Rarely has a nickname been so apt as Lark of the Frontier (whose Spanish translation gives this album its title).
Lydia Mendoza
, who retired in 1988, showed she still had all her qualities in this 1982 performance at the University of California, Berkeley. Accompanied solely by her own 12-string guitar, giving the songs a rhythmic foundation, she's gloriously emotive on everything from
boleros
to
corridos
, and moves farther afield to take in
"Tango Negro,"
which doesn't stretch her a bit. A consummate artist, she's also a splendid storyteller, but it's really the music that matters, and every song sparkles, with
"Por Ti, Ay! Por Ti"
a particular standout.
"Torero"
has plenty of drama, and you wouldn't think you were hearing a woman then in her sixties. There's a raw beauty to songs like
"Gitana"
that speak of a hard-won life, but
Mendoza
has always been a singer of and for the people, loving their chronicles. If you're looking for slick
Latin
music, this definitely isn't the place; but if you want something honest and moving, look no further. ~ Chris Nickson