Rodriguez resuscitates aunt Garza’s ballads

 Boleros are a tradition among the Latino culture. Using the universal theme of love, whether it be eternal love, unrequited love or lost love, the tempo of the bolero compliments the sincere emotion.

Austin's Leticia Rodriguez brought this culture to the restaurant patrons of El Sol y La Luna on Saturday, Sept. 26. 

Performing a three hour set, Rodriguez entertained the crowd with Spanish and English renditions of classic boleros from the 1920s to the 1950s.

She shared anecdotes in between songs about her personal recollections of how the boleros influenced her Latino heritage.

She chose to perform boleros to share the culture with the Austin community. Her aunt, Eva Garza, was an international singer from the 1930s to the 1960s, which Rodriguez affectionately refers to as "La Novia de Los Boleros."

"I was introduced to boleros though my aunt's music that my mother used to play on records," reminisced Rodriguez. "So it was a logical choice for me to begin sharing that particular style because it connected to my family and my heritage."

With a background in music, dance and theatre, Rodriguez was a natural on stage, singing with a smile on her face and charming the crowd with her incredible vocal range. She encouraged the crowd to dance along with her during the more upbeat songs.

People will get the chance to partake in this cultural experience as Rodriguez will perform more shows in the future. More information can be found on her Web site at www.performanceencounters.org.