Customer Reviews

Plugs In

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Seeing as how nobody has reviewed this wonderful album, I felt compelled to put my two cents in. Cal Tjader was a beautiful musician concerned above all with attractive melodies and deep rhythms. He's often dismissed out of hand by many jazz fans, a shame since if they would just put their prejudices aside, they would find that he meant every note he played, no less so than Milt Jackson or Bobby Hutcherson. This album documents a 1969 live performance where Tjader and his band are in perfect synergy with all in attendance. Indeed, the audience occasionally breaks into spontaneous applause in mid-song just because the musicians are in such a sweet groove. The material ranges from Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream" to the Banana Splits theme (no joke!) and everything swings equally. This album has a glow to it that's hard to describe, the rhythms cook nicely while the sound of Tjader's vibes and Al Zulaica's electric piano totally mellow you out. It's infectious and positive and very well-recorded. Highly recommended!

As Frankie [Sinatra,like you didn't know!] sang, "Hey there cutes, put on your dancin' boots" and come dance with me, or your Mama if she happens to be home! Cal Tjader does it again, tango,cha cha, mambo, merenge, even that damn macarena, all Latin hip hop stirred to a brothy boil with huge portions of swing jazz. An aside, few know Cal Tjader played piano terrifically, his wife Pat also was no slouch. Cal had a wonderful habit of hiring great pianist like, Vince Guaraldi who became famous later, but scorching swingers like Emanuel Duran, Lonnie Hewitt, Joe Kloess and here the fabulous Al Zulaica. If you can find any records made by these guys-BUY IT! If I could find any recordings I would. A monster of an album.

The 8 live tracks on this rare CD are from a live session which is also on the album "Latin + Jazz = Cal Tjader", available as a CD and as an Amazon download Latin + Jazz = Cal Tjader.

As a Cal Tjader fan for over 50 years, I found this album a delightful surprise. I didn't have it in my collection, and was very pleased with the set performed at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach in the 60s. I would recommend this to all Tjader afficionados. I was a public radio program director and a friend of Cal's back in the 70s and 80s, and we all lost a wonderful musician and great-hearted person when he passed too soon. This set is great!

Katie Sloan
Eugene, OR

Cal was certainly plugged-in, turned-on and whatever other anachronistic expression is applicable in this case. The atmosphere is so thick, you can just feel it oozing off this recording into your room. One of the best club recording I've ever heard, this collection features Cal's trademark Latino-fusion, including some jazzified and latinized pop hits of the day, including Lady Madonna and Spooky. Armando Perrazza is there as well, adding Afro-Cuban feel, and together these guys lay on the chops really thick. But the album is more than just jazzy chop-fest - it's the vibe of a late 60's night gig at a Calfornia night-club that is almost tangible. Essential listening for Latin jazz fans and groovemeisters.