Bandleader Alvarez Offers His Unique Style of Salsa

There are two paramount tendencies within Cuban salsa these days: sticking strictly to the formats and mannerisms of the past, or going overboard in an attempt to reinvent the rules of making spicy dance music.

The fact that Adalberto Alvarez falls in the middle of those extremes made for a particularly rewarding show Friday at the Hollywood Park Casino, where the veteran bandleader demonstrated, in his L.A. debut, why he is called “The Gentleman of Salsa.”

Fittingly, Alvarez opened the show not with one of his many hits, but with a rousing version of Miguel Matamoros’ classic “Mientes.” It was conservative enough to qualify as hard-edged salsa, but refreshingly modern in its exploration of contemporary sounds.

Instrumentally, Alvarez’s most inspired choice was to include daughter Dorgeris on piano and backup vocals. One of her solos (quoting a melody by Bobby Capo as a tribute to Puerto Rico) was pure gold, captivating in its ability to conjure up a contemplative mood amid the percussive fireworks of a salsa tune.

The performance lost steam only when Alvarez employed gimmicks, such as bringing some female fans on stage to dance during the interminable “La Vi Caminando.”

* Adalberto Alvarez plays tonight at the Conga Room, 5364 Wilshire Blvd. 9:30 p.m. $10. (323) 938-1696.