In its bi-cultural orientation, the background of distinctive singer/songwriter Lila Downs is positively Obama-esque. Her mother came from the native Mixtec tribe of the Mexican state of Oaxaca; her father hailed from Minnesota. As a child, she grew up in both places. As a result, Downs has forged a provocative one-foot-in-each-culture musical style that served as a bridge between mainstream American culture -- she was a traveling Deadhead at one time -- and traditional ethnic Mexican culture.

Downs eventually graduated from the University of Minnesota with a double degree in voice and anthropology, at the same time diving into her mother's cultural milieau with fervor.

Downs comes to the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz on the heels of a sharp new album that brings her unique style to a mainstream audience. "Shake Away" brings flavors of funk and reggae, bilingual balladry and even an unforgettable version of "Black Magic Woman." In the process, she has brought in such varied musicians as Spanish-born rocker Enrique Bunbury and Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen.

With its wildly varied but integrated influences, "Shake Away" is compelling proof that Lila Downs contains multitudes.