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SXSW scene: Alexia Bontempo
It was a laid-back scene when I showed up at the world music showcase at Copa around 10 p.m. The crowd was clustered in a half circle around the stage with the front row seated on the floor as Alex Cuba finished his set. Cuba was working the crowd well, leading his diverse group of enthusiastic fans in a call and response before bringing his set to a climax with a wild thrashing of his acoustic guitar.
Disappointingly, I realized that the electronic act I was looking forward to O Quarto das Cinzas had canceled.
Video: Alex Cuba at SXSW
As the stage was set for Alexia Bontempo a somewhat younger, predominantly male and (interestingly) shorter group jockeyed for good vantage points at the front. When the modelesque blond vocalist took the stage, it started to make sense.
Closing her eyes, clutching her heart and oozing sensuality, the half-Brazilian, half-American vocalist launched into a set of easy, laid-back bossa nova. Her clear voice was lovely, and the backing ensemble played beautifully intricate rhythmic and melodic patterns. And while a good group of the audience drifted in and out, perhaps confused, like myself, about the lack of Quarto, those who stuck around received Bontempo warmly.
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