Los Ritmos Calientes - The Cal Tjader Forum

[GA Russell]

Thanks for that link, Mike. It looks like he is busy now with Creedence Clearwater Revival with all the unreleased indications, but maybe he hasn't done anything with them since the German albums came out.

[GA Russell]

My order arrived today. That was quick!

I haven't seen these albums since they were LPs, and looking at them today in their shrunken state gives me the same feeling I had when CDs were just coming out twenty years ago.

[Jazz Kat]

This album is superb!

[mikeweil]

The you should also like:

(only 1 or two Latin tracks) and:

if you haven't already checked them out - much in the same style, studio but just as lively.

[Jazz Kat]

Yea, I been wanting to check out the other quartet album for a while now. As for the other one, with the appearence of Guaraldi, I should really get that one. I love the sound Tjader got from the vibes on the jazz at the blackhawk album. I don't know if it's the vibes, the mallets, or the speed of the motor that gets that thick lyrical sound, but i love it!

[Teasing the Korean]

I have a couple of his straight ahead non-Latin LPs but I never really play them much. There's nothing wrong with them; it just never occurs to me to spin them. When I'm in the mood for Cal, I want the Latin or the groovy stuff.

[mikeweil]

I love the sound Tjader got from the vibes on the jazz at the blackhawk album. I don't know if it's the vibes, the mallets, or the speed of the motor that gets that thick lyrical sound, but i love it!

It's all of that, and the phrasing! How you hit the bars - that's very personal, and of course affected by the choice of mallets.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I don't know if it's the vibes, the mallets, or the speed of the motor that gets that thick lyrical sound, but i love it!

I didn't know vibes had a motor. I just thought it was something you hit. What does the motor do?

MG

[Teasing the Korean]

It spins around and creates a vibrating effect. Most players set the motor on slow; Cartoon composer Carl Stalling and film composer Bernard Herrmann often used it on the fast setting.

MG, knowing your taste in soul jazz, I would recommend Cal's 60s recordings on Verve, or some of his groovy albums on Skye.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

It spins around and creates a vibrating effect. Most players set the motor on slow; Cartoon composer Carl Stalling and film composer Bernard Herrmann often used it on the fast setting.

What's it conected to - the chimes?

MG, knowing your taste in soul jazz, I would recommend Cal's 60s recordings on Verve, or some of his groovy albums on Skye.

Yes - I used to have the 45 of "Guachi guarra" and liked it a lot. The only one of Cal's I've got now is "Huracan", which I think is fabulous.

MG

[mikeweil]

The tuned metal plates (some special aluminum alloy) have resonating tubes below them of varying lenghth (that's what you see looking like organ pipes). These are permanently closed at the bottom; on the top they have these revolving lids. The vibrato effect comes from the opening and closing of the resonators - the speed can be adjusted.

In the center of the pic you can see one of those lids.

Edited April 3, 2007 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

Here's an even better view:

[Jazz Kat]

That looks like a pretty high tech pair of vibes. Most vibraphones you'll see around music schools and various places have a small motor mounted on the far right side of the instrument, which spins two wheels with a belt that makes the wheels under the bars spin to get that vibrato sound. You can adjust the speed by chosing which wheel to put the belt around. The bigger the wheel, the faster it spins.

Edited April 3, 2007 by Jazz Kat

[Jazz Kat]

Here's a picture of the motor and the belt on my vibes.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thanks you all very much - that's very educative!

MG

[GA Russell]

Most players set the motor on slow...MG, I would recommend...some of his groovy albums on Skye.

I have read that it was Milt Jackson who first put the motor on a very slow setting.

MG, my favorite Tjader album has always been Plugs In. Although as I recall Armando Peraza is on congas, it does not have the Latin feel that most of Tjader's albums had. I think you would like it. See my post above from last week about my ordering a CD copy of it. As I stated, there is a $25 minimum order, so you might as well get all three of his Skye albums (like I did) while you are at it.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Most players set the motor on slow...MG, I would recommend...some of his groovy albums on Skye.

I have read that it was Milt Jackson who first put the motor on a very slow setting.

MG, my favorite Tjader album has always been Plugs In. Although as I recall Armando Peraza is on congas, it does not have the Latin feel that most of Tjader's albums had. I think you would like it. See my post above from last week about my ordering a CD copy of it. As I stated, there is a $25 minimum order, so you might as well get all three of his Skye albums (like I did) while you are at it.

I had Chuck Rainey's Skye LP in the '60s; forget the title; something beginning with R. It seemed a bit lackadaisical to me. So I was going to give the Skye Tjaders a miss. Am I too prejudiced against Skye on not very much evidence?

MG

[GA Russell]

Am I too prejudiced against Skye on not very much evidence?

MG, I always liked the Skyes except the Armando Perraza. I don't believe that I recall the one you mention by Chuck Rainey.

I would compare Skye to Verve. Production values were excellent. I never heard anything that would turn people off, so maybe you would consider them all to be "lackadaisical", but I believe that almost everyone here on this board would like them when in a mellow mood. They're solid jazz.

At the prices dccblowout.com is offering, how can you go wrong?

edit for typo

Edited April 3, 2007 by GA Russell

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Am I too prejudiced against Skye on not very much evidence?

MG, I always liked the Skyes except the Armando Perraza. I don't believe that I recall the one you mention by Chuck Rainey.

I would compare Skye to Verve. Production values were excellent. I never heard anything that would turn people off, so maybe you would consider them all to be "lackadaisical", but I believe that almost everyone here on this board would like them when in a mellow mood. They're solid jazz.

At the prices dccblowout.com is offering, how can you go wrong?

edit for typo

It was called "The Chuck Rainey coalition", I remember now - knew there was an R in it. I seem to remember that Tom Mackintosh had something to do with it. Everything was OK, but it never took off - for me, anyway.

MG

[Jazz Kat]

Eddie Costa has them on high for the Guys and Dolls like Vibes album.

[mikeweil]

Actually there were four Tjader albums recorded for Skye, but the other live CD was only released by DCC. They are on the lighter side but very well done and recorded, the live ones are jazzier, of course.

The Bacharach CD has some nice duo work with Gary McFarland that is so well done you cannot tell them apart!

[Teasing the Korean]

I can't get enough of Cal Tjader these days. I've had 5 CDs in the shuffle play for days now... "Soul Burst" is a real favorite. I'm not a huge Chick Corea fan, but I love his playing on that album.

[Big Al]

Any thoughts on the Verve album WARM WAVE, with orchestrations by Claus Ogerman? I got it for $2 yesterday, but haven't had a chance to spin it yet. I love both Tjader and Ogerman individually; I can only imagine what this must sound like!

[Teasing the Korean]

Any thoughts on the Verve album WARM WAVE, with orchestrations by Claus Ogerman? I got it for $2 yesterday, but haven't had a chance to spin it yet. I love both Tjader and Ogerman individually; I can only imagine what this must sound like!

I really love Claus Ogerman's arranging also. If I remember correctly, this album doesn't have much latin rhythm. Definitely on the quieter side. Not one I spin very often. It does have some nice moments though.

[mikeweil]

Yes it's not a latin album, but very beautiful - one of the better jazz with strings albums, IMO. My only complaint would be that the strings are a bit loud in the mix.