mikeweil

For non-completists, there were two Tajder compilatins of the Concord material: This is a double CD:

This afternoon:

Back to topic, next are Cal Tjader's final years with releases on Concord and Concord Picante. His association with Fantasy had ended in 1977. Gigs were less frequent than before, as a consequence guitarist Bob Redfield, who never had been a regular member, left, and drummer Pete Riso, too. the gap was filled by an unexpected session: - - Huracán (1978) In March 1978 Tjader recorded a 45 rpm direct-to-disc LP with four tracks for the audiophile Crystal Clear label. Clare Fischer wrote arrangements for a band with five horns added to an expanded rhythm section: Besides Fischer, Poncho Sanchez, and bassist Rob Fisher there was a guitarist on two tracks, drummer Pete Riso was replaced by guests Willie Bobo on timbales and Victor Pantoja on bongos. Since this was a limited edition, sales were small, this was for audiophiles. It was later reissued on a German label with two more tracks without the horns; in 2024 all were on a new LP and CD on the Liberation Hall label. Carl Jefferson's offer to take Cal Tjader into his Concord artist roster was very welcome at that time. He even created the Picante sublabel to have an appropriate outlet for Latin Jazz (more artists like Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, and Tania Maria, were to follow). New to the band was pianist Mark Levine, who had subbed a few times before and was recommended by Robb Fisher, and drummer Vince Lateano. Flutist Roger Glenn had sat in with the band the evening before the session in July 1979 and was invited by Tjader to take part in it, and to stay on. But Tjader had his first heart attack the day after the session weekened and had to take a rest for a few months, had to reduce his heavy drinking and take a whole bunch of pills until his death. 1 - La Onda Va Bien (1980) This saw reissues on CD and even SACD, and won Tjader his only Grammy. 2 - Gozame! Pero Ya (1980) it was a year later, June 1980, when the band recorded their next studio album, with guitarist Mundell Lowe guesting on three tracks. This was reissued on CD, as all the Tjader Concord albums first released on LP. 3 - The Shining Sea (1981) Next was a mainsteam studio session featuring the music of Johnny Mandel, and featuring young tenor sax Scott Hamilton, who based his style on pre-bop musicians - the album was a major boost to his carrer. Tjader had much confidence in him, and let him direct the session alone, overdubbing his part later on, as Hamilton confessed to Duncan Reid. This was on a single CD, and also on a double set together with the preceding album, Both Sides of the Coin. 4 - A Fuego Vivo (1982) Next was a live album with the working band. Poncho Sanchez' buddy Ramon Banda now was with the band off and on. This was on CD as well, and was coupled on a double CD with the next Latin Jazz release, Cool Fire. Gary Foster was with the band, whenever he was available, and played excellent solos. 5 - Good Vibes (1984) This was a posthumous release comlied from two live recordings of the Latin Jazz band with Gary Foster. 6 - Cal Tjader & Carmen McRae - Heat Wave (1982) Tjader's last recording sessions took place in January, 1982, the only one as a co-leader was the one with Carmen McRae. Tjader's concentration had suffered after his heart attack, thus he opted for overdubbing his parts later, which got him heavy accusations from McRae, who questioned his professionalism. This album usde Tjader's band, half each was arranged by MacRae's pianist Marshall Otwell and Tjader's Mark Levine. McRae sound good in this context. This also was on CD, of course. In May 1982 Tjader suffered a series of heart attacks while on tour in Manila. He was only 56 years old. There is a number of albums on Concord on which he sat in for a few tracks, all in a mainstream style. He felt more relaxed now with familiar material. I will list these in my next post.

For them the music was new and exciting, based on their tradition but rebellious at the aame time, and they project this very well.

Carl Perkins ..... it's too long ago that I listened to this.

That's what it sounded like in Duncan's book.

I got some interesting items from them, but this was many moons ago. Shipping fees from the US to Europe simply were prohibitive. I wish them well. They deserve their retirement.

Me too.

Maybe he was a bit tired about the business part. He preferred the comfort of having a label situated close to his home. Besides that I don't think Norman Granz would have featured Tjader - he had Milt Jackson, and Tjader never was that close to the JATP vibe that permeated Pablo. Duncan Reid has a more favourable view of Zaentz in this respect. Read the book. Duncan deserves a few more sales for his work.

It was Tjader who approached Saul Zaentz of Fantasy when he saw the bankruptcy of Skye coming. Together they worked out a new contract. I don't know about the US, but here in Germany Fantasy LPs were all over the place due to their distributors here - Bellaphon, and later ZYX.

Forgot to post this one in the afternoon.. The unothodox string writing of Clare Fischer on side two of the Harold Arlen LP makes this almost a Thrid Stram album.

More 1970's Tjader on Fantasy: 4 - Fritz the Cat (1972) In between Ed Bogas recruited Tjader to play some for the soundtrack to Fritz the Cat: He can be heard on the remake of his 1955 piece Mamblues, but also (uncredited) on Duke's Theme and the last minute of the last track. There was a single CD reissue in Japan; the US label coupled it with another Bogas soundtrack: 5 - Puttin' It Together (1974) Another live album, this time Mike Wolff plays electric piano. Again, not as exciting as the earlier live albums. It never saw a reissue. 6 - Primo (1973) In Fabruary 1973 Tjader was in New York for another stidio album under Bogas' supervision, but before that was completed, an album with a Latino band around Charlie Palmieri was nailed down in only two days, with Tito Pente participating. It is up to par with any New York Latino Jazz album of the time and was reissued on an Orginial Jazz Classics CD with an alternate take added: 7 - Last Bolero In Berkeley (1973) Only in September did they find the time to complete the album they had started in February, with different line-ups and a strange mixture of styles, including Bogas' arrangement of Ravel's Bolero, probably to profit on its use in the movie Last Tango In Paris. Only then did Tjader manage to include a tribute to his friend Gary McFarland, who had passed in 1971. This was on CD only in Japan. 8 - Tambu (1974) Only one week later the combined bands of Cal Tjader and Charlie Byrd entered the studio for three days to record a cooperative album - it may have been producer Orrin Keepnews' idea, who was by then freelancing for Fantasy, among others. Somehow it does not really convince me - the rhythm sections do not really match, no matter what the mix of players is. Byrd's drummer, has problems with the 7/8 rhythm of the title track. On the last day, they still had to nail a final track for the Bolero album. The whole thing does not sound as relaxed as it should have been. It was on CD as Original Jazz Classic. 9 - Last Night WhenWe Were Young (1975) This collaboration with pianist/arranger Frank Strazzeri recorded immediately after the Bolero and Tambu sessions, turns out to be the winner among Tjader's albums with strings. The arrangements are delicate, never obtrusive, like an organic part of the band. A masterful display of tasteful ballad playing. Old friend Eddie Duran makes a guest appearance. Too bad this was never reissued. 10 - Amazonas (1976) Now here is your perfect mix of the latest Brazilian fusion stylings the Tjader's Latin Jazz feeling. The cast of players is impressive: Egberto Gismonti, George Duke, David Amato, Hermeto Pascoal, Robertinho Silva, Raul de Souza .... Airto Moreira was producing, and it was him and Tjader who worked out the arrangements together, not George Duke as stated on the back cover. This includes the best version of Joao Donato's Amazonas, which Tjader recorded several times. (Donato was his favourite Brazilian composer and friend since they met in 1959 when Donato moved to California). I played this album hundreds of times when it was issued. Just great. The OJC CD includes a longer alternate take. 11 - Cal Tjader At Grace Cathedral (1977) Tjader and his band stepped in for the unexpectedly deceased Vince Guaraldi, who had recorded a successful album at the Cathedral. Poncho Sanchez had just joined the band and prooved to be a stabilizing figure until Tjader's death, as was bassist Rob Fisher and drummer Pete Riso. Lonnie Hewitt was once again back in the band. This has a similar choice of tunes as Puttin' It Together, but the band grooves a lot more. It was on CD with a slightly altered title. 12 - Guarabe (1977) At the time this was recored, Hewitt was out again - he and Tjader had arguments time and again over the fifteen years they played together. Clare Fischer had replaced him, and was in his phase of experimenting with keyboards. On the title track they overdubbed multiple electric piano, guitar, and bass lines for a stunning orchestral effect. Besides that you have a great remake of Black Orchid, and some of Tjader's best ballad playing. For CD reissue it was coupled with the live album the same band recorded shortly after. By this time Fantas had turned into a pop label, which affected the style of the albums by jazz artists on the label. For the more or less mainstrean jazz artists, the Galaxy label was revitalized with an interesting artist roster. Tjader had two releases. 13 - Here (1977) & 14 - Cuban Fantasy (2003) Tjader's working band recorded at the GReat American Music Hall on June 17 & 18, 1977. A first selection of six tracks was issued on Here. The twofer reissue CD pictured above omitted one track! More unreleased tracks were on a separate CD in 2003. These are even better, IMHO, and reveal how tight this band was. 15 - Breathe Easy (1978) Tjader's swan song for the Fantasy label group was this intimate studio session with old friends Allen Smith on trumept (an underrated California resident), Monty Budwig, and Shelly Manne, and his favoured veteran pianist, Hank Jones. A relaxed and tasteful album. On CD it was coupled with his very first 10" LP for the label, thus the title, Extremes.

On to the Fantasy LPs from 1970 to 1977. As the label was located in San Francisco it was more convenient for than having to deal with a lbel on the other coast. His producer beacme Ed Bogas, who had been invloved in the psychedlic scene (there was a single album with a band The United States of America) and was one the earliest users of the Moog synthesizer. He went on to successful career in movie and TV music, succeeding Vince Guaraldi after the latter's death to provide music for The Peanuts. Bogas had his own ideas about the fusion of Latin Jazz with pop tunes but seriously tried to find compromises with Tjader's and the way the band played live. In addition, Tjader's band was still suffering from the difficulties to find suitable replacements for Lonnie Hewitt, Mongo Santamaria, and Willie Bobo - a situation that was bettered when pianist Al Zulaica came on board. Drummer Dick Berk became a regular, and conguero Michael Smithe. The were the core band for Tjader, a studio album that, including overdubbing horns and vocals, took a few months to complete. Sound and repertoire take a nod to the success of Santana in the preceding years, Tjader even plays organ on a few tracks. The opening track, I Showed Them, is a clever reference to a hit reocrd of The Turtles, You Showed Me. Why Fantasy never reissued this escapes me, there only were two Japanese CD reissues. 1 - Tjader (1970) 2 - Agua Dulce (1971) The next was similar, with a bit more Latin focus, due to the Escovedo brothers being temporary members of the band, before founding the great Azteca group that helped Santana through a minor crisis. Fantasy should have paired these two albums on a twofer CD, instead they oddly paired Agua Dulce, which also saw single CD reissues in Japan and the UK, with the third, a live album, and named the twofer Descarga. 3 - Live at The Funky Quarters (1972) His working band with Al Zulaica, John Heard, Dick Berk, and Michael Smithe. Not as much bite as the 1950's Fantasy live albums. For the CD reissue they had to omit the last track, which makes the choice evne more odd. They all are really not bad, but they could have issued less comps and the rest instead. Along Comes Cal and Hip Vibrations would have made a great twofer CD.

..... from this twofer CD:

From this twofer CD. Tjader plays drums here. Next is:

Before I go on to the 1970's Fantasy albums, a last remark on the Verve period: While Universal never did reissue all of Tjader's 16 Verve albums as CDs - 9 were in the US, 1 only in Japan, 2 more by a UK label, 1 was on Tico 3 never made it to CD - there were plenty of compilations. It already started in the LP era: This was released in 1967 an so could not cover the last three LPs. This 1969 twofer combined the first LP, In A Latin Bag, with Several Shades of Jade and Breeze From The East, omitting one track. This 1973 twofer covered the whole Verve period. Another 1974 twofer with a different selection. The CD era brought us half a dozen compilations in the various series Universal thought up: At least they show that all the master tapes were still in existence. Eddie Palmieri, suprisingly, is the only compiler covering the album with Ogerman's strings - well, he also arranged a few tracks for el sonido nuevo. There is surprisingly little overlap. For details look at my discography or the discogs entries

Ich bin beruhigt .....

He was right about the ubiquitous uncritical use of vibrato. I have many recordings he conducted, and saw him live with London Classical Player with the 3rd and 4th Brahms Sympjhonies. He way the first to have metronome markings in the liner notes. R I.P. Many thanks your pioneering work.

A quote from composer Hanns Eisler: " Wer nur von Musik etwas versteht, versteht auch von Musik nichts." 😉

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.

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.