Calle 54

Director Fernando Trueba explores the many contours and salutes his heroes of Latin Jazz in this exhilarating, intimate musical valentine. A dozen impassioned, uninterrupted performances in the Sony recording studio on Manhattan’s 54th Street (Calle 54) are captured by five 35mm cameras and a SteadiCam. Single-color backgrounds (dusk orange, sky blue, deep red) complement the varied musical moods, and the sound has a purity and balance that borders on the sacred. There is no live audience on which to feed. The musicians (including barefooted Brazilian pianist Eliane Elias, pianist Michel Camilo, Fort Apache Band trumpeter Jerry Gonzáles and percussionist (Tito Puente) just brilliantly stew in their own creative juices.