Color Of Soul

Whether it's "salsa-fying" Second Story Night Club or blasting books off shelves at Border's Books and Music, there is one thing you can count on with any Alma Azul performance:\n"It's always a party," saxophonist Rahsaan Barber, a senior, says with a smile, taking a moment to breathe after another successful show.\nWith a mixture of Latin rock, salsa and traditional folk songs, Alma Azul strives to bring diversity and innovation to every performance. \nA red feather boa wrapped around her shoulders, lead vocalist Melisa Benavente, a senior, joins percussionist Nythia Rivera, also a senior, in their signature salsa dancing to get the crowd moving. Their hand clapping and foot stomping flamenco dancing add to the ostentatious electric guitar, congas and salsa piano. \nBenavente stands and looks out to the crowd, taking control of the stage with a confident smile.\n"We're going to take you on a carnival," she says. \nAlma Azul's exhilarating Latin flair has its origins in Posoltega, Nicaragua, Bloomington's sister city in an ongoing project to help fight poverty in Third World countries. The band's "Father," Forest Gras, spent his time in Posoltega absorbing the sounds of the salsa and playing the guitar for neighborhood children. \n"After traveling through Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica, I knew I wanted to continue to share this music," Gras says. "This is what I want to do with my life."\nAlma Azul formed in 1997 after Benavente and Gras met at the Latino Cultural Center. Gras says the band has gone from a simple acoustic ensemble with Conga drums to developing an authentic Latin rock sound. \n"Basically everybody in this band just really loves Latin music," Gras says. "Alma Azul has been very charmed to have an abundance of wonderful musicians available to us."\nThe spirit of music\nThe relentless synergy projected from the stage is what brings such enthusiasm to Alma Azul's audiences. When she's not singing or salsa dancing, Benavente picks up the saxophone and joins the Barber brothers, Rahsaan and his twin brother Roland, in a jazz ensemble. Graduate student Carlos Ruiz de la Torre at the keyboard keeps his eyes on the dancing band members while nodding his head with the rhythm, his fingers moving with lightning speed. Roland Barber, a senior, will take a break from the trombone, just to take a picture of brother Rahsaan assisting a young spectator in the audience play the maraca.\n"When we're having fun, the crowd feels it," says Roland Barber. "We play the kinds of music that feel good to us." \nThe name Alma Azul is Spanish for "blue soul." When coming up with this name, Gras kept in mind the healing power of music.\n"You can invoke a certain spirit in someone with the words you say," Gras says. "Blue is a healing color, so whether it's healing spirit or soul healing, that's what music can do for people. If you turn on the right music, you can heal your soul."\nAlma Azul will fire up any dance floor with tunes by Santana, Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony, Ozo Matli and some of the latest hits on the Putamayo World Music series. Its 1998 CD Viva la Música includes some of its own original songs. \n"Music and dancing are both great ways to get in touch with your soul," Gras says. "We hope through our music we can help people connect with themselves." \nUnity through diversity\nNot a show goes by without Benavente stopping the action to take a moment to recognize each member of the band. \nThe most eye-catching characteristic of Alma Azul is its diversity. Hailing from Chicago to Puerto Rico to Miami Beach, the band members represent a wide geographic scope. And with a mixture of their Buddhist beliefs, Christian convictions and Gospel backgrounds, they combine their attitudes to project their diversity to an equally diverse crowd.\nBecause Alma Azul was born in a college town, the band has seen members come and go.\n"With each new arrangement of people, the sound changes, the attitude changes," drummer Rob Roy, a senior, says.\nEven though the band members change, their constant communication makes an effective performance every time. Roy sounds his Samba whistle to signal changes to the band members. Vocalist Rivera switches places with percussionist Hugo Viera, a graduate student, to get a different perspective. Gras glances over at the Barber brothers and smiles, acknowledging an intense brass solo. The energy continually bounces from each band member to the audience and back again.\nAfter the tempo-changing salsa sounds of "Con El Sol," Benavente explains its meaning to the audience.\n"For those of you who don't know Spanish," Benavente exclaims into the microphone, "that song was about beauty to Earth and thanks to God."\nAlma Azul's future\nGras says he'd like to get a record contract for the band and eventually sign on a tour with a national act.\n"I'd also like to see Alma Azul have a little more of a funky Latin, more jazzy sound," Gras says. "Right now we have a lot more of a traditional feel."\nThere has even been talk about Alma Azul's featured brass section, the Barber brothers, adding their own twist to Alma Azul's sound.\n"The band leaders are trying to get me to rap," Roland Barber says, shaking his head with a smile. "But I don't know about that." \nFor some members, a feeling of pride and love for the music inspires them onstage.\n"It's really nice to be in a band with no huge egos," says Rahsaan Barber. "We feel like we've been blessed because we really love what we do."\nFor others, playing for Alma Azul is the ideal way to communicate with the diverse audiences that attend the shows.\n"This band has been very, very fortunate since it formed here in Bloomington in 1997," Gras says. "If I can use music as a vehicle to get the message to the people, then I know I have succeeded"