Los Ritmos Calientes - The Cal Tjader Forum

[mikeweil]

A fellow board member loaned me his VHS tape and I transferred it to avi format. It's not the best quality, but if you really want it I think we can figure out a way ...

[mikeweil]

Since most links in older posts are dead, here are new YouTube links to the videos showing Tjader's band live:

 

[Teasing the Korean]

Cal Tjader on "Playboy's Penthouse," with Mongo and Willie. 

They do "Cubano Chant," "Poinciana," and "Doxy."

I've never seen any Cal Tjader footage from this period before!

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Teasing the Korean

[mikeweil]

That's Lonnie Hewitt and Eddie Coleman on piano and bass, respectively. S. Duncan Reid and myself knew of this footage but never had seen it. 

[Teasing the Korean]

4 minutes ago, mikeweil said:

That's Lonnie Hewitt and Eddie Coleman on piano and bass, respectively. S. Duncan Reid and myself knew of this footage but never had seen it. 

You're welcome! Either have I! We bought the first volume of the Playboy DVDs. This was on volume 2, which quickly went out of print. 

What a wonderful era, when jazz was presented style, elegance, and sophistication!

Edited May 17, 2020 by Teasing the Korean

[mikeweil]

Thanks for making it available. It was recorded in November 1959 and aired January 3, 1960.

It is surprising that so few private video- or audiotapes of Tjader exist, as popular as he was. Just a handful.

[Teasing the Korean]

9 minutes ago, mikeweil said:

Thanks for making it available. It was recorded in November 1959 and aired January 3, 1960.

It is surprising that so few private video- or audiotapes of Tjader exist, as popular as he was. Just a handful.

Yeah, everything on YouTube that I've seen dates from jazz's depressing muttonchop sideburns/chest hair period. 

[mikeweil]

Just received my reference copy of the second edition of S. Duncan Reid's Cal Tjader biography:

https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/cal-tjader2/

More detailed than the first edition. Support the author and get a copy!

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

BTW - anybody interested in the new edition should get one fast! The author informed me that the first printing was only 150 copies ........

[Connor Stewart]

Hello! Does anyone know where I could find a copy or link to Cal Tjader and Milt Jackson – Club Night Live TV 70's? It’s been impossible to find for a few years online 

[mikeweil]

AFAIK this never was on a commercial DVD. I only have a minor quality copy that Tjader biographer S. Duncan Reid sent me. He got it from Poncho Sanchez, IIRC.

[Connor Stewart]

I would love to get my hands on a copy if possible! My email is cmsjazz.4@gmail.com 

[mikeweil]

The Cal Tjader Discography is online!

[mikeweil]

New CD reissue on Liberation Hall of the direct-to-disc album Huracán (originally on Crystal Clear Records). It includes the two bonus tracks that first appeared on a Laserlight CD. Sound is excellent, it seems to be properly licensed as it credits the original label. 

[mikeweil]

As I posted elsewhere on this forum, this rare 45 is now in my posession, the last track of Tjader's recordings I had never heard or owned in any form. It was only on this 45, and now that I could listen to it, I know why. It was recorded to profit on Tjader's participation in the movie The Big Beat, the B side is I Waited For You as played in the movie. In contrast to the other three tracks it was done in a straightahead jazz ballad quartet setting and simply didn't fit into any of Tjader's later LP issues. It had served its purpose as a single, and that was it. 

Date: September 10, 1957
Location: Fantasy Studios, San Francisco, California
Label: Fantasy
Cal Tjader Sextet

Cal Tjader (ldr), Cal Tjader (vib), Vince Guaraldi (p), Eugene Wright (b), Bayardo 'Benny' Velarde (tim b-d), Armando Peraza (bgo, cwb b-d), Luis Kant (cga b-d) Al Torren (d on a. only)

a.		As I Love You (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston) - 2:15 Fantasy 78 10" 540 Fantasy 45 540
b.		I've Waited So Long (Jerry Lordan) - 2:07 Fantasy 78 10" 540 Fantasy 45 540 Fantasy LP 12" 3-289 — Tjader Goes Latin Fantasy LP 12" 8030 — Tjader Goes Latin Fantasy LP 12" F-24730 — Black Orchid Calle Mayor CD VM1151 — Cal Tjader - Vintage Music Collection 292 Cheesecake Records CD DTJ 8245 — Demasiado Caliente Documents CD 600392 — Cal Tjader - Milestones of a Legend Fantasy CD FCD-24730-2 — Black Orchid Real Gone Jazz CD RGJCD277 — Cal Tjader - Eight Classic Albums
c.		Mambo At The "M" (Luis Kant) - 4:39 Fantasy LP 12" 3-289 — Tjader Goes Latin Fantasy LP 12" 8030 — Tjader Goes Latin Fantasy LP 12" F-24730 — Black Orchid Calle Mayor CD VM1151 — Cal Tjader - Vintage Music Collection 292 Cheesecake Records CD DTJ 8245 — Demasiado Caliente Documents CD 600392 — Cal Tjader - Milestones of a Legend Fantasy CD FCD-24730-2 — Black Orchid Frémaux & Associés (F) CD FA5648 — Cuba In America 1939-1962 Real Gone Jazz CD RGJCD277 — Cal Tjader - Eight Classic Albums
d.		Tumbao (Cal Tjader) - 3:10 Fantasy LP 12" 3-262 — Mas Ritmo Caliente Fantasy LP 12" 8003 — Mas Ritmo Caliente Fantasy LP 12" F-24712 — Los Ritmos Calientes Fantasy CD FCD-24712-2 — Los Ritmos Calientes Victor (Japan) CD VICJ-23133 — Los Ritmos Calientes

 

[mikeweil]

Today - July 16 - Cal Tjader would have turned 100! Let's celebrate the Cal Tjader Centennial and spin some of his music!

[mikeweil]

An underrated album, I think. The sound and production ares flawless, thanks to Gary McFarland's impeccable taste and knowledge, the sidemen are first choice. Tjader plays even the blandest pop tunes with his great melodic taste and feeling. Can be used for easy listening but serious attention reveals many tasteful details.

https://www.discogs.com/release/3063573-Cal-Tjader-Solar-Heat

Edited yesterday at 04:34 PM by mikeweil

[HutchFan]

2 hours ago, mikeweil said:

Today - July 16 - Cal Tjader would have turned 100! Let's celebrate the Cal Tjader Centennial and spin some of his music!

I just posted El Sonido Nuevo on the "What Are You Listening to?" thread.   

 

[JSngry]

Skye records usually had ultra short playing time. Probably served the context of the music, but still....

[mikeweil]

Just listened to this one:

The last of his Verve LPs to be release, although it was the next-to-last recording. A basic quartet with Tjader, Joao Donato on a Farfisa organ, Red Mitchell, and Ed Thigpen recorded the basic tracks in California, Don Sebesky was sent the tapes and lead sheets and had strings, voices, and fluegelhorn and flute overdubbed a few months later. His arangements are tasteful, but I would love to hear the quartet without them. Donata on organ was a perfect match for Tjader. Some perfect summer evening music. Sounds easy, but play music like this on such a tasteful, professional level before downplaying it as lounge music. One of my favourites. On CD only in Japan, btw.

[GA Russell]

1 minute ago, mikeweil said:

Just listened to this one:

The last of his Verve LPs to be release, although it was the next-to-last recording. A basic quartet with Tjader, Joao Donato on a Farfisa organ, Red Mitchell, and Ed Thigpen recorded the basic tracks in California, Don Sebesky was sent the tapes and lead sheets and had strings, voices, and fluegelhorn and flute overdubbed a few months later. His arangements are tasteful, but I would love to hear the quartet without them. Donata on organ was a perfect match for Tjader. Some perfect summer evening music. Sounds easy, but play music like this on such a tasteful, professional level before downplaying it as lounge music. One of my favourites. On CD only in Japan, btw.

For whatever reason, I never saw The Prophet in the record stores.

I remember well Verve's Best of Cal Tjader, which I'm guessing was released shortly thereafter.

[mikeweil]

11 hours ago, GA Russell said:

I remember well Verve's Best of Cal Tjader, which I'm guessing was released shortly thereafter.

The Best of Cal Tjader was released before the last two Verve LPs, Hip Vibrations and The Prophet, and does not cover all of his Verve labums.

[Teasing the Korean]

12 hours ago, mikeweil said:

The last of his Verve LPs to be release, although it was the next-to-last recording. A basic quartet with Tjader, Joao Donato on a Farfisa organ, Red Mitchell, and Ed Thigpen recorded the basic tracks in California, Don Sebesky was sent the tapes and lead sheets and had strings, voices, and fluegelhorn and flute overdubbed a few months later. His arangements are tasteful, but I would love to hear the quartet without them. Donata on organ was a perfect match for Tjader. Some perfect summer evening music. Sounds easy, but play music like this on such a tasteful, professional level before downplaying it as lounge music. One of my favourites. On CD only in Japan, btw.

I expected this to be a like a proto-CTI record, given the year and Sebesky's involvement.  Instead, it sounds more like a space-age bachelor pad record from the early 1960s, in a good way. 

 

[mikeweil]

8 minutes ago, Teasing the Korean said:

I expected this to be a like a proto-CTI record, given the year and Sebesky's involvement.  Instead, it sounds more like a space-age bachelor pad record from the early 1960s, in a good way. 

Exactly.

[GA Russell]

5 hours ago, mikeweil said:

The Best of Cal Tjader was released before the last two Verve LPs, Hip Vibrations and The Prophet, and does not cover all of his Verve labums.

Thanks, Mike.  I never saw Hip Vibrations in the stores either!