A World of Colorful Concoctions From Ozomatli

It’s a good thing Ozomatli, L.A.’s stirring, multicultural urban ensemble, was on the bill for Sunday’s “World Roots” program at the Hollywood Bowl. Otherwise the evening, with its inaccurate title and erratic sequencing, might have seemed even more off center than it was.

Ozomatli’s deep community connections and polyglot mix (Cuban, Chicano, Japanese, African American, Filipino) give the band a musical and cultural cachet that was immediately apparent in the wildly enthusiastic audience response to its set. Equally important, however, this is a group that has effectively blended pop, rap, Latin, jazz and funk (among other elements) into a wildly colorful, utterly convincing musical concoction.

They served up their appealing menu of sound and rhythm with joyous musical vigor, entering the Bowl through the audience, dancing, drumming, singing and playing their horns. They kept the movement alive through their entire program, and exited the same way, journeying toward the top of the Bowl to engage their fervent fans at every level. It was a stunning performance by a band that deserves a major international breakthrough.

The rest of the program was more problematic. The touted group Yerba Buena, opening the evening, didn’t really get up to speed until its final two numbers. It was in those selections--especially via the vocal interplay between singer Xiomara Laugart and singer-percussionist Pedro “Manotas” Martinez--that the band justified its advance notices. Although they toured much of the territory frequented by Ozomatli, Yerba Buena was much less successful in blending the various multicultural elements of its music.

The headliners on this unusual bill were two musical icons, South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and Latin salsa and jazz keyboardist Eddie Palmieri. But inexplicably, they were programmed into a single, truncated segment at the end of the program.

Masekela seemed somewhat distracted in a predictable presentation of such familiar items as “Stimela” and “Grazing in the Grass.”

Palmieri played only two numbers, “Sujetata La Lengua” and “Lazaro,” both heavily reliant on repetitious vamps, before bringing Masekela back for a pair of brief joint performances.

It’s hard to imagine “World Roots” as a title for such a narrowly focused, oddly programmed lineup. Perhaps it’s just best to be thankful for the presence of Ozomatli.