Cal Tjader recommendations?

[Edward]

Well, I finally spent some time listening to the two-disc Verve compilation, "More Than Mambo: The Introduction to Afro-Cuban Jazz", that I picked up cheaply ever so many months ago from the BMG Music Club, and found that most of my favorite tracks were by Cal Tjader. Consequently, I am looking to expand my rather meager Cal Tjader holdings.

I already have "Soul Burst" and I just picked up "Plays the Contemporary Music of Mexico and Brazil". Are "Monterey Concerts" and "Soul Sauce" as great as the record guides make out? Moreover, what other Cal Tjader CD's do you recommend? Thanks in advance.

[couw]

Edward, check this thread it started as a general thread on vibists, but sort of derailed into a Tjader rec fest towards the end.

There's probably more, but I'm not the right person to answer your request properly. "They" will probably show up here soon enough.

[vibes]

"Soul Sauce" is a classic, and possibly the best of Cal's work on Verve. I think you'll enjoy it if you enjoy "Soul Burst." "Soulbird: Whiffenpoof" would probably be to your liking as well.

[connoisseur series500]

I've only got one Cal Tjader and it's upstairs. I'm in the basement right now.

It's called some Spanish name... It's pretty good.

I'll look it up after I get caught up with my posts here.

[connoisseur series500]

Here it is: "El Sonido Nuevo"

Hope that's spelled right. Had to go by memory.

[Big Al]

I love his Verve work, you can't go wrong there. But my all-time favorite is a Fantasy 2-fer called Los Ritmos Calientes. It's raw, but it's hot; plus it has "Mongorama" on it, which is reason enough to pick it up!

[GA Russell]

My favorite is 'Plugs In" on the DCC (formerly Skye) label. It has an electric piano, so that may not be to your liking.

If you can wait till the end of the month, Concord is issuing a two-CD package called The Best of Cal Tjader. He recorded for them in the last part of his life. He received a Grammy for I think his first Concord album.

[chris olivarez]

"Here and There" is good latter day Tjader also "La Onda Va Bien","Primo","Amazonas" and "Huracan" just to mention a few.

[Brandon Burke]

Stan Getz with Cal Tjader

[Dr. Rat]

If what you liked on More than Mambo was the more lush exotica-sounding stuff, go for his Verve catalog.

If you liked the great Bill Fitch solo on Insight, You might be more pleased by his earlier work for Fantasy.

Ritmos Calientes is a good one. Black Orchid and Live at the Blackhawk are also highly recommended.

At this time Tjader was hiring and heavily featuring some of the best Cuban and Cuban style percussionists: Mongo Santamaria, Armando Paraeza, Willie Bobo, etc. Some very nice rhythm workouts.

Guy that plays sax on some dates, Chombo Silva, did a fine job of soloing on tenor.

--eric

[Edward]

Thanks for the link to the vibes thread (which a little diligent searching would probably have revealed) and all of the recommendations. I am looking forward to receiving via mail "Los Ritmos Calientes", which I was able to swipe for $9.00 delivered. I will probably invest next in another Verve session.

Does anyone, though, have any comments regarding "Monterey Concerts"? Thanks!

[Dr. Rat]

I have this one. Haven't listened in a while (it's buried in a moving box somewhere), but I remember liking it pretty well.

Poncho Sanchez likes it (from http://www.descarga.com):

Cal Tjader

Monterey Concerts

CD (Prestige 24026),

Reviews:

"Not only was Willie Bobo a great timbalero, but this album showed that he was also a great jazz drummer. This album inspired me to pick up the timbales. The sound that Mongo gets on the congas is something that you can't hear on records today. I wonder how they did that. If you want to hear some great sounding congas, listen to this." (Poncho Sanchez and Ramon Banda 96/97 Catalog)

Song titles include:

Doxy

Afro Blue

Laura

Walkin' With Wally

We'll Be Together Again

'Round Midnight

Love Me Or Leave Me

Tu Crees Que

S.S. Groove

A Night In Tunisia

Bess, You Is My Woman

Lover, Come Back To Me

Tumbao

Musicians include:

Paul Horn

Lonnie Hewitt

Al McKibbon

Willie Bobo

Mongo Santamaria

[mikeweil]

"The sound that Mongo gets on the congas is something that you can't hear on records today. I wonder how they did that. If you want to hear some great sounding congas, listen to this." (Poncho Sanchez and Ramon Banda 96/97 Catalog)

With the congas Poncho plays, no wonder. Those REMO fiber congas with the Nuskyn heads, as nice as they are, never will produce a sound like Mongo's. I have a 25-year old Gon Bops conga set with very thick heads that will produce such a sound when properly played. You need Mongo's power, that's for sure. But you also need a wooden drum (mahagony) with a thick cowhide, not the thin water buffalo skins most manufacturers furnish their congas with nowadays.

In the beginning of his career Poncho played Valje congas, made from Californian Oak, or Gon Bops oak congas, which sound closer to that, but still very different. Good congueros have individual sounds just like good saxophonists.

For Mongo's live sound 1962, check out:

[marcoliv]

Heat Wave with Carmen McRae is brilliant IMHO

Marcus Oliveira

[Shrdlu]

You'll have to find an LP of it (try gemm.com), but "Hip Vibrations" is a classic. It's more of a straight-ahead jazz album than most of Cal's other albums. There are arrangements by Benny Golson, and the star-studded cast includes Herbie Hancock, Jerome Richardson, Mel Lewis, Richard Davis and Ron Carter. There's plenty of solo space for the sidemen, as well as for Cal. I've played it more times than I can count, and it still sounds fresh. It even boasts liner notes by Christiern!

This is not to disagree with the other recommendations. I like all the Verves that I've heard. (By the way, "Several Shades of Jade" is another good'un, and the CD includes an extra album.)