Lila Downs April 9, 2009

Described by the New York Times as “a mezzo-soprano with a three-octave range, a hungry mind, and an arresting stage presence,” Mexican American singer Lila Downs creates a strongly layered music in which blues and jazz cohabitate with rap and ranchera, and honky-tonk swings alongside romantic boleros. “At a time when Mexico’s rich native styles are being shunned as old-fashioned or irrelevant, Downs offers a fresh, modern document that joyfully reveals the rich well of inspiration” [Los Angeles Times]. Following sold-out Royce Hall appearances in 2004 and 2007, Downs returns to UCLA Live to perform her electrifying, cross-cultural blend of Mexican roots music.