Black Gold Weekly
Cal Tjader – Several Shades of Jade

Cal Tjader – Several Shades of Jade

Through my enthusiasm for Roy Ayers’ vibraphone in his Ubiquity phase I also came across Cal Tjader and have been a huge fan ever since. The most successful non-Latino Latin jazz musician has released albums in a musical range that is full of elegance and finesse, danceable and at the same time sophisticated. Cal Tjader always helps to gently introduce even rather averse listeners to the magic of jazz.

This is also true for ‘Several Shades of Jade’: All tracks testify to the view beyond the horizon of curious musicians and arrangers. The result is an exciting melange of an essence of sounds and melodies from the Far, Middle and Near East, Latin grooves, jazz improvisation and, through the Argentinean arranger Lalo Schifrin, even influences from Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schönberg.

In addition, this LP, recorded in 1963 on Verve, is the first by Mr. Tjader to be recorded with a larger combo of 23 musicians, which he commented enthusiastically: “I’ll never record with a small group again.“ A fantastic record, for every season, for every occasion.

 

Stefan Mohr

Stefan Mohr

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