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All the Hindemith recordings on Wergo I have are excellent. I especially like the complete piano music series played by Siegfried Mauser on five CDs. Mauser was accused of sexual harassment later on and spent 20 months in prison, which ended his career, but these recordings are excellently played.

I bought them all but the Silver. At the time, the "Horace Silver Trilogy" never interested me. Think I'm still not intrested, but a "gutsy" release? Completely agree. 

Like these stickers have always been a nuisance to remove; why couldn't the factory put these stickers on the outside of the CD case on the shrinkwrap? Some removed easily, but most left a string of sticky residue on the front and back, and that is if they nicely peeled off all the way. Most stickers splintered into several seperate pieces leaving more sitcky residue. 

Let me continue with the four Skye releases. Next is the second Fantasy period in the 1970's, then Concord. I will deal with the Fantasy albums last, as they are the most complicated, re-issue-wise. For info on the Skye label, please consult Doug Payne's excellent research: https://dougpayne.com/skye1.htm 1 - Solar Heat - 1968 Tjader's last Verve session was not yet issued when he went into the studio for his first album on the musician owned Skye label. On a superficial level, rather commercial in the selecion of pop covers and Latin stuff, but thanks to Gary McFarland's impeccable taste and professionalism it is perfect on all levels: sound, sidemen, arrangements ..... good for easy listening, but a closer listen reveals that it is so well done ..... Tjader's beautiful vibes sound is captured  perfectly. Joao Donato was brought in on organ, Tjader didn't like the usual Hammond stylings. Try to play it like that before you classify it as commercial. There were many reissues, partly bootlegs. I recommend the Dunhill Compact Classics CDs or the more recent Japanese reissues, which sound excellent.    2 - Cal Tjader Sounds Out Burt Bacharach - 1968 The second studio album is all Burt Bacharach tunes - Solar Heat already included one. Tjader was quoted there in the liner that he just played the melody, as that is all you have to do with a Bacharach tune. He was right, but how beautifully did he play them! Same reissue situation.   3 - The Cal Tjader Quintet * Featuring Armando Perazza* – Latin + Jazz = Cal Tjader  This was recorded live in Aspen, Colorado, in 1968, where Tjader played regularly, but not issued at the time. The first issue (on CD) was in 1990 and included a track from the other 1969 Aspen recording, probably to make up for short playing time. It may not have been Tjader's greatest band, but considering how much effort it is to maintain such an identifyable band sound, it is a very good recording.    4 - Cal Tjader Plugs In - 1969 This 1969 live recording from Aspen was Tjader's fourth and last album on the label. What I said about the other one applies here as well. The Skye label folded soon due to financial problems, McFarland died in 1971. The LP had a nice foldout cover with photos from Tjader's career until then.