Cal Tjader Quintet – Cal Tjader Quintet

Cal Tjader Quintet – Cal Tjader Quintet 

IN THE MIDDLE OF 1954, Cal Tjader formed a Latin jazz quintet and went to work at the Macumba in San Francisco. His success was immediate in terms of public acceptance, but it was some time before the group as a musical unit sounded exactly the way he wanted it. 

At the end of a year and a half, the group was right. Luis Miranda, the great Cuban drummer, one of the top Latin percussionists playing today and a veteran of the Machito band, had joined the original band to give the additional spark that was needed in the rhythm section. 

The group had developed into a leading unit on the Latin jazz scene and was in considerable demand. They made a number of successful concert appearances with Gene Norman and Irving Granz. They appeared at the Hollywood Bowl’s first Jazz Festival as well as playing engagements in all coast cities (they returned to Zardi’s in Hollywood no less than three times) and had even made an Eastern tour. 

No matter what type of club they worked, the group seemed to have the ability to reach the audience successfully. But it was with some uneasiness that Tjader first accepted the concert dates, feeling that the Latin accent of his music policy might not be at it(s) most successful on a non-dancing concert presentation. But the reception at the concerts in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco soon showed him that this was not true. Listeners as well as dancers were in favor of jazz-with-ole-overtones. 

By the time this album was recorded, in the spring of 1956 in San Francisco, the Tjader group was never in better form. The Duran Brothers, Manuel and Carlos (bass and piano) were handling both their jazz and Latin chores delightfully; Miranda was teaming with Bayardo Velarde to produce a solid Latin rhythmic foundation and Tjader’s own vibes playing was benefiting from the whole amiable situation. 

For instance, on this LP, there are several numbers that are familiar jazz standards—”Stomping at the Savoy,” “Lullaby in Birdland,” “Undecided.” To all of them, the Tjader group brought the added interest of a Latin treatment and the solid jazz expression of a modern jazz group. On “Savoy,” for instance, (that old Edgar Sampson warhorse first done by Chick Webb) is an arranged opening and closing chorus with straight jazz blowing in between. The same is true of “Undecided” (Charlie Shaver’s great instrumental of the Thirties). On “Birdland” (a jazz standard written by Cal’s old boss, George Shearing) there are a couple of fascinating tempo changes and on “Minor Goof,” a Brew Moore composition, the jazz feeling is possibly even more pronounced. 

In his treatment of ballads, Cal does no tricks, just plays them straightforwardly and simply with the vibes carrying the main load. Velarde does not use the regular timbales sticks but instead uses regular jazz drum sticks to get a better jazz sound throughout. Miranda, particularly on “I Want to Be Happy,” has tuned both drums—the two conga drums he plays—so that his solos have an unusual melodic quality. 

 

One of the most unusual sides in the album is “Philadelphia Mambo,” a composition of the great Latin bandleader, Tito Puente. Basically a simple number with only two chord changes in a minor key, it produces a peculiar hypnotic effect and is a typical mambo montoona number. The montoona form, by the way is a Latin device for extensive ad libbing utilized in the middle, usually, of a composition. Notice the pattern with which Tjader backs up Manual Duran’s piano solo which follows the vibes solo on this one. 

 

This album is an excellent example of the flexible characteristics of a good mambo jazz group—the ability to retain the Latin flavor which is so acceptable to dancers and still to produce the basic jazz accent without which it would be only good dance music. With it, it is much more, as you will hear. 

 

- O'Higgins

 

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