The Shimmery, Lush Sound of Cal Tjader- Catch the Groove- Live at the Penthouse 1964-67

Cal Tjader- Catch the Groove-Live at The Penthouse- Jazz Detective/Elemental

At the end of 2023, the producers of the labels Jazz Detective and Elemental Music released a two-disk album, Cal Tjader: Catch the Groove assembled from several wonderfully recorded live dates from 1963 through 1967.  This marvelous offering captures some of vibraphonist Tjader and his quintet's most enjoyable and compelling sets excellently recorded by Jim Wilke at Charlie Puzzo’s The Penthouse Jazz Club in Seattle, Washington.

The album is a treasure chest of fine music; a time travel adventure that gives the listener a chance to revisit some of the most grooving, often dynamically Latin-inspired jazz of the era.

Tjader was an anomaly in many ways. Originally a drummer who played with an upcoming Dave Brubeck, Tjader took up the vibraphone, picking up some tricks of the trade from guys like vibes master Terry Gibbs. Tjader’s true genius was appreciating the rhythms of Afro-Cuban music. Cal could see that the inclusion of an infectious Latin groove could energize the world of improvisational jazz and it became his calling.

Callen “Cal” Radcliffe Tjader was an unlikely standard-bearer for Latin jazz. He was born in 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri of Swedish American parents. Not a drop of Latin blood flowed through this man’s veins, but that didn’t stop Tjader from proving that the music wasn’t restricted to ethnic or geographical boundaries. Cal took the world by storm, taking his beautiful, melodic and rhythmically electrified music to the crowds; making it his own.

On this album we see the two sides of Cal Tjader as both a serious jazz musician who could play the canon and creatively improvise with the best of them, and as the master of the infectious Afro-Cuban form that so captivated his followers.

The album features three different pianists including Lonnie Hewitt, Al Zulaica and the talented arranger/composer Clare Fischer. The presence of the famous Cuban percussionist Armando Peraza, who would later work extensively with the rock group Santana, just raised the level of the kineticism of this group.

The music on Cal Tjader: Catch the Groove, is sublime, with great performances, some of which were never before released, like Ellington’s “Take the “A” Train and Brubeck’s “In Your Own Sweet Way.”  But there is plenty of gold that the Tjader groups mine to perfection; Clare Fischer's wonderful “Morning,” Milt Jackson’ “Bag’s Groove,”  Guerra and Lobo’s “Reza,” Claus Ogerman’s “Sunset Boulevard,” Billy Strayhorn’s poignant “Lush Life” and Tjader’s own “Leyte” and “Soul Burst”.

It is such a pleasure to just sit back and immerse yourself in this gorgeous music. The audiences at The Penthouse were respectful and appreciative throughout this live recording. You can see why the attention was keen as you too become part of this hypnotic experience while listening. The lines are shimmery and lush; the rhythms are electric and vibrant. Cal’s vibe work is never showy, and his playing is always succinct and melodic. Despite his proficiency, Cal never used speed for speeds sake.

Sadly, Cal Tjader’s legacy has been underappreciated by the public. But his contemporaries do not doubt his importance. As the late pianist Eddie Palmieri attests to Cal’s skill in the copious and informative notes included in this splendid disc package, “Cal was unique. He was able to play the most complicated rhythmical patterns in the world.” Terry Gibbs, himself a master vibraphonist praised Cal's acumen, saying “… to me he was becoming on the same level (on the vibes) as Milt Jackson and I were.” Master vibraphonist Gary Burton acknowledges Tjader’s “…significant role in blending jazz and Latin music.”

With the important release of Cal Tjader: Catch the Groove the man and his music may get a well deserved resurgence of interest. Retroactively, Cal Tjader may get a reexamination of his talent and his importance to the music may be finally realized. For those who have never had a chance to listen to Tjader and his groups at their peak than this album is a must have.