'Sax by Moonlight' coming to Deering Estate at Cutler

BY SHERRI C. RANTA

Renowned Miami-bred saxophonist Ed Calle brings musical magic to the Deering Estate at Cutler on Friday, June 16, 8 p.m., as the Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation Department presents "Sax by Moonlight," a unique night-time jazz concert.

Calle will perform songs from DoubleTalk, his debut album for Sony Latin Jazz, on the main lawn at the Deering Estate against the backdrop of a magnificent view of Biscayne Bay and a full moon.

Gates open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs, according to Leslie Williams, event marketing coordinator at Deering Estate.

"No coolers are allowed, but we'll have a variety of food available for sale by such well-known vendors as The Crepe Maker, D&R, Lots of Lox, The Catering Shop and Big Mix," she said.
The talents of the 36-year-old Calle, versatile in pop, Latin, R&B, rock, jazz and rap, may be something of a mystery among the general public. However, among jazz enthusiasts and the music industry itself, Calle is considered a dynamic performer.

Gloria Estefan, John Secada, Arturo Sandoval, Jimmy Buffet, The Pet Shop Boys, Greg Allman, Julio Iglesias and Frank Sinatra and dozens of other artists have benefited from the sounds of his fiery tenor sax on their albums.

In the world of Latin Music, this Venezuelan-born, Spanish-bred, Miami-cultivated musician has become the favored instrumentalist of a "Who's Who" of the international Latin pop scene. These include such stars as Brazil's Roberto Carlos; the Spanish vocal duo Azucar Moreno; Puerto Rican singers Yolandita Monge, Cheyenne, Lourdes Robles, Danny Rivera, Glenn Monroig; Venezuelan crooner Jose Luis Rodriguez and rocker Carlos Mata; Argentinean pianist/composer Raul DiBlasio, and Mexican vocal legends Jose Jose and Yuri.

The music on Calle's debut album for Sony Latin Jazz, DoubleTalk, is a rich blend of the various influences that have inspired the saxophonist's evolution as an artist.

"There's a Latin thing going on all throughout the album. It's in the percussion, the way we interpret the melody, the feeling in our phrasing. It's ingrained in us from childhood," Calle said.

Also deeply ingrained in the session is Calle's deep love of the Rhythm and Blues tradition.

"It's the kind of music that really touches people. It's music with a soulful quality. Sometimes you can play a lot of harmony and a lot of notes, and people can't relate to it -- they're not musicians.
"But if you get them in the heart or get their hair to stand up or get them to move their hips, that's when you've got them," he said.

Visitors are encouraged to come early to see the recently completed renovations at the historic 420-acre estate that was once the home of wealthy industrialist Charles Deering and site of the pioneer town of Cutler, one of the first settlements in Miami-Dade County.

Hurricane Andrew destroyed the Richmond Cottage, one of the oldest buildings on the property, but careful reconstruction using salvaged pieces has resulted in a phenomenal replica of the cottage. Other completed renovations include those at Stone House, built as Deering's winter home in 1922.

Tickets are on sale now at the ticket office at Deering Estate at Cutler, 16701 SW 72 Ave. For more information, call 305-235-1668, ext. 225.