One of the most obscure albums of the 70s from jazz vibes legend Cal Tjader – a set that was originally done as a direct-to-disc session for an audiophile label, but one that has Tjader recording with some of his grooviest modes of the time! The group here is wonderful – and the album sparkles with all these wonderful electric piano lines from the great Clare Fisher, a player who always seems to bring out the best in Cal – working alongside Gary Foster on flute and alto, Willie Bobo on timbales, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Pancho Sanchez on congas! The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Ritmo Caliente", "Desposado", "Funquiado", "Tres Palabras", and "Huracan". Very likely Cal Tjader's best Latin LP of the 70s! (Jazz, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

One of Cal Tjader's best late 50s dates for Fantasy Records – thanks to some smoking tenor sax from Jose "Chombo" Silva! The album has Cal working in the very comfortable territory of San Francisco's Blackhawk Nightclub – in a combo that also features familiar players Vince Guaraldi on piano, Al McKibbon on bass, Willie Boby on drums, and Mongo Santamaria on congas – all musicians who'd previously helped Tjader hit some of his best Latin grooves! But the addition of Silva on a few tracks here really makes the set crackle – giving it a gutsy, soulful fee that you don't always get on some of Tjader's other records. Tracks are longish – and titles include the nice original "Bill B", plus jazzy versions of "I Love Paris", "Blue & Sentimental", and "Night In Tunisia". (Jazz, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime mellow work from Cal Tjader – vibes mixed with strings mixed with Latin percussion – a nicely laidback take on his classic 50s sound! The core group is still one of Cal's Latin best – with Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo on percussion – and many tracks have some great flute work by Paul Horn, snaking through the mellower grooves with a sound that's sad and soulful. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "Ode For Margo", "Martha", "Spring Is Here", and "Star Eyes". (Jazz, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a record of Latin Jazz – recorded in the UK, but with a vibe that puts the whole thing right up there with some of the most inventive American albums of a few years before – such as Latin jazz classics by Sabu Martinez, Cal Tjader, or Eddie Palmieri! Robin Jones is the leader, and plays drums and timbales here – and the group are a tight sextet who work with no vocals at all – just flutes and saxes from Olaf Vas, a great talent who really shades in the sound – plus piano and Rhodes from Ian Henry, bass from Percy Borthwick, and percussion from Simon Morton and Tony Uter. Given the lack of other instrumentation, there's a fantastic focus on the percussion, reeds, and piano – and the whole thing's a cracker through and through, with titles that include "Africa Revisited", "Urubu", "Con Fuego", "Denga", and "Sucio Mambo". LP, Vinyl record album

The only album ever cut by conga player Armando Peraza – the killer percussionist who worked with Cal Tjader in the 60s! The album's got a very similar feel to Cal's work of the time – blending together jazz, Latin, and groovy 60s rhythms – with lots of percussion on the bottom, and instrumentation that includes electric piano, funky flute, and some nice alto sax. Most tracks have the off-center sound that you'd expect from the Skye label – and arrangements are by Cal and Gary McFarland, so you know the tunes are pretty darn great! Titles include a mix of originals like "Viva Pereza" and "Granny's Samba", plus covers like "Wild Thing" and "Funky Broadway". LP, Vinyl record album