Soul Sauce

Performer: Cal Tjader
Engineer: Rudy VanGelder
Producer: Creed Taylor; C. Taylor
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Cal Tjader, Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell. SOUL SAUCE contains 4 previously unreleased tracks. Personnel: Cal Tjader (vibraphone); Willie Bobo (vocals, percussion); June Magruder (vocals); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Jimmy Heath (tenor saxophone); Donald Byrd (trumpet); Lonnie Hewitt (piano); Bob Bushnell (electric bass, bongos); Grady Tate, Johnny Rae (drums); Alberto Vald�s, Alfredo "Alfredito" Vald�s, Jr., Armando Peraza (percussion). Recording information: A&R Studios, New York, NY (11/19/1964-11/20/1964); New York, NY (11/19/1964-11/20/1964); Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (11/19/1964-11/20/1964). Photographers: Murray Laden; Chuck Stewart. Upon the 1964 release of SOUL SAUCE, Cal Tjader was catapulted to the top of the Latin jazz world. Taking its title from Tjader's version of a Dizzy Gillespie tune, the album set a new standard for jazz fusion. Tjader's rich vibes give a new warmth to the title track. Other notable tracks include Mongo Santamaria's "Afro-Blue," a song that has never sounded the same without vibes since. Also included on the album is the smoking "Pantano," and Rodgers and Hart's "Spring Is Here"--a fabulous song that was nonetheless uncool until Tjader's version. The reissue of SOUL SAUCE also features three bonus tracks, including the only Tjader original, "Mamblues." If you've never experienced the music of Cal Tjader, or if your record collection could use a little touch of Latin cool, then do yourself a favor and pick up SOUL SAUCE.

Q (1/95, p.262) - 3 Stars - Good - "...'60s soul-jazz always went on about food in their titles...just to emphasize that in this kind of music the fundamental things apply....Tjader was one of the few who showed the way in Latin jazz..." Musician (4/95, p.76) - "...could be packaged...as a `roots of Santana'...features Santana's favorite percussionist Armando Peraza....not only...tasteful, it's tastier....Was Tjader the epitome of cool jazz or the godfather of lounge?..."

Because he was a crossover success, vibraphonist/percussionist Cal Tjader received his share of derision from both sides of the jazz/Latin fence. However, his sincere interest in Latin rhythms and their potential for blending with cool jazz led to a groundbreaking fusion of the two, and a genuine hit with the tune "Soul Sauce" in 1965. An important conduit between the two styles, he helped bring percussionists Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo to a much wider audience. With practically a life lived on tour, it's almost fitting he was on the road (in the Phillipines) when he passed away at 56 in 1982.

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