Music to have you dancing in the aisles

15th ANNUAL VIVA CHICAGO LATIN MUSIC FESTIVAL

AT the petrillo music shell

'I saw a man who danced with his wife" goes the famous line inFred Fisher's classic "Chicago," which spells out in song the amazingvitality and unexpected attractions of that toddlin' town. Nowsomeone can add another verse that explains how in Chicago "they havethe time of their lives," we also once witnessed a band that dancedwith its audience.

Saturday, on the opening night of the 15th annual Viva ChicagoLatin Music Festival, that sense of amazement prevailed, when membersof Cubanismo, unannounced, danced down the aisles of the PetrilloMusic Shell during the closing set by Puerto Rican salsero AndyMontanez. So that in addition to a marvelous performance by Montanezand his band, the whole crowd was treated to the spectacle ofCubanismo singer Jesus Cantero, among others, two-stepping with luckylisteners while onstage Montanez and his band sailed through"Payaso," one of his signature tunes.

Then Montanez brought them onstage for his finale, "El Verano inNueva York," which turned into an impromptu descarga (jam session) asCubanismo's lead singer Rolo Martinez and Cantero, along withMontanez, traded off brilliantly on soneos (improvisatory vocalpassages).

Their collaboration embodied the best spirit of pan Latin unity,the driving force behind Viva Chicago, the annual free festivalsponsored by the Mayor's Office of Special Events. Though heavy asusual on acts from Puerto Rico and Mexico, this year's event featuredartists from Argentina, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and mostnotably, Cuba.

Montanez, one of the all-time great soneros, saluted two fellowlegends, Cuba's recently departed Celia Cruz and Compay Segundo, in amoving "Amor Por Ti"; by subtle implication, the song underscored thetheme that "salsa is son," that is, that salsa sprang from Cuban son,as exemplified by his late comrades.

Cubanismo, which proceeded Montanez onstage, was proudly andtriumphantly introduced as "direct from Havana, Cuba!" Due topolitical sensitivities, Cuban performers have rarely appeared atViva Chicago over the years. It's a miracle that Cubanismo even madeit here, given the federal government's recent visa crackdown. Cuba'sSierra Maestra had to sit this year's Old Town Folk and RootsFestival, and the Buena Vista Social Club's Ibrahim Ferrer has beennotified that he won't be granted a visa in time to attend thisyear's Latin Grammys ceremony. (Yet another example of rampant Bushadministration paranoia.)

Led by trumpeter Jesus Alemany, Cubanismo takes the traditionalsounds of Cuba, including son, guajira and mambo, and updates themwith more contemporary arrangements. Beginning with the opener, "ElPlatanal de Bartolo," Cubanismo brought forth a set of pureeffervescence, from the vocals of Martinez, Cantero and Alemany, tothe dazzling instrumental solos by its percussion, keyboard, guitarand horn players.

ENRIQUE BUNBURY AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES: The night before, anothergiant in the field of Latin music came to town. With his black-polished fingernails and feather boas, Spain's Enrique Bunbury isprobably a bit too outre for the usually conservative Viva Chicago.Besides, ever since the rock group El Tri triggered a near riotseveral years back, Viva Chicago organizers have been loathe to bookother rock bands.

Too bad, because Bunbury would put on a show and then some. Oftencalled the Iberian Jim Morrison, he actually looks and acts more likean Iggy Pop (with the face of Tribune rock critic Greg Kot). In amidnight show Friday at the House of Blues, he charged through a two-hour-plus set of songs largely from his most recent disc, "Flamingos"(a concept album about a has-been boxer who lands at Las Vegas'Flamingo casino). In an homage to Kurt Weill, Jacques Brel and evenMarcel Marceau, Bunbury staged a vaudeville-circus-cabaret, old chum(and even interpolated the Kander-Ebb tune into one of his songs). Itwas pure bliss, from the opening "El Club de Los Imposibles" to thefinal encore "Y Al Final."