Cal Tjader, d.1986

The Cal Tjader story is so well known there is next to nothing to add. The European king of the vibes made his mark early in the U.S. as a Latin and jazz bandleader, where he enjoyed the support of key African-American and Cuban musicians. A big fish in the smaller pond of the West Coast scene, he was free to nurture the talents of many future leaders and first-call players, such as Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo. Over several decades Tjader cut an enormity of hip yet widely popular and successful albums. Neither California jazz nor the hapless Fantasy label could be taken very seriously were it not for Cal Tjader's many contributions.

Tjader's album legacy spans roughly three periods. The first is the long series of Latin and jazz albums on Fantasy. Some are better than others, but the Ritmo Caliente sets represent fairly well. The second stage is his Verve LPs, when mod, mid-1960s experimentation led to exoticism beyond just the new boogaloo sounds and collaborations with Eddie Palmieri. In the third stage, mainly back on Fantasy in the 1970s, Tjader "brought it all together" with different all-star lineups playing both hip Latin and soul jazz.

Buying: The Verve and later LPs rarely disappoint in content and quality. Soul Sauce is a masterpiece. Original Fantasy LPs from the '50s & '60s are to be avoided (Fantasy red vinyl is notoriously noisy, even unworn). Seek original and reissue LPs from the '70s for LPs on the Fantasy label.