Robert Garcia/Special for The Arizona Republic
Alejandro Fernandez performs at Comerica Theatre Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, in Phoenix.
by Randy Cordova - Sept. 9, 2011 08:07 AM
The Arizona Republic
Blessed with old-fashioned charisma, all Alejandro Fernandez had to do was stand on stage and offer a smoldering stare to earn screams from the crowd at Comerica Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 8.
PHOTOS: Alejandro Fernandez at Comerica
Of course, the 40-year-old singer did much more than merely strike poses during the two-hour concert, but Fernandez's appeal has always been based on a shrewd mix of sheer musicality and sexuality. He can sing with a near-operatic power, but he's also the same guy who posed shirtless on the cover of his second album.
The model-handsome Mexican vocalist will celebrate 20 years as a recording artist next year, and he has a deep catalog of tunes from which to draw. He also has an intriguing career: Initially a purely traditional vocalist who specialized in rancheras and corridos (much like his father, the iconic Vicente Fernandez), he has branched out with great success to internationally-flavored pop music that boasts urban touches. That dichotomy creates a show that is rich in diversity and features some startling stylistic shifts. If John Mayer suddenly started yodeling, it wouldn't be as bold as what Fernandez has done.
Opening in traditional mode, he swaggered on stage sporting the classic charro uniform of a mariachi, though his pants were tighter than anything you'd ever see Jorge Negrete wearing. Accompanied by an 11-member troupe of mariachis, an eight-piece pop band and three vocalists who were constantly in motion, the sound was appealingly thick, though Fernandez's voice always remained at the forefront. The choice of songs ranged from a lovely, subdued reading of the modern standard "Abrazame" to the sweeping "Estuve," a ballad written by Joan Sebastian. Those songs showcased the tenderness and delicacy Fernandez can bring to a lyric, but then he offered the robust "Como Quien Pierde una Estrella," and his show-stopping ability to sustain long notes earned a rapturous response from the crowd.
Other songs were lighter in tone. In the rollicking "Unas Nalgadas," Fernandez sang about wanting to smack the rear end of the woman who done him wrong with cactus leaves. The tune has earned the ire of women's groups, but there was little doubt that many ladies in the audience would gladly volunteer to act out the lyrics with the singer. And in Fernandez's defense, he prefaced the tune by saying it was intended "with much affection."
To indicate a change in musical styles, Fernandez switched outfits for the second half of the show. Sporting a dark sports coat and a tight black T-shirt, he looked primed to hit the Scottsdale club scene. He worked his way through such pop smashes as "Me Dedique a Perderte" and the hypnotic "Se Me Va La Voz," which boasts a "na-na-na-na-na" hook that will stay in your head for days.
Fernandez is versatile enough to navigate the changes in style without jarring listeners; he handled the clipped modernity of "No Se Me Hace Facil" with the same debonair ease that he brought to Jose Alfredo Jimenez's "El Rey," which is kind of the Mexican "My Way." In a surprising move, the mariachis stayed on stage during the pop segment and even played on some of the contemporary songs. "Canta Corazon" emerged with the heft of a Tower of Power tune thanks to the added brass.
In the show's final moments, Fernandez shed the jacket - perfect for showing off his muscled arms and numerous tattoos - as he offered both pop and mariachi hits. Only once did he fumble, musically speaking: His signature "Tantita Pena" was reworked with a world-beat arrangement that left the tune almost unrecognizable. The screaming fans didn't seem to mind, as he used the song as a chance to seductively sway his hips, rub his chest and soulfully tug at his black-and-silver hair. The man knows his audience; the ratio of women to men at the show appeared to be about 3-1, after all.
Reach the reporter at randy.cordova@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8849.
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