Calle 54

A love letter to the smooth brass, sonorously liquid bass, lissome keyboarding and potent drum beats that make up the soothing, harmonious, mellifluous musical form that is Latin Jazz, this film is an admirable attempt by Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque) to create a resounding historical record. In sparse but colorful soundstage performances so uniformly dazzling that the music permeates your body, the film captures the spirits of a host of living legends in the genre (Chano Domínguez, Eliane Elias, Bebo Valdéz, Chico O'Farrill, Paquito D'Rivera, Michel Camilo, Tito Puente, Gato Barbieri and others). Unfortunately, because Calle 54 is so structurally and visually repetitive (two-minute digital video intros followed by the same SteadiCam filming of studio performances), aficionados are likely the only people who won't find the film growing tiresome despite the great music. Optional. (R. Blackwelder)