Mid-May Tunes for Mellow Souls...

This album came into my possession on CD about three years ago, when I was on my way out of a brick-and-mortar music store and chose to depart via the jazz aisle. As you can see in the image referenced above, the floral, silvery pattern of the album cover is a striking image, especially set on a black background. I was intrigued by the cover art (which is important, as I've said before, to my experience of the album as a whole), the title "Soul Burst," and the artist, Cal Tjader. I'd never heard of him before, but I hardly knew at that point that I was on the brink of discovering the artistry of one of the pioneers of soul Latin jazz.

A brief (almost unjust) background to the album and the artist...

Soul Burst, recorded in 1966, followed on the heels of Cal Tjader's brilliant album Soul Sauce, recorded about two years earlier. Some old-timers in these parts may remember the song "Soul Sauce" getting very heavy airplay in the mid-1960s. During this part of the decade, Tjader recorded for Verve Records, mainly under the guidance of producer Creed Taylor. One of the finest jazz vibraphonists of the 20th century, right alongside the likes of Milt Jackson, Tjader was influential in the mambo/latin jazz craze of the 1950s, a decade before bossa nova stole national attention. He recorded for Verve Records approximately between 1961 and 1970.

Some specifics on the album...

Soul Burst is fortunately able to see the light of day now on the respected Verve By Request series, now owned by Universal Music Group, that has selected a wide range of famous jazz albums recorded on Verve Records from the 1950s to early 1970s. All of these albums were originally released on vinyl, and this particular one is still available in that format. Here's a rundown of the tracks and where they clock in, according to the CD liner notes:

1. Cuchy Frito Man (2:20)
2. Descarga Cubana (2:55)
3. Soul Burst (4:38)
4. The Bilbao Song (2:16)
5. Manteca (6:34)
6. It Didn't End (Nao Se Acabou) (3:55)
7. My Ship (2:59)
8. Morning (2:56)
9. Oran (3:58)
10. Curacao (6:15)

The personnel on this album are impressive, and some are very famous in their own right in the jazz world:

Jerry Dodgion, Seldon Powell, Jerome Richardson (flute), Chick Corea (piano, arranger), Attila Zoller (g), Richard Davis, Bobby Rodriguez (b), Carlos "Patato" Valdez (conga, vocals), Jose Mangual (tambourine), Victor Pantoja (percussion), Grady Tate (drum), Oliver Nelson (arranger).

The album was recorded February 9, 10, and 11, 1966. Excellent liner notes were written by Herb Wong of KJAZ-FM radio in San Francisco, California.


A few reflections on the music...

The album starts with a hip track that will have your feet tapping happily. When the feet and the mind are happy, and the fingers are dancing, you know it's a good song. "Cuchy Frito Man" certainly is. Chick Corea's piano backing is firm but not overbearing, and Carlos Valdes' scat phrases at the beginning gave this listener a distinct smile on his face. Jerome Richardson takes over for the melody, and switches or does double-duty with Cal when the melody is stated later on.

"Descarga Cubana" is a tune that showcases the meticulous, airy percussion work in the first 45 or so seconds of the track. It is a light, breezy song that is built on the C-chord. Chick weaves up and down the C scale with sprightly syncopations that are punctuated by two (possibly three) flutes playing a type of vamp. The music reminds me of some of the bird's-eye shots of the set of Gilligan's Island; I'm not exactly sure why, but the fact that it inspires these thoughts is good enough for me.

"Soul Burst," the namesake of the album, is where the whole gang take part and give this album a very, very tight feeling. Everyone's having a good time playing, Cal is rattling away on the vibes, and the percussion moves along effortlessly. This, I believe, is a 12-bar blues (the author of the liner notes concurs) that has a pleasant Latin edge to it, and is an exceptional number for dancing. If only I'd be able to enjoy it that way myself, alas, I'll have to listen to it for now. This is one of those tracks that would've been worn out at a dance party 40 years ago.

A mellow, moving ballad follows with "The Bilbao Song." Cal's sentimentality and precision have a very rewarding meeting here. The melody is apparently based on the song "Happy End" from a Kurt Weill musical. Chick sprinkles Cal's melody with effective piano glissandos (runs up and down the keys), and the flute speaks up with brief, simple responses to the melody.

Tjader and company satisfy greatly in their take of Dizzy Gillespie's eternally famous number "Manteca." It was hard for me to describe hearing this song. It's very animated, happy, and free; while these may be cliched terms, I couldn't help it. Throughout the song one hears Valdes chirp up in Portuguese and call out "Manteca!" while the group plays a little bit louder each time. It's almost as if the instruments are laughing at the fine time they're having.

"It Didn't End" is a pleasant samba that seems to end quickly, even though it's one of the longer songs on the album. This was a very popular song in Brazil during the 1960s, written by Brazilian native pianist Joao Donato. "My Ship" is a somewhat mysterious song, with very sweet flute solos and echoing vibes that lend to the aura of mystery, but overall contentment. It concludes with a gorgeous arpeggio on vibes, by Cal.

"Oran" is a Chick Corea original ballad, and lets him stretch out on the album. It has a definite blues feeling to it, but the flute and light percussion give it yet a sharper Latin edge.

This great album closes with the only jazz waltz on the album, "Curacao." It's a very subtle, danceable waltz where Cal and the flutes follow right beside each other when stating the melody. The bass plucks behind the action, and the piano provides some support between Cal's pauses.


A final word...

There were days I listened to this album over and over, and other days I wasn't in the mood. The musicianship is serious, but the tunes are not always fitting for those times when one wants to hear somber, more contemplative jazz. This is an album meant for sparkling days of sunlight and when the mood for dancing is cued up with the temperature. Happy listening.