is the expression of our times, the things that are in our collective consciousness, the power to unite.’’
Costas Degas 15 May 2009
Date
26 May 2009Starting time
21:00Ticket Prices
- Admission: 30
Location
Theatro Vrachon ‘‘Melina Mercouri’’Reviews
The snake sacred and powerful in Mexico’s mythology sloughs its skin and reveals the new one. With this in mind, Lila Downs tried to bring change with her latest work “Shake Away”, which she presents in her summer tour.
Her former concert in Papagou Garden Theatre was amazing, which makes me wonder if it will be even better today and where the change will be. Going up the street at the Theatro Vrachon rather early as we had to pick up the magic piece of paper of entry, Lila Downs is heard rehearsing her songs. So I had the opportunity to enjoy a little more ...
Time passes, the daylight fades and at about 10 the lights go on around the stage.
“They call me Black Magic Woman”, she sings with her unique voice and the magic unfolds in the atmosphere as well as the welcoming sounds in the night and the colorful journey that will follow.
“Good evening, welcome” she says in Greek.
Intensely sensitive about issues such as the problems of poverty and the oppression of the working class, she accompanies her songs with video and images based on the themes of the songs which are displayed on the rocks of the theater.
One and a half hours we travel together along the borders sometimes in cumbia and latin rhythms and sometimes in jazz, blues and ska, balancing between rhythm and melody with her voice unfolding its unique range as a dramatic change from low to high octaves. The passion in her interpretation and her seductive gestures of her hands interspersed by elements of flamenco, cross the lines of fantasy and lead to unknown paths. Along with her musical company and her two guests, one of which shocked the Greek public with his dance moves, she exorcised the fear and despair, sometimes singing for justice and sometimes for the Mexicans who drink tequila and die for love.
“Thanks for coming” in Greek her last words and the audience clapping will bring her back on stage, trying to keep her close as much as possible.
Lida Kotzia 27 May 2009
Reviews
The snake sacred and powerful in Mexico’s mythology sloughs its skin and reveals the new one. With this in mind, Lila Downs tried to bring change with her latest work “Shake Away”, which she presents in her summer tour.
Her former concert in Papagou Garden Theatre was amazing, which makes me wonder if it will be even better today and where the change will be. Going up the street at the Theatro Vrachon rather early as we had to pick up the magic piece of paper of entry, Lila Downs is heard rehearsing her songs. So I had the opportunity to enjoy a little more ...
Time passes, the daylight fades and at about 10 the lights go on around the stage.
“They call me Black Magic Woman”, she sings with her unique voice and the magic unfolds in the atmosphere as well as the welcoming sounds in the night and the colorful journey that will follow.
“Good evening, welcome” she says in Greek.
Intensely sensitive about issues such as the problems of poverty and the oppression of the working class, she accompanies her songs with video and images based on the themes of the songs which are displayed on the rocks of the theater.
One and a half hours we travel together along the borders sometimes in cumbia and latin rhythms and sometimes in jazz, blues and ska, balancing between rhythm and melody with her voice unfolding its unique range as a dramatic change from low to high octaves. The passion in her interpretation and her seductive gestures of her hands interspersed by elements of flamenco, cross the lines of fantasy and lead to unknown paths. Along with her musical company and her two guests, one of which shocked the Greek public with his dance moves, she exorcised the fear and despair, sometimes singing for justice and sometimes for the Mexicans who drink tequila and die for love.
“Thanks for coming” in Greek her last words and the audience clapping will bring her back on stage, trying to keep her close as much as possible.
Lida Kotzia 27 May 2009
