mikeweil

Well, these were the final days of Verve before it was bought by Polydor, maybe some info was lost in the hassle ... if there was more info, Ruppli would have got it.

Thanks, Jim - now I wonder if Mike Fitzgerald can draw anything more from the Ruppli disco ...

I love it!

Didn't have much time - a friend's 40th birthday brunch at the Mainz theatre bistro, on top of the theatre with a great view over town, and then off to three performances of a theatrical production at Wiesbaden - standing ovations after the last. But before we left in the morning, it was the repeat button pressed to listen to my current Cal Favourite, "Cal's Bluedo" from "The Prophet" - about ten times in a row.

I'm pretty much with brownie here - I was willing to shell out four or five times the amount by getting the original Uptown CD - and I never regretted it. I got it from Jazz Is Beck, who have a nice stock even of rare items, but are rather expensive. But that was before I joined the BNBB - now I would buy this from Chuck ...

I was hoping someone had the Japanese CD - is there no discographical info on it?

How do you know? LP liner?

That's the printed issue I have - my CDROM misses the last two updates, can't afford it right now. The studio I have from the Verve compilations. So it is Laws - that the horns might have been overdubbed in New York is an explanation. Some typical triple tonguing in there. Stamm! I knew that trumpet sounded familiar. It's nice they left some space for horns solos - must have been a thoroughly planned affair.

At first I thought this would be the place to confess one's purchases of semi-legal Spanish issues ..... but so ....

That was one of the options I was thinking about when I wrote "They should rather develop a production mode allowing them to break even at a much lower point than they expect from a pop hit." Labels nowadays have almost everything done at some place other than their business building - lean production - Re-recording, mastering, printing, pressing, packing, storage, all is at some other place. This causes transportation costs and every plant invloved wants to make a profit. This sums up. And why do they have to become that big? A smaller catalogue causes lesser storage costs ..... and so on. Smaller would be easier to handle, methinks. CD on demand would be an option I prefer, even if only with inaccurate original liner notes - but their databases should have it right. I think the problem is less the technical, but the will and the feeling of moral responsibility being on a very low level.

This was Tjader's next-to-last Verve release. Unlike for the earlier sessions, or the last, there is little information on the personnel in the discographies I have access to, or the issues I have. This is what my old Bruyninckx says: - The Prophet -: Cal Tjader (vibes) Joao Donato (piano) Red Mitchell (bass) Ed Thigpen (drums) unknown tp, tb, two flutes, vocals United Recording Studios, Hollywood, California, September 19, 1967 L538 Warm Song L539 Souled Out L540A A Time For Love L541 The Prophet L542 Aquarius L543 The Lover L544 Tema teimoso L545 Cal's Bluedo All titles on Verve LP V6-8769. Only two tracks were included on Verve Tjader CD compilations, The Prophet and Cal's Bluedo. One says the personnel is unknown, one gives the above rhythm section. In fact there is no piano heard but Donato is playing some Farfisa organ (which he does very nicely!). The flute playing a short solo on Bluedo sounds an awful lot like Hubert Laws, but was he doing West Coast sessions? The trumpet on the same track - Conte Candoli? Has anybody listened or is there more accurate info in the Ruppli Verve disco or elsewhere? I am not willing to shell out 50 $ for the Japanese release of this ... A million thanks to all those patient owners of Lord and Bruyninckx and Ruppli discographies or owners of huge LP collections that support my never ending quest to get the Tjader disco done - I love y'all!

This is legally correct, but despite my mixed feelings towards rip-offs of any kind, I also feel it is unfair that the labels who own the rights do not keep them in print. They should rather develop a production mode allowing them to break even at a much lower point than they expect from a pop hit. Ownership includes the duty to maintain the stuff you own, and in the case of cultural goods this means they have to be kept in circulation.

At last I located the Ramirez: A Tribute To Cal Tjader Paquito D’ Rivera and his Latin Jazz Ensemble with Louie Ramírez Featuring: Paquito D’Rivera (sax), Louis Ramírez (vibraphone), Tony Barrero (trumpet), José Fajardo (flute), Mario Rivera (flute and saxo), José Mangual (percusión), Ray de la Paz (vocals) REFERENCE: YY9427 PRICE: 15.45 € 1. Latin Blues 2. Milestones 3. It could apeen to you 4. Mambo for Cal 5. Soul Sauce 6. Lullaby of Birdland 7. El Títere 8. Noche de Salsa The Yemaya label is available from Fresh Sound Records - Dusty Groove imports this from time to time.

The Sanchez is in print - more info on the Concord Records website. According to the Verve website, the Samuels is still in print, but used copies are readily available too.

Actually yesterday, the Sweelinck disc described here, and Wayne Shorter's "Adam's Apple" as a gift for a friend's birthday later this week.

I stopped using any internal or external dampening on my drums - I don't see any logic in buying a drum that sounds great and then muffling the sound until it looses its characteristics. Sound technicians and their problems with mic bleed and feedback on stage in rock music are the reason people started muffling and cutting holes into bass drums for internal mic placement - but an undampened drum with a clear tone sounds much better and meshes well with the group sound in unamplified jazz settings. But one needs to attempt a calf skin sound to achieve this.

Their cross stick sound is absolutely fantastic! I would buy one alone for this, if I had the money, 'cause I love to play with a lot of cross stick. I would use a Remo Renaissance or their newest brand, Suede, to give it a calfskin sound - a great drum with a lot of power and a colorful sound if you use the proper head.

So far I only have his four early Pacific jazz CDs, but I wouldn't part with them for any reason. The Trio especially is so swinging'!

I have yet to hear the Poncho Sanchez - being Cal's last conguero, he is the perfect keeper of the flame. Haven't heard Louie Ramirez either, regrettably, his records are hard to get over here - what label is his tribute on? I sure would like to get me this! Any reliable online source for these? The Dave Samuels disappointed me somewhat - too polished, despite the participation of Eddie Palimieri and Ray Barretto the groove is so different from Cal's bands. Samuels is a great vibist, but far from that unique combination of simplicity and groove that Cal had. And the rhythm sections are too "modern" to catch the specific feel of the Tjader bands. Just my thoughts, of course.

Arguably the best pure jazz album I have heard of Cal Tjader, highly recommended, excellent recording by Wally Heider:

Don't know wether he was British, but black he was judging from the press photos at the time of the Embryo gig with Mal Waldron.

I saw him with the CBBB and as guest soloist with some local Latin Jazz / Salsa orchestra - his tone was unique, that cry in it. Another great loss - RIP Benny!

Davis, Art A Time Remembered Eade, Dominique The Ruby and the Pearl Hashim, Michael Lotus Blossom - The Billy Strayhorn Project Jones, Hank Master Class (Groovin' High/Bop Redux) Repercussion Unit Whirled Rhythm Rituals Steve Coleman & Dave Holland Phase Space Strayhorn, Billy The Peaceful Side of B.S. Widespread Depression Orchestra Boogie In The Barnyard ... and there are some classical titles as well.

That was the first to come to my mind, too - and I would like to see synthesist Patrick Gleeson in the reunion.

Have a very good, day, my friend!