Some of the most well known Latin performers gathered in Los Angeles to bring the music of “Coco” to life at the famous Hollywood Bowl. This 45 minute concert allows fans to hear live performance of one of the best received Pixar movies while paying tribute to the Mexican culture.

I love concerts like this that allow fans to hear the music while seeing some of the movie plays on a big screen. We’ve seen this done with both “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” and “Coco” fits very well into that mix. The effort to learn about the Mexican culture and incorporate the music into the story cannot go unnoticed. It sounded amazing as several Latin performers, some originally from Mexico and some from other countries who immigrated to Mexico, brought beautiful music from the movie to the live audience.

It’s painstakingly obvious Disney and Pixar put in the effort with “Coco” to pay proper tribute to the Mexican culture and not be offensive. This is a tough line to walk because many have tried and failed, while others didn’t care and just played into stereotypes. It was downright enjoyable to watch people who grew up in the culture see their past and present acknowledged and honored. The sheer joy on people’s faces as they sang along was enrapturing.

While the music is beautiful in every regard, it’s far more enjoyable when you can understand what’s being sung. I speak Spanish, conversationally, so it was wonderful to hear the native tongue and to know what they were singing. The blend of the chords and the lyrics mashed up perfectly to make the music a stellar experience.

As I was watching this celebration, it got me hopeful we could see more concerts like this for Disney movies, especially those with amazing soundtracks. The music of the Disney Renaissance would flow perfectly in this forum. Almost all of them have wonderful songs that are easy to sing along with, especially the Ashman and Menken collaborations of “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin;” and the great use of pop stars like Elton John for “The Lion King” and Phil Collins for “Tarzan.”

I genuinely hope we are able to see musical celebrations like this for more Disney movies and Disney+ is the perfect forum for them to be shared with the world. Much of a story can be told through music. If you’ve seen “Coco,” it’s a nice throwback to some of the beautiful music of the film. But, you don’t need to have seen “Coco” to grasp the plot because the music drives the story in an effort to make it enjoyable for everyone. It won’t work for every movie, but it works for “Coco.”

Ranking: 4 stars out of 5

Did you watch “A Celebration of the Music of Coco?” Did you enjoy it?

Jeremy Brown

Jeremy has been a big Disney fan since he was a kid growing up during the Disney Renaissance. One day he hopes to go to every Disney Park in the world.

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