Cal Tjader's Greatest Hits [1995]

Performer: Cal Tjader
Artist: Mongo Santamaria; Stan Getz; Vince Guaraldi; Brew Moore; Shelly Manne; Clare Fischer; Billy Higgins
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Cal Tjader (vibraphone, timbales, cincerro); Clare Fischer (conductor, celeste); Stan Getz, Brew Moore (tenor saxophone); Dick Collins, Al Porcino, Charlie Walp, John Howell (trumpet); Jerome Richardson, Paul Horn, Jose Lozano (flute); Manuel Duran (piano, claves); Lonnie Hewitt, Vince Guaraldi, Eddie Cano (piano); Eddie Duran (guitar); Carlos Duran, Victor Venegas, Al McKibbon, Scott LaFaro, Red Mitchell (bass); Willie Bobo (drums, timbales); Billy Higgins, Shelly Manne (drums); Bayardo Velarde (congas, bongos, timbales, cencerro); Armandp Peraza (congos, bongos); Edgard Rosales (congos, maracas); Mongo Santamaria (congas, percussion); Luis Kant, Luis Miranda (congas); Armando "Cuco" Sanchez (timbales). Includes liner notes by Saul Soss and Julie Sperr. Digitally remastered by Joe Tarantino (1995, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California). Personnel: Cal Tjader (vibraphone, timbales, percussion); Eddie Duran (guitar); Jose Lozano, Jerome Richardson, Paul Horn (flute); Stan Getz, Brew Moore (tenor saxophone); Dick Collins, Charlie Walp, John Howell , Al Porcino (trumpet); Manuel Duran (piano, claves); Eddie Cano, Lonnie Hewitt, Vince Guaraldi (piano); Clare Fischer (celesta); Willie Bobo (drums, timbales); Shelly Manne, Billy Higgins (drums); Bayardo Velarde (congas, bongos, timbales); Mongo Santamar�a (congas, bongos, percussion); Armando Peraza (congas, bongos); Luis Kant, Luis Miranda (congas); Armando Sanchez (timbales). Audio Remasterer: Joe Tarantino. Liner Note Author: Saul Soss. Arranger: Clare Fischer. This CD collection is a great improvement over the original, as it doubles the length of the original ten-track selection with ten more tracks from Cal Tjader's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. The absence of session dates in the liner notes is an uncharacteristic annoyance, but what you basically need to know is that it's a 20-track distillation of the 26 records Tjader made for Fantasy over a nine-year period in the 1950s and 1960s. It's prime Latin jazz with a cool slant, leading off of course with his greatest moment, "Soul Sauce," and including such favorites as "Mamblues" and Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue," as well as covers of tunes from West Side Story. Santamaria, Vince Guaraldi, Willie Bob, Stan Getz, Shelly Manne, Scott LaFaro, and Billy Higgins are the most illustrious of the numerous sidemen found on the collection. Completists should note that one of the tracks from Cal Tjader's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 ("America") was left off of this anthology for space reasons. ~ Richie Unterberger

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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