cal tjader in mid 70's question

[Guest akanalog]

i was reading the back of a new tjader fantasy release called "cuban fantasy". the release contains live performances from the band that performed on the "here" and "guarabe" albums. the notes on the back of the CD said this band (containing clare fischer, rob fisher, pete riso, poncho sanchez and bob redfield) sounded rock-ish at times, and specifically like santana. i am neither the biggest fan of tjader nor santana but found this comment interesting and i do like clare fischer's work, so i was intrigued. the notes seemed to be saying it was redfield especially who gave the music a santana-esque vibe. i have heard this band a bit on that art pepper live album from japan which is ok though i am no big fan of art pepper either. my question is whether this is indeed a rocking live band which can at times hint at the music of santana or if this was back of the CD notes hyperbole. i find the fantasy issues generally do not say anything too ridiculous on the back and seem to have a good deal of integrity, hence my interest. thanks for any input. i am only asking about this particular band with this question-i have heard "amazonas" a lot and that certainly is not santana-esque. i would say guitarist david amaro had ruined many albums for me with his guitar contributions though i think this was one of his more decent showings. that is off topic though....

[chris olivarez]

It's hyperbole.

[mikeweil]

Yes, that's what I believe, too.

Some Santana influence or more probably marketing strategy was inevitable after the group's success, and some musicians belonging to the Santana circle in the early 1970's played in Cal's band: e.g. Pete and Coke Escovedo; but Cal never rocked the way Carlos did, and Bob Redfield? No way, a straightahead mainstream jazz guitarist all the way. I have the Guarabe and Here LPs and their CD counterpart, but there's no Santana rock on them. Even Clare Fischer's MPS/Discovery LPs of the time groove hard, but no real rock.

Looking forward to that new CD, it takes a few months until they are released by Fantasy's German distributor. But, judging from the tracklist on Fantasy's Tjader pages they did not include "Gary's Theme", the one track they had to omit from the combined CD release of Guarabe and Here, "Here and There", Fantasy FCD-24743-2, for timing reasons - but it is a jazz waltz with conga player Poncho Sanchez taking a break ..... absolutely not Santana traces here.

Seems like they are milking their vaults for unreleased (especially live) material - there was another Tjader Cd of the classic band with Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo in spring - which I can recommend: sound is not great, but the band cooks - and several other previously unissued live CDs as well.

Edited September 16, 2003 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

Now that I have bought and listened to this CD at last - Bob Redfield's playing here is certainly more rockish than anything else that I've heard, but not that much like Carlos Santana's.

The way I understand it the line wanted to point out the influence Tjader had on Santana, not vice-versa, and perhaps lure some Santana fans to buy the CD with the remark on the guitar playing.

That aside, the CD is great, that band smokes!