Thursday, September 30, 2004
Today's movie; NYTimes 1176Best Films; documentary by Fernando Trueba, Spanish director, writer, producer; whose love of latin jazz led him to track down his favorite stars and put together this transcendent work.
It is a tribute and a record of disappearing greats (Gato Barbieri is 82) but more, it is a drama. Trueba has managed to cast, write, and direct a piece that has a beginning, middle, and end. It has a story arc which is only implied, but we get it. It has a climax like few 'drama' pics. The players know that they are part of something special, I think, and really put out an incredible level of energy. I had to take a break in the middle. I guess you can infer that I really enjoyed it. I was not in a good mood just before I put it on. The election blues and so on. I was riding a high very quickly and it is still on.
It reminded me of the great jazz band shorts that used to precede film features. Yes, there was such a time. Up to half an hour of them; then a 90 minute film. The long long films pushed the shorts out. That and money. Many of the music shorts were lovingly produced as this film is. I floated through my memory bank as the images passed. One segment, especially, is presented here in black and white. This is the most blatant homage to the genre.
The structure is simple. We meet each musician, often, ironically, in the snowy winter of New York. We go from the cold to the hot of the jazz. There are some whiz bang surprise exceptions.
High spots. I mentioned Gato Barbieri. Tito Puente still smiling. The Gonzaléz Brothers' (Jerry shown above, Andy plays with many of the other groups as session man) Fort Apache Jazz band. Checho and Bebo Valdes (son and father–shown below) who play together for the first time in five years. And so on.
This might be worth buying for future watches. Oh. If you rent or buy it do not plan to watch this on your computer. I had it on the stereo surround-sound very loud. John shut his office door. Not his thing.
A 5 out of Netflix 5.
