Lawrence.com

It's inevitable that the new Latin jazz documentary "Calle 54" will be compared to the Academy Award-nominated "Buena Vista Social Club," the 1999 film that profiled the rich legacy of Cuba's forgotten musicians.

But whereas the "Buena Vista Social Club" focused mainly on stories of those legends, "Calle 54" focuses almost exclusively on the music itself.

Segments on greats like saxophonist Gato Barbieri and the late "Mambo King" Tito Puente are introduced with only brief biographical information before segueing into about 10-minute performances.

Even the performances are pared down, filmed on a sound stage without an audience, elaborate stage sets or other theatrical trappings that might take attention from the music.

Spanish director Fernando Trueba's film rises and falls on the vitality of these miniconcerts. Luckily, for the most part, "Calle 54" is as vibrant and energetic as the performances.

Grammy-winning pianist Michel Camilo captivates with his rendition of "From Within"; his segment is especially riveting when Trueba zooms in on Camilo's hands feverishly pounding the keyboard. And Puente, whose segment was one of only two shot against an eerily white background, gives a typically dazzling performance as he leads his band on the song "New Arrival."

At times like these, the performances seem almost too short. At other times, such as the surprisingly uninspired performance by Barbieri, viewers may find themselves looking at their watches.

Although little attention is paid to these entertainers' lives, sometimes brief snippets are revealing. For example, Barbieri explains his 14-year absence from the music scene � his distaste for today's Latin jazz � by describing the music as "a toboggan ... going downhill fast."

A touching, humorous moment comes when Cuban piano great Chucho Valdes is reunited with his elderly father Bebo Valdes, also a pianist, whom he hadn't seen in years. But the emotion of this reunion pales in comparison to the synergy between the two men when they perform together on "La Comparasa." As their eyes meet while they perform dueling piano parts, the viewer can only imagine their thoughts.