Soul Burst by Cal Tjader

Cal Tjader is enjoying more excitement in the world of music in 1966 than he has ever experienced. The effects of his hits Soul Sauce (Verve V6-8614) and subsequently Soul Bird (Verve V6-8626), continue to enlarge his circle of fans. The new Tjader album Soul Burst again contains Latin-influenced music which is and had been an integral facet of Cal's programmatic format and repertoire for over a dozen years. This interest in Afro-Cuban initially was captured during his 1953-54 tenure with George Shearing. Cal's Verve recordings in the last several years are an accurate index to vibist Tjader's musical concepts. From Several Shades of Jade (Verve V6-8507) and Breeze From the East (Verve V6-8575), which contain music from Asian sources, to Plays the Contemporary Music of Mexico and Brazil (Verve V6-8470) and Sona Libre (Verve V6-8531), which employ the music of our two American continents, Cal's albums represent his many modes of musical expression. Although Cal laments the fact that authentic Latin music has not significantly extended itself beyond the Latin jazz strongholds of New York City, Los Angeles, and a few lesser centers of interest, Cal himself has done much to broaden its appeal to numberless people through fine performances in concert halls, college campuses, network telecasts, film scores, jazz festivals, night clubs, and recordings. The music is appealing to new audiences who are just now discovering such established tunes as "Cubano Chant" and "Mambo Inn" recorded ten or more years ago. Cal's acute awareness of beauty and attendant sincerity about his own feelings have always impressed me. He comments excitedly and gratifyingly whenever his renditions of a current tune of intense loveliness such as "The Shadow of Your Smile" and the pretty melodies assembled in Warm Wave (Verve V6-8585) are received with enthusiasm. He points out, "If there is to be a renaissance in jazz, it's not going to be avant-avant-avant-garde; it's going to be in the direction of beauty." Soul Burst is an album that was intended to be more loose and jazz-oriented than Soul Sauce. The sessions constituting this collection of ten tunes drew together a group of professional specialists familiar with the musical ecology of Latin jazz. Cal solicited the assistance of pianist Chick Corea. Cal was impressed with Corea when he heard the pianist playing with Willie Bobo and with Herbie Mann. Cal feels that Corea is a young man who "has both idioms down beautifully... jazz and Latin". ... You will find Soul Burst an album containing the magnetism of the fresh, colorful, sensitive, and thoroughly dynamic and stimulating music of Cal Tjader – a lively synopsis of the history and development of North American improvisational concepts and Afro-Cuban percussion. Herb Wong KJAZ-FM, San Francisco ℗ 1966 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.