Friday, March 19, 2010
Fried Bananas
Cal Tjader, a Gary McFarland tune from Cal's Solar Heat LP.
Vibraphonist Cal had a long career, recorded music ranging from straight ahead bop to well-crafted easy-listening. But Latin was his main thing, & whether he was playing hot, funky, or cool, he always worked with fine percussionists, who always sound like they enjoy playing with him. His bands were first rate. A bookish-looking man, resembled Dave Brubeck (had been Dave's drummer early on); in some of the You Tube live videos Cal is always pausing to adjust his glasses as they slip down his nose. A really likable musician. "Fried Bananas" (are they actually plantain?) is from the 1968 LP Solar Heat, which became an acid jazz classic & features Ray Barretto on percussion & Joao Donato playing tasty, subtle organ.
Vibraphonist Cal had a long career, recorded music ranging from straight ahead bop to well-crafted easy-listening. But Latin was his main thing, & whether he was playing hot, funky, or cool, he always worked with fine percussionists, who always sound like they enjoy playing with him. His bands were first rate. A bookish-looking man, resembled Dave Brubeck (had been Dave's drummer early on); in some of the You Tube live videos Cal is always pausing to adjust his glasses as they slip down his nose. A really likable musician. "Fried Bananas" (are they actually plantain?) is from the 1968 LP Solar Heat, which became an acid jazz classic & features Ray Barretto on percussion & Joao Donato playing tasty, subtle organ.
Labels: music
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"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
I was never a big jazz fan, but I always got to groovin' when Cal Tjader came on. I remember the LP of "Soul Sauce" used to hang from the walls of the kitchen at the old WFMU studios in East Orange.
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