Music >> Artists >> Jazz
Birth Name:
Callen Radcliffe Tjader

Genre:
Jazz

Years Active:
'40s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s






Cal Tjader

Biography

Cal Tjader was undoubtedly the most famous non-Latino leader of Latin jazz bands, an extraordinary distinction. From the 1950s until his death, he was practically the point man between the worlds of Latin jazz and mainstream bop; his light, rhythmic, joyous vibraphone manner could comfortably embrace both styles. His numerous recordings for Fantasy and Verve and long-standing presence in the San Francisco Bay Area eventually had a profound influence upon Carlos Santana, and thus Latin rock. He also played drums and bongos, the latter most notably on the George Shearing Quintet's puckishly titled "Rap Your Troubles in Drums," and would occasionally sit in on piano as well. . Tjader studied music and education at San Francisco State College before hooking up with fellow Bay Area resident Dave Brubeck as the drummer in the Brubeck Trio from 1949 to 1951. He then worked with Alvino Rey, led his own group, and in 1953, joined George Shearing's then hugely popular quintet as a vibraphonist and percussionist. It was in Shearing's band that Tjader's love affair with Latin music began, ignited by Shearing's bassist Al McKibbon, nurtured by contact with Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, and Armando Peraza, and galvanized by the '50s mambo craze. When he left Shearing the following year, Tjader promptly formed his own band that emphasized the Latin element yet also played mainstream jazz. Bobo and Santamaria eventually joined Tjader's band as sidemen, and Vince Guaraldi served for a while as pianist and contributor to the band's songbook ("Ginza," "Thinking of You, MJQ"). Tjader recorded a long series of mostly Latin jazz albums for Fantasy from the mid-'50s through the early '60s, switching in 1961 to Verve, where under Creed Taylor's aegis he expanded his stylistic palette and was teamed with artists like Lalo Schifrin, Anita O'Day, Kenny Burrell, and Donald Byrd. Along the way, Tjader managed to score a minor hit in 1965 with "Soul Sauce," a reworking of Dizzy Gillespie/Chano Pozo's "Guacha Guaro," which Tjader had previously cut for Fantasy. Tjader returned to Fantasy in the 1970s, then in 1979 moved over to the new Concord Picante label, where he remained until his death. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi

Top Albums


1. Latin Jazz w..
Soul Sauce, Cal Tjader
2. Soul Sauce
Latino! (Remastered), Cal Tjader
3. Latino! (Rem..
El Sonido Nuevo, Cal Tjader
4. El Sonido Nu..
Stan Getz With Cal Tjader (Remastered), Cal Tjader
5. Stan Getz Wi..
Ultimate Cal Tjader, Cal Tjader
6. Ultimate Cal..
Several Shades of Jade / Breeze from the East, Cal Tjader
7. Several Shad..
Monterey Concerts, Cal Tjader
8. Monterey Con..
Jazz 'round Midnight: Cal Tjader, Cal Tjader
9. Jazz 'round ..
The Best of Cal Tjader At Monterey, Cal Tjader
10. The Best of ..
Time for Two, Anita O'Day
11. Time for Two
La Onda Va Bien, Cal Tjader
12. La Onda Va B..
Talkin' Verve: Roots of Acid Jazz, Cal Tjader
13. Talkin' Verv..
Heat Wave, Cal Tjader
14. Heat Wave
Soul Bird: Whiffenpoof, Cal Tjader
15. Soul Bird: W..
Latin Kick, Cal Tjader
16. Latin Kick
Jazz Masters 39: Cal Tjader, Cal Tjader
17. Jazz Masters..
Soul Burst, Cal Tjader
18. Soul Burst
Sextet (Original Jazz Classics Remastered), Stan Getz
19. Sextet (Orig..
Primo, Cal Tjader
20. Primo

Top Songs

NameAlbumTimePrice
1.
Cubano ChantLatin Jazz with Cal Tjader4:08$0.99
2.
Racoon StraitLatin Jazz with Cal Tjader2:30$0.99
3.
LuceroLatin Jazz with Cal Tjader4:35$0.99
4.
Coit TowerLatin Jazz with Cal Tjader1:40$0.99
5.
Lover, Come Back to MeO Barquinho4:29$0.99
6.
When the Sun Comes OutO Barquinho4:55$0.99
7.
Thinking of You, MjqO Barquinho3:43$0.99
8.
Blues in the NightO Barquinho4:42$0.99
9.
I've Never Been in Love BeforeO Barquinho3:39$0.99
10.
For All We KnowO Barquinho4:47$0.99
11.
Our Love Is Here to StayO Barquinho5:26$0.99
12.
Fancy BeaO Barquinho3:44$0.99
13.
Night We Called It a DayO Barquinho3:10$0.99
14.
It Never Entered My MindO Barquinho3:41$0.99
15.
Battle Hymn of the RepublicO Barquinho3:21$0.99
16.
Miss WigginsO Barquinho6:01$0.99
17.
Philadelphia MamboO Barquinho3:24$0.99
18.
Lullaby of BirdlandO Barquinho4:01$0.99
19.
Stompin' at the SavoyO Barquinho4:03$0.99
20.
LauraO Barquinho3:22$0.99
21.
Minor GoofO Barquinho3:55$0.99
22.
Guajira at the BlackhawkO Barquinho5:23$0.99
23.
Nearness of YouO Barquinho3:57$0.99
24.
Out of NowhereO Barquinho3:29$0.99
25.
Black OrchidO Barquinho3:27$0.99

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