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Hi there and a happy new year to everybody!

I have heard/read about this movie about Latin Jazz, or rather documentary. Is it hot? Is it even worth buying the DVD?
Unfortunately, it isn´t out in the theatres in my country
But perhaps somebody else has seen it already ....

Hey Mike Calle 54 is a very good documentation of latin jazz. It has Jerry Gonzalez,Cachao and others. It didn't have a major showing in theaters. U can now get it on video...JC JOHNNY CONGA....

Calle 54 is a great movie and should be seen by ANYONE interested in cuban music and percussion. I especially like the rumba session and latin jazz cuts. If you want to experience the best sound, buy it on DVD and crank up the volume!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I´ve grown curious ... Thanks for the replies.
I´ve mail-ordered a dvd fom Switzerland. Let´s see (+listen to).

Hi folks,
although the Calle 54 - dvd was rather expensive, it was worth every single minute: This dvd is really hot, wonderful, cool, really bad!

Thanks for your hints, I can highly recommend this dvd! (Non-commercial interests with my advertising...

I watched Calle 54 and I was not to thrilled by it. Maybe there was too much commentary or maybe I am not appreciative of Jazz music as a whole. I would highely recommend The Buena Vista Social Club movie to anyone.

Buena Vista Club sucks, not jazz, not slasa, not anything! Just a bunch of old syphilus survivors that play the same thing over and over!

i think Buena Vista Social Club is great Cuban Jazz,with some of the best players and singers that came from Cuba, the movies not as good as i expected, though it is very good.

What the people from BVSC did is nothing less than the base of Cuban music - the son. Well, at least one one of the important directions. Of course, there is new and hot stuff out there in Cuba (Sin Palabras, e.g.), but this does not diminish the effort of the living legends, the se gret musicians. And mind you, Louis, what about us and "our" music when we get old...?
Concerning Wim Wenders´movie, I agree with Timo. I was a bit disappointed. The social concern was at times a bit too ambitious in the movie and at the same time missing... As regards the music: The scenes were skilfully cut, unfortunately some musicians came a bit short , e.g. Amadito Valdes. The solo was great, wasn´t it?

Welle, Calle 54 is simply a different movie... but great!

First, I have to come to the defense of BVSC! What a lousy thing to say, Louis, about a bunch of geriatric Cubans who still swing with SOUL. I was gonna say 'who swing like a bunch of young dudes', which they do, but they emote so much more, linked to age, suffering and conquering life's vicissitudes. Wow! I've loved the album since it came out in '97. I didn't see the video/movie until last year on PBS. What a wonderfully human story. Precious.

Calle 54 is way different. Almost too low key, ironic to be doing Latin Jazz mostly in winter-freeze NYC ... I could have wanted more narrative about the artists, most people know from nothing about Latin jazz let alone who is who and why is he/they important. At least I knew most everyone's name and even recognised some of them without being introduced, like Jerry Gonzalez, with his trademark hat, Patao Valdez, Tito Puente, Cachao.

Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed Calle 54. I own a copy. I wouldn't quite say it is hot ... but it is way significant and an homage to something we-all love. If nothing else, it is a last minute retrospective in a nutshell of some mighty players - and of course, it is 'real music.' Sometimes, the studio scene is a bit too sanitized so it lacks some of the funkiness that BVSC portrays.

Calle 54 is about the only way I am ever going to experience a tiny bit of Tito Puente and who he was - what he was like in performance, let alone personally. [A friend of mine saw him a few years ago in San Francisco and convinced me that it was a Transcendental Experience for him.] And wow, Chico O'Farrill's "Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite". Ache! THAT is MYTHOLOGY to me. The B&W on it was so Right! Calle 54 is wonderful.

Regards,
And be nice to your elders,
Eric



Edited By limberic on Feb. 08 2002 at 11:19