by limberic » Fri Feb 08, 2002 6:38 pm
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
Eric