An incredible collaboration between pianist Eddie Palmieri and vibist Cal Tajder – a record done for Tico in answer to their previous session for Verve – and a set that's even harder-jamming overall! Cal and Eddie really find something special together on the record – and both players groove into a descarga mode that burns even more strongly than their own other work of the decade – a masterful jam that's a really true collaboration, and which brings out the best that both musicians had to offer. Cal's moving way beyond his familiar modes here – with a fluid, freely colorful sound – and Eddie himself is beginning to hit some of the darker, harder notes that would show up even more strongly on his records of the 70s. There's a much more strongly jazz-based sound here than most of Palmieri's previous records – a really bold focus on the instrumentation as it rolls out over some great modally-informed grooves – and titles include "Bamboleate", "Resemblance", "Guajira Candela", "Mi Montuno", and "Come An Get It". CD

A handful of different Cal Tjader moments from the Monterey Jazz Festival – a frequent setting for Cal's live talents, given his close proximity as a member of the Bay Area scene! The core material here is from Tjader's 1958 performance – featured here in 5 tracks that include Vince Guaraldi on piano, Willie Bobo and Mongo Santamaria on percussion, and Buddy DeFranco on clarinet – the last of whom is a really unique addition to Cal's group, and makes the tunes sound quite different from his studio sides of the time. 1958 titles include "Summertime", "Now's The Time", "Tumbao", and "Cubano Chant" – and other cuts include a 1972 reading of "Manteca" with sweet electric piano, and Dizzy Gillespie and Clark Terry on trumpets; a 1974 version of "Afro Blue" with Jerome Richardson and Frank Strazzeri; a 1977 version of "If You Could See Me Now" with John Lewis on piano; and a 1980 take on "Speak Low" with Roger Glenn on flute. Most titles here are previously unreleased – and the collection's a great match with Cal's classic work on Fantasy. CD

Very cool work from vibist Cal Tjader – sounds that are different than some of the larger arrangements and concepts of his Verve Records albums of the mid 60s, and material that appears here for the first time ever! The set features a range of appearances that Tjader made on radio in Seattle – really well-recorded dates, done at the city's famous Penthouse nightclub – and featuring Cal's vibes in a stripped-down setting that's almost more of a throwback to his pre-Verve material for Fantasy records. There's excellent players throughout, especially on piano – as the keys are handled by Clare Fischer, Al Zulaica, and Lonnie Hewitt – all of whom did great work with Cal – working here in combos that feature plenty of percussion from Armando Peraza, and drums and timbales from Johnny Rae and Carl Burnett. The tunes are a nice mix of modes – some Latin, some bossa, lots straighter jazz – and titles include "Insight", "Davito", "Pantano", "Leyte", "Half & Half", "Bag's Groove", "Mambo Inn", "Morning", "Soul Burst", "Cuban Fantasy", "Love For Sale", "Reza", "On Green Dolphin Street", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Fuji", and "Along Comes Mary". CD

One of the fantastic electric Cal Tjader sessions from the 70s – with that mixture of vibes and electric piano that made his work of the time take on an even funkier sound than before! Lonnie Hewitt's at the keyboards here – and he's got a sly, slinky groove that's totally great – a sound that's even more spacious than Tjaders' vibes, and which seems to push Cal into a whole new space in sound. The rest of the group includes Rob Fisher on acoustic bass, Pete Riso on drums, and the great Pancho Sanchez on congas – who further helps hold down the Latin side of the sound. Titles include a stellar 12 minute reading of Cal's "I Showed Them", which is pure funk all the way through – plus "Bluesology", "Body & Soul", and the extended "Black Orpheus Medley". CD

Well, in our opinion, Cal went Latin right from the start, practically. Still, this "Goes Latin" LP is one of his best of the genre from the old days, and features a host of great players like Lonnie Hewitt, Chombo Silva, Mongo Santamaria, Paul Horn, and Willie Bobo. The album includes Cal's semi-hit "Black Orchid", plus "Mi China", "Bonita", "Contigo", and "Mambo At The M". Very nice, with a sound that would become Cal's trademark in the years right after this album. Cal Tjader Quintet is a great little Latin session from Cal – recorded with extra percussion from Benny Velarde and Luis Miranda, plus rhythm from the Duran brothers, Manuel (piano) and Carlos (bass). The groove's nice and heavy, pretty driving on most cuts, a perfect foil for Cal's jazzy vibes. Titles include "A Minor Goof", "Laura", "Lullaby In Birdland", "Undecided", and Cal's classic reading of Tito Puente's "Philadelphia Mambo". CD

Beautiful Latin vibes from the great Cal Tjader – 8 long tracks recorded live in 1977, but issued here for the first time ever! The sides on the set rank with Cal's best 70s live work – and feature some sublime electric piano work by Clare Fischer, as well as percussion from a young Poncho Sanchez! The tunes are long, stretched out, and a perfect blend of Cal's older Latin jazz vibe with some sweet 70s electric touches – of the sort we've always dug on his other 70s albums for Fantasy. Titles include "Cuban Fantasy", "Descarga Cachao", "Manuel Deeghit", "Guachi Guara", "Tu Crees Que", and "Silenciosa". CD

A real standout session from Cal Tjader – a straight jazz side from the late 50s, recorded with a hip group that includes Vince Guaraldi on piano, Gene Wright on bass, and Al Torre on drums. Although Cal's possibly better-remembered for his Latin work of the time, the record is a good reminder that the Tjader approach to vibes worked equally well in a more standard jazz setting – especially when paired with the lightly lyrical piano genius of a young Vince Guaraldi! The set was captured live at the Blackhawk in San Francisco – practically home turf for Cal and the group – with a sound that's easy, laidback, and very nicely grooving! Titles include "Lover Come Back To Me", "Bill B", "Land's End", "Thinking Of You MJQ", and "Two For Blues Suite". CD

An excellent album from legendary vibist Cal Tjader – and one of his truly electric albums! A key factor to the greatness of this one is keyboardist Al Zulaica – who plays some amazing Fender Rhodes on the album, really unlocking a whole new sound of Cal's vibes in the process! The blend of keys and vibes is amazing – a sound that sets a new standard for the 70s – and the rest of the group here features a range of percussion players, a bit of flute, and three trumpets that buoy up the grooves nicely from the bottom! Titles include Cal's classic "I Showed Them", a great reading of "Evil Ways", and the cuts "Wear Your Love Like Heaven", "Fresh Air", "She's Leaving Home", and "Mambero". CD

The title gets it right on this one – as the set's one of Cal's greatest straight jazz albums of the early years – done in a harder, and more soulful mode than some of his Latin-based sets from the time! The album features 2 different groups, both of them great – a main quintet that includes Brew Moore on tenor and Sonny Clarke on piano – and an additional quartet that features Bob Collins on trombone and Eddie Duran on guitar. The use of horns on the set is a nice change from some of the heavily percussive styles of Cal's other Fantasy records – and Moore's work on the album is especially nice, with some strong tenor moments that really make the album! Titles include "Moten Swing", "I've Never Been In Love Before", "Imagination", "I'll Know", "Brew's Blues", "A Minor Goof", and "How About You". CD

A real classic by Cal – one of the trademark albums of his time at Verve, and a unique blend of jazz, Latin, and other groovy influences! The tunes have that lightly jazzy approach that made Cal a hit with the radio and jukebox crowds at the time – a bossa-influenced mix of vibes, piano, and percussion – dancing easily over some very lively rhythms. Cal's group on the set features pianist Paul Griffin and percussionist Armando Peraza – both of whom bring a nice soulful finish to the album, helping it live past the "Whiffenpoof" in the title! Tracks include "The Prophet" – one of Cal's classics – plus "Soul Motion", "Reza", "Doxy", and "Daddy Wong Legs". Very groovy, very vibesy, and very very Verve. CD

Arguably THE classic Cal Tjader album of the 60s – a landmark album that crossed over equally into Latin, jazz, and mainstream audiences – and a stone cooker that's filled with smoking little grooves! The set's probably best known for its title track "Soul Sauce" – one of the biggest jazz hits of the 60s, and a catchy groover that was built around a riff from Dizzy Gillespie, but which also featured a groovier 60s sound, thanks to Cal's use of vibes. The whole album follows in similar format – and features great work by a core combo that includes Armando Pereza on congas, Lonnie Hewitt on piano, and Johnny Rae on drums. Titles include "Soul Sauce" – also known as "Guacha Guaro" – plus the tracks "Joao", "Leyete", "Maramoor", and a killer reading of "Afro Blue" that features guest appearances by Donald Byrd, Jimmy Heath, and Kenny Burrell. Plus, the CD reissue also includes 3 excellent bonus cuts: "Monkey Beams", "Ming", and the groovy "Mamblues". CD

Two unusual vocal sessions from Anita O'Day – each with a different jazz star in tow! Anita O'Day & The Three Sounds brings together a great singer and a great trio – a unique Verve outing that has vocalist Anita O'Day joining forces with the Three Sounds combo of pianist Gene Harris! The Three Sounds were always happy to serve as a rhythm combo on dates like this – and they really bring a lot of their own flavor to the record – standing out on a few instrumental selections that highlight their own brief relationship with Verve – but mostly backing Anita with a groove that's tight and always soulful! O'Day's vocals are as confident as Harris' work on the keys – making for a very nice match – and titles include "Fly Me To The Moon", "All Too Soon", "My Ship", and "Whisper Not", which also features a guest solo by Roy Eldridge. Time For Two is a great little meeting of two of the better talents on Verve Records in the early 60s – one that pairs the warm vocals of Anita O'Day with the cool vibes of Cal Tjader – in a sweet little session that's actually one of O'Day's best from the time! The feel here is lively, and slightly Latinesque – as Cal's smal combo features Johnny Rae on drums, and Lonnie Hewitt on piano – both players who are well-tuned towards a more rhythmic approach. Includes a great version of "An Occasional Man", plus the tracks "Mr. Sandman", "I Believe In You", "Peel Me A Grape", and a nice take of "Thanks For The Memory". CD

16 tracks selected by Eddie Palmieri. CD

2 live cookers from Cal Tajder – back to back on a single CD! The set begins with Night At The Blackhawk – one of Cal'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". Live & Direct is great live work from Cal Tjader – one of a number of sets but at his home turf of the Blackhawk Nightclub in San Francisco! The album's nicely laidback, with tracks that stretch out a bit more than Tjader's studio work for Fantasy Records – often hitting a slight Latin groove at times, but with a bit more of a straight jazz vibes feel overall! The great Lonnie Hewitt's on the group on piano, coloring in the tunes with some very soulful notes – and in addition to Cal's vibes, the rest of the lineup includes Victor Venegas on bass, and Willie Bobo on drums. Mongo Santamaria on congas and Rolando Lozano on flute join in on the track "Mambo Terrifico" – and other titles include "Racoon Straits", "Bad & The Beautiful", and "You Stepped Out Of A Dream". Note that the CD omits the track "The Continental" from Live & Direct – due to space restrictions. CD

Tracks include "Soul Sauce", "Afro Blue", "Mamblues", "Ginza Samba", "Black Orchid", "Mambo Terrifico", "A Night In Tunisia", and "Viva Cepeda". CD

Excellent 50s Latin work from Cal Tjader – and a set that boasts some especially nice tenor from the legendary Brew Moore! Moore's sound here anchors the date nicely – bringing in a bit more of a bottom sound than usual for a Cal Tjader Latin date – really rooting the record with a strong sense of soul has he blows with that wonderful tone he had in the 50s. Other players include Manuel Duran on piano, Carlos Duran on bass, Beny Velarde on timbales, and Luis Miranda on congas – and titles include "Invitation", "Tropicana", "Manuel's Mambo", and "All the Things You Are". CD

A killer Verve Records set from vibist Cal Tjader – a set that brings together both his Latin inclinations and his groovier 60s mod style – all in a blend that's handled perfectly by arranger Oliver Nelson! Other players include Jerry Dodgion and Jerome Richardson on flutes, Attila Zoller on guitar, Chick Corea on piano, and Jose Mangual, Patato Valdez, and Victor Pantoja on Latin percussion! Titles include "Descarga Cubana", "Morning", "Oran", "Curacao", and "Chuchy Frito Man". Very nice! CD

Features Clare Fisher on keyboards, Rob Fischer on bass, Peter Riso on drums, and Pancho Sanchez on percussion – plus guest work from Cal Tjader on vibes on three tracks! CD

With Gary Burton, Cal Tjader, Dick Garcia, Peggy Lee, Nancy Wilson, and more! CD

Backed by pretty heavy hitters – Cal Tjader, Nat Pierce, Scott Hamilton, Cal Collins and David Ladd! CD

Sunny and swinging – an overlooked Capitol Records treasure from George Shearing – and one with a group that really helped set the sound of groovy jazz in the 60s! The players here are all wonderful – Emil Richards on vibes, Toots Thielemans on guitar, and Al McKibbon on bass – plus some guest congas from Armando Peraza – an artist we mostly know from Cal Tjader's Latin records! With Richards' vibes, the record really has a great sound – deep-toned, with plenty of jazz and Latin inflections – very similar to the territory that Tjader was exploring in the late 50s. And let's not forget George, too – as his piano has that nicely-blocked feel that really fits the sublime rhythms of the tunes. Titles include "Mambo Inn", "Jordu", "Confirmation", "Some Other Spring", "Drume Negrita", and "Bernie's Tune". CD

Includes tracks from Cal Tjader, Miss Ann-Margret, Walter Wanderley, Nancy Wilson, Harold Johnson Sextet, Mel Torme, Quincy Jones, Les Elgart & His Orchestra, Connie Francis, Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers, Dick Hyman, and more – 18 tracks in all. CD

Classic jazz for the 21st century – a treasure trove of tunes from Verve Records, all remixed for the modern dancefloor! The set's the second in Verve's Remixed series – and unlike the first, which focused mostly on vocal numbers, this one throws in some instrumental killers that are among some of our favorite in the catalog! The overall groove is much more expanded from the first session – way past the standard of floating vocals, keys, and beats – into a realm of abstract jazz that really gets at the heart of the project! 14 tracks in all – with "Manteca" by Dizzy Gillespie remixed by Funky Lowlives, "Here's That Rainy Day" by Astrud Gilberto remixed by Koop, "Naima's Love Song" by Betty Carter remixed by DJ Spinna, "Fried Neckbones & Some Home Fries" by Willie Bobo remixed by Dan The Automator, "Soul Sauce" by Cal Tjader remixed by Fila Brasillia, "Do What You Wanna" by Ramsey Lewis remixed by Mr Scruff, "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair" by Nina Simone remixed by Jaffa, "Mama" by Hugh Masekela remixed by Metro Area, "Whatever Lola Wants" by Sarah Vaughan remixed by Gotan Project, "Blues For Brother George Jackson" by Archie Shepp remixed by Mondo Grosso, and "Brother Where Are You" by Oscar Brown Jr remixed by Matthew Herbert. CD

The blueprint for a great set of future jazz – 14 original tunes that all got redone in the Verve Remixed 2 set! Verve has done a great job with the set – pulling together some excellent grooves from the 50s and 60s, served up at a price that's almost as cheap as a fancy cup of coffee! The set's stuffed with groovy vocal, Latin, and soul jazz numbers – with titles that include "Mama" by Hugh Masekela, "Manteca" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Sinnerman" by Nina Simone, "Do What You Wanna" by Ramsey Lewis, "Brother Where Are You" by Oscar Brown Jr, "Here's That Rainy Day" by Astrud Gilberto, "Naima's Love Song" by Betty Carter, "Fried Neck Bones & Some Home Fries" by Willie Bobo, "Blues For Brother George Jackson" by Archie Shepp, "Soul Sauce" by Cal Tjader, and "Slap That Bass" by Ella Fitzgerald. CD

Excellent work from this totally sweet west coast Latin combo – a wonderful group who mixed Latin percussion with piano and vibes – in a manner that's similar to some of Cal Tjader's best Verve work of the 60s! Some tracks also make nice use of flute or alto sax – creating a snakey feel that really adds a new dimension of light and color to the tunes. The whole set's a great blend of Latin rhythms, jazzy solo work, and some mod 60s touches – and titles include "Monkey Time", "Afro Rock", "Let My People Go", "Walk On By", "Moses", "Liberation", and "Together". CD

Gus Mancuso was a 50s instrumentalist who made a brief but strong flash on the modern scene – playing one of the most unlikely jazz instruments ever, a euphonium, which he handled with surprising dexterity and grace, creating a bass-heavy sound that was not unlike some of the work done on baritone during the decade. This 18 track CD features tunes from two of Mancuso's earliest (and only) albums as a leader – Introducing Gus Mancuso and Music From New Faces. The first set features Mancuso blowing hard in a group with Cal Tjader, Richie Kamuca, Eddie Duran, and Vince Guaraldi – and the second set features him working through titles from the show New Faces. Tracks include "The Ruble & The Yen", "Brother Anitz", "Ev'ry Time", "How Do You Like Your Eggs In The Morning?", "A Hatful Of Dandruff", and "Scratch My Back". CD

Brilliant work from the Picante label – the Latin-styled offshoot of the main Concord Records imprint – home to some of the best west coast Latin music for the past few decades! At a time when so many other labels were going for hits and crossover material, Picante started things out right with a real back-to-basics approach to Latin jazz – one that stripped the music back down to its roots, and focused on key instrumental contributions from top-shelf players. This approach continued even when the label moved into some vocal work too – and when it took on the amazing Tania Maria, who brought a bit of Brazilian flavor to their roster too – and over the years, Picante's west coast work really took over the helm from New York gians like Fania or Alegre. This 4CD package is filled with Picante gems from the glory days of the label – and titles include "Spain" by Tito Puente, "Mambo Mindoro" by Cal Tjader, "Think Twice" by Monty Alexander's Ivory & Steel, "Up Late" by Jeff Linsky, "Soca Me Nice" by Mongo Santamaria, "Night In Tunisia" by Caribbean Jazz Project, "Ran Kan Kan (Thunderball vs Fort Knox Five rmx)" by Tito Puente, "La Voz Del Caribe" by Eddie Palmieri, "La Cuna" by Pete Escovedo, "El Shing A Ling" by Poncho Sanchez, "Bom Bom Bom Tchi Tchi Tchi" by Tania Maria, "Sonando" by Poncho Sanchez, "Evil Ways" by Carmen McRae & Cal Tajder, and lots lots more. 50 tracks in all! CD

A fantastic collection of music – 66 tracks that show the huge influence of Cuban rhythms in American music during the mid-century years – presented here in a wider range of styles than you might expect! This isn't just Latin music, made by Cuban cats hitting the New York scene – and instead, these are tracks that show the very deep penetration of sounds from Havana – at a level that has the rhythms emerging in soul, hardbop, R&B, and even more standard blues material! The CD divides the music up into three different CDs, each with a different theme – one that looks at rumba in jazz music, another the influence of the mambo, and the third the range of slower Cuban rhythms well into the 60s. Titles include "Dem Tambourines" by Don Wilkerson, "Cuba Doll" by Lloyd Glenn, "Summertime" by Red Saunders, "Soony Roony" by Slim Gaillard, "De Laff's On You" by Louis Jordan, "Conga Brava" by Duke Ellington, "I Come From America" by Chris Powell, "Jock A Mo" by Sugar Boy Crawford, "Woke Up This Morning" by BB King, "Fool Burro" by Mabel Scott, "Cu-Blue" by Billy Taylor, "Arabian Love Call" by Art Neville, "Out Of Nowhere" by Cal Tjader, "I've Waited So Long" by Eddie Cochran, "She Wants To Mambo" by The Chanters, "Mambo Hop" by Oscar Saldana, and "Mambocito Mio" by Illinois Jacquet. CD

Way more than just a regular set of 60s soul jazz – as the package offers up a wide variety of styles, genres, and work from both European and American sources – all at a ridiculously low price! The set brings together 18 numbers from key 60s labels like Verve, MPS, and Impulse – all grooving together nicely in an upbeat mode that brings in plenty of Latin, Brazilian, and slightly funky touches too! All these tunes are plenty darn hip – longtime favorites at Dusty Groove that include "Jive Samba" by Peter Herbholzheimer, "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" by Marcos Valle, "Evil Ways" by Willie Bobo, "Terra Samba" by Fritz Pauer, "Um Grao De Areia" by Clarke Boland Big Band, "Cubano Chant" by Wolfgang Dauner Trio, "For Mods Only" by Chico Hamilton, "Love & Happiness" by Monty Alexander, "The Fakir" by Cal Tjader, "Big Schlepp" by Dave Pike Set, "Watermelon Man" by Jon Hendricks, "Why & How" by Mark Murphy, and "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Ella Fitzgerald. CD

With music from Zoot Sims, Gil Evans, Milt Jackson, Joe Pass, Cal Tjader, Bill Evans, Art Tatum, Gene Ammons, and more. CD

A great mix of jazzy Brazilian and bossa jazz numbers from the 60s onwards – all pulled from the rich catalog of Fantasy records – and related labels that include Milestone, Prestige, and Pablo! As with the first volume, there's a nice sense of evolution going on here, and a careful selection of less-obvious tracks – with an especially rare version of Jobim's "Dreamer", recorded as a 45 back in the 60s by Gary McFarland! Other titles include "Manha De Carnaval" by Freddie Hubbard & McCoy Tyner, "Bluchanga" by Mongo Santamaria & Joao Donato, "Samba De Orfeu" by Vince Guaraldi, "Tambu" by Cal Tjader & Charlie Byrd, "Nana" by Kenny Burell & Moacir Santos, and "Influencia Do Jazz" by Bola Sete. CD