YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollections   It's a communication beyond
literal meaning  Don't speak Italian? No biggie: Gianmaria Testa
gets the point across.  November 08, 2005|Don Heckman | Special
to The Times  The appeal of world music is often based on the
sheer exoticism of different cultures, melodies derived from
unfamiliar harmonic sources and dynamic rhythms. That's made it
challenging for singer-songwriters to connect with audiences who
don't speak their language.  A few performers -- Caetano Veloso,
Baaba Maal, Chava Alberstein, Cheb Mami come immediately to mind
-- overcome that obstacle with the power of their presence, with
a capacity to deliver a message that reaches beyond the literal
meanings of the words.  Add Gianmaria Testa to the list. The
Italian singer-songwriter-guitarist's performance Sunday at the
Skirball Cultural Center was a classic example of beyond-verbal
musical communication. Performing with clarinetist-saxophonist
Piero Ponzo and bassist Enzo Pietropaoli, Testa wove intimate
tapest