Omar Sosa

April 15, 2008 @ Davidson College, NC

Omar entered the stage first and began playing a soothing piano solo. Mola Sylla, his vocalist/percussionist, then bassist/percussionist Childo Thomås and finally drummer Marque Gilmore joined him. The music built in layers to a rousing finale.

The many percussive instruments were placed perfectly in the compositions. Sosa was just getting warmed up... The 2nd piece had a funky bottom with Thomas also singing. There were well-placed pops, pauses allowing Gilmore to inject fierce riffs. Omar broke down the rhythm and they put in a dash of Latin calypso.

They opened a ballad with the voices of children and birds in the background. Sylla gave us a sample of sound effects from what seemed to be an endless supply of uncommon instruments. The resulting music is very much like the sounds of nature.

Next Omar got the crowd to clap the beats and sing "JJ Moolo". The level of energy in a Sosa concert is high even the ballads have you on the edge in anticipation of the next explosive exchange.
Sosa also uses electronic loops very effectively.

Omar's music is very dynamic and percussive. He even manages to extract beats from his piano (the Steinway and/or the Rhodes). As a listener, you find yourself energized and a part of the music and those who were there fully enjoyed the show.

Omar played passionately tonight but ended rather abruptly, as he was anxious to reunite with his daughter. Yet we left fully satisfied.

O