Forgive Jose Feliciano if he performs more than a few boleros.
To those who’ve been watching Mexican megastar Luis Miguel — or Alejandro Fernandez — reach deep into the songbook of classic Latin ballads for career kicks, Feliciano’s excursion into this deeply romantic, singularly Latin genre may look like the old guy’s just trying to get in on the bandwagon.
But, hey, remember “Light My Fire”? Feliciano’s Latinized, soulful and infinitely more intimate version of the Doors hit back in 1968 was heavy-duty bolero influenced.
In fact, just about every album since his recording debut way back when in 1964 has had boleros. And if he has any control over the next CD he makes, it’ll be jam packed with ’em. Its title? “Senor Bolero,” after a Feliciano composition that will surely be showcased when he plays at the Congress Theater Saturday night.
“I want to record some classics not recorded by other artists,” he said. “Songs like `La Gloria Eres Tu,’ `Como fue.’ You know, I’m happy, I can’t begrudge anybody else’s success, but I’ve been doing this a while, you know?”
What he really wants to do is a whole album of original material, and maybe work with a producer like Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds (who has, in fact, said he’d like to work with that other bolerista, Luis Miguel). Of course, it’s a mystery whether the album would be in English or Spanish, because Feliciano has had parallel careers in both communities.
“Yeah, I’ve always done a bilingual show,” he said. “I get the same excitement, the same support. I can’t find much difference; both audiences come to my show.”
And that may be, but what’s also clear is that while the English audience took him higher in 1968 with “Light My Fire,” it’s been the Spanish-language audience that has kept his career going. Out of his six Grammys, for example, all but two are for Latin recordings.
But Feliciano, who lives in Connecticut with his wife and two children, insists it’s equal. “It’s the same, the same in both circuits,” he said. “Except, yes, I know, being Latin gives me an edge, especially playing guitar, because I really push the envelope.”
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Been wondering whatever happened to the Loofah Method, the multimedia poetry ensemble behind shows like “Looking for a Soft Place to Land”?
We know about Kurt Heintz, the video guru with the group. He’s been high on Telepoetics, an international electronic poetry linkup that makes simultaneous readings possible in cities as far apart as Chicago and Hamburg. He’s also been creating poetry videos with writers such as Dwight Okita, Patricia Smith and Quraysh Ali Lansana.
Kurt won’t be around Friday — except possibly in the audience — but former Loofah Cin Salach, the group’s main verse-smith, and Mark Messing, its musical director, have formed a new ensemble, Ten Tongues. You can check them out Friday night, when they perform at the opening reception for “Truth,” a group exhibition at Gallery 312.
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If you were captivated by the film version of Martin Sherman’s “Bent,” which opened this year to critical praise (and featured Mick Jagger as an evil drag queen), you may want to see the play in its original theatrical context. While the film gave it an open-air feel, the stage version is much more intimate, and much more disturbing. Gilead (formerly Impact Theater) this weekend debuts its live version, which runs through April 12.
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Cabaret diva Andrea Marcovicci, whose elegance and wit are deservedly praised, does a rare Monday night concert as part of Symphony Center Presents, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s producing arm. The evening begins with dinner at 5:30 p.m. at Rhapsody, Symphony Center’s restaurant.
Marcovicci, whose torchy show features classics as well as new songs, will take the stage at 8 p.m. Call the CSO for details about ticket prices and options (there’s a post-show gathering in Rhapsody’s Cigar Room that can be tossed into the deal).
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the facts
Friday, 5:30 p.m., Ten Tongues, Gallery 312, 312 N. May St. For more information, call 312-942-2500.
More Top Picks Penetrants
Friday, 8 p.m., “Bent” by Gilead, Athenaeum Studio Theater, 2936 N. Southport Ave. $15. Call 773-935-6860.
Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Jose Feliciano, Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. Call 773-525-7793 or 312-559-1212.
Monday, 5:30 p.m.,”Monday Night Out: A Cabaret Evening with Andrea Marcovicci,” Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave. Ticket prices vary from $20 to $100. Call 312-294-3000 or 800-223-7114 for more information.