Ed Calle “360”…July CD of the Month

Miami based,  supremely skilled saxophonist Ed Calle is one of So Florida’s best kept secrets, this despite being a seasoned veteran,  a highly respected music professor, a Latin Grammy® award winner, a five-time Grammy® nominee and perhaps the most recorded saxophonist ever with over 1,300 appearances in a wide variety of music genres. As impressive as his credentials may be, the best trait of Eduardo Calle is his playing! That’s is what makes him be in such high demand and so respected by his peers. As a sequel to his award winning 2015 release Mamblues which was named the best instrumental recording of 2015, Mr. Calle releases his superb 360 album containing 12 sizzling selections featuring some of the finest musicians of Metro Miami and his longtime collaborator, Arturo Sandoval on the track One for J J  in which Ed plays clarinet in a New Orleanesque song that will surely make you yearn for some red beans n rice. Calle also includes a dedication to the small enclave of suburban Miami where he lives, Hammocks Hoedown. My personal favorite from this session is Waltz for Sydney that is a showcase for Ed Calle on soprano sax. 

I have had the pleasure of knowing Ed since the mid-90s when I lived in Miami, I have enjoyed his music, both on recordings and even more so live on stage. He’s a versatile performer, he has led his own ensembles, he has been a part of many groups, in particular of Arturo Sandoval’s touring and recording groups. He is currently part of the Miami Saxophone Quartet and the amazing Afro-Cuban funk band Palo! As excellent as is his music experience and credentials I must add Dr. Calle’s educational component to this review because he is in great demand as a jazz clinician and enjoys working with students. In addition to his full-time Professor of Music Business and Production duties at Miami Dade College, Calle conducts regular visits to South Florida public, private, and charter K-12 schools, Ed has served as a guest artist and clinician throughout the US and Latin America including his native Venezuela. When you add up all of this, no wonder his latest recording is titled 360, he’s completed the full circle. True to his music business acumen, this recording as his previous award winning albums are on Ed’s very own Mojito Records. One thing is guaranteed about 360, the entire CD is worthy of repeated listening, start to finish or as we used to say back in days gone by, “all killer-no filler”!!!