Yordamis Megret

In her 5 year stint with Bamboleo, Yordamis Megret conquered the dual challenge of replacing Haila Mompié and finding her own identity alongside the sultry, amazonian intensity of Vania Borges. By the time she left, Yordamis had become a bona fide star in Cuba, where her cantar sin gritar style is still sorely missed. But unlike many timberos who "se fue y perdió", she's improved dramatically since her arrival in the United States. Her years with Vania taught her to sing a ballad with a controlled intensity that very few timba singers can match -- she's now as comfortable in her voice as she is in her body, which exudes an undeniable poetry of motion that goes well beyond sexiness and showmanship. Saturday night someone from the audience tossed her a bouquet of red roses which she seamlessly integrated into an impromptu folkloric dance. Yordamis' undulating, almost slow-motion presence gives the band a riveting focal point and the kind of impact that only the most visually striking Timba bands -- Bamboleo and Charanga Habanera -- have achieved.