Spanish filmmaker Fernando Trueba's documentary Calle 54 unveils the innovations and rhythmic vitality of Latin jazz. On the highlight-laden soundtrack, Cuban alto saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera's "Panamerica" suite features the Argentinean tango, the Venezuelan joropo, and the Brazilian bossa nova. The Sao Paulo-born pianist Eliane Elias delivers a swinging "jazz Carnaval" trio update of Baden Powell's "Samba Triste," and the fleet-fingered Dominican keyboardist Michel Camilo imbues "From Within" with the merengue/pambiche dance grooves from his homeland. Argentinean tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri takes John Coltrane's "Sheets of Sound" and drapes them over his ode to Buenos Aires and the Andes, "Introducción, Llamerito y Tango/Bolivia." The Afro-Cuban rhythmic pattern of the clave is the heartbeat of Latin music and it's played here in a myriad of forms. Percussionist Orlando "Puntilla" Rios and his Nueva Generacion ensemble--with special guest conguero Patato Valdes--perform a zesty type of guaguanco/guarapchangeo/rumba titled "Compa Gallentano." The immortal bandleader-arranger Chico O'Farrill's shortened "Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite" represents the Havana/Harlem musical marriage that gave birth to the Cubop movement of the 1940s and '50s. Flugelhornist/conguero Jerry Gonzalez and his Fort Apache Band, featuring his brother, tackle "Earth Dance," cutting the Cubop cake with a modern, pointillistic edge. "Caridad Amaro," a solo piano showcase by the Cuban wizard Jesus "Chucho" Valdes, shows why he's considered the "Art Tatum of the Antilles." Valdes's father, Bebo, records for the first time with the legendary bass innovator Israel "Cachao" Lopez in the intimate duet, "Lagrimas Negras," and then plays a heartfelt duo with his son on Ernesto Lecuona's "La Comparsa." The most moving segment, however, in both the film and on the soundtrack, belongs to Tito Puente and his rendition of Hilton Ruiz's "New Arrival." Puente passed away two months after this track was made, and in this sizzling clip he and his cohorts perform in angelic Santeria white. --Eugene Holley Jr.
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