Rating: 
Summary: Worthy of six stars
Review: Simply put, this is a brilliant DVD. A very important documentary . . . my favorite DVD (music or otherwise), period. Worthy of multible viewings, especially the bonus chapter on the history of Afro-Cuban Jazz. A "must have".
Rating:
Summary: Superlative, fabulous, soul-touching!
Review: The music, and the manner in which it is filmed as played, had tears streaming down my face. Powerful, almost bordering on the incredible.
Rating:
Summary: Diverse, illuminating, and inspiring
Review: This DVD takes viewers on a tour of places in South and Central America, as well as ethnic enclaves in places like Miami and the Bronx, for a look at some of the biggies in the Latin Jazz. The music is as diverse as the locales; it ranges from solo performances to small ensembles to big band. It is all a joy to listen to. My favourite performances are Chucho Valdes in a hearfelt solo piano piece, and Michel Camilo's trio featuring the great Anthony Jackson on six string electric bass. Some of the performers speak briefly about their influences and their music, but the music is really the highlight of this DVD. For musicians who were raised on rock and pop, this DVD is an eye-opener for what music can be. The synthesis of a wide range of influences combined with passion and an intimate understanding of group interplay can have spectacular results. Highly recommended for fans of any type of music.
Rating:
Summary: They wrote the book!!!!!
Review: This film is a master's work put together by a truely gifted film maker. The artists performing are the parents of the art form. I cried almost all the way through the film. The performances by Paquito, Chano & Michel are simply magnificent! Then as if that were not enough, Chucho & Bebo Valdez will simply throw you on the floor. This is a collector's item especially with the passings of Tito & Chico Farrell. Remarkably absent is Arturo. Even so this is a must have!!! "Tito will be missed.....to see this film is a miracle". I hope you all love it as much as I do.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: This is an incredible film. The music is fantastic. Do yourself a favor and get the DVD and not the VHS, or you will miss all the bonus stuff.
As a cuban musician brought up on this music, I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Perfect!
Review: This movie hit the spot. Great music, great info, entertaining, the music kept me on the edge of my seat. Awesome! Anyone who listens to music should get this, which is a lot of people.
Rating:
Summary: A Magical Salute to Latin Jazz
Review: We are both music lovers and decided to see this movie because the description intrigued us. Neither of us knew anything about Latin Jazz music at all. We were completely spellbound by the combination of masterful filmmaking and exquisite music. The music is so beautiful in this movie that I literally could feel myself starting to float away in the air. In the beginning of the movie, the narrator mentions how Latin Jazz has changed his life -- I can certainly agree that just seeing this film has changed ours. Besides the awesome musical numbers, this movie has a wonderful way of revealing the character of each of the musicians with skilled cinematography and editing.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely wonderful...Awsome production values!
Review: What a great disc! The visual quality is as good as any DVD out there, the sound seems even better than the sound track CD, and behind it all is the music. What wonderful music it is, full of artists that are legendary and a few I had not heard of. There are such gems to discover in this film, from the stunning flute solos of Dave Valentin to the beautifully understated piano of Elaine Elias to the poetic and magical scenes featuring Bebo Valdes. The last scene with both Chuchu and Bebo Valdes rises to such a poetic level that it brought tears to my eyes as I watched it. This is must-see viewing (ans listening), not only for lovers of Latin Jazz, but for anyone who loves Jazz in any way!
Rating: 
Summary: Awesome - Simply awesome!
Review: Wow. I heard about this when it was released for a short time in New York City, but never got a chance to see it. Now, I'm not the type that normally goes for "Artsy/Documentary films", but Tito Puente was in it, so when it was released on Pay-per-view shortly after my son was born, I figured I'd watch it while feeding my 4 day old son at Oh-dark-thirty in the morning. ;) Wow. I was glued to the screen. I considered myself a fan of Latin Jazz and latin music in general, but I've never been treated to a dazzling display of talent such as the one that I saw and heard before my eyes. From the wonderful (And my all-time favorite song) Latin Jazz song 'From Within' performed by Michel Camilo, to the tour-de-force by Bebo Valdés, everything was awesome. Of course, there are problems that I noticed right off the bat. It seems as if the songs were recorded seperately from the actual performances, so you see the artists perform a few things that you don't hear reflected in the sound (Look at Hilton Ruiz using his elbow on the piano that isn't heard in the music during Tito Puente's 'New Arrival' for example), which takes off a star from my rating. As long as you come in as a music lover, you'll treasure this. If you're looking for a performance DVD, go elsewhere. Plain and simple. =)
Rating:
Summary: Awesome - Simply awesome!
Review: Wow. I heard about this when it was released for a short time in New York City, but never got a chance to see it. Now, I'm not the type that normally goes for "Artsy/Documentary films", but Tito Puente was in it, so when it was released on Pay-per-view shortly after my son was born, I figured I'd watch it while feeding my 4 day old son at Oh-dark-thirty in the morning. ;) Wow. I was glued to the screen. I considered myself a fan of Latin Jazz and latin music in general, but I've never been treated to a dazzling display of talent such as the one that I saw and heard before my eyes. From the wonderful (And my all-time favorite song) Latin Jazz song 'From Within' performed by Michel Camilo, to the tour-de-force by Bebo Valdés, everything was awesome. Of course, there are problems that I noticed right off the bat. It seems as if the songs were recorded seperately from the actual performances, so you see the artists perform a few things that you don't hear reflected in the sound (Look at Hilton Ruiz using his elbow on the piano that isn't heard in the music during Tito Puente's 'New Arrival' for example), which takes off a star from my rating. As long as you come in as a music lover, you'll treasure this. If you're looking for a performance DVD, go elsewhere. Plain and simple. =)
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