Verve Jazz Masters 39 - Cal Tjader
Audio CD: November 8, 1994 
Original Release Date: November 8, 1994 
Label: Polygram Records 
Bitrate: 320 kbps

The best single-disc overview of Cal Tjader's Verve years, this collection actually makes the vibraphonist's time spent at the label seem more rewarding than it actually was.  While with Fantasy Records, Tjader usually spent his time cutting tough Latin jazz albums or releasing superb small-group, bop-tinged cool jazz sessions.  But under the guidance of Creed Taylor, most of Tjader's Verve sessions put a smooth gloss on his Latin style and almost completely ignored his very real talents for mainstream small-group jazz.  That doesn't mean that his Verve years weren't full of excellent music, because they were; it's just that he recorded less group music for Verve, so it's great to see that so much fine music shows up here.  Every track's a winner, but the CD features such highlights as Tjader's surprise pop hit "Soul Sauce," a beautiful ballad reading of "The Way You Look Tonight," the amazingly frenetic big band recording of the Horace Silver tune "Tokyo Blues," and a hip-shaking version of "Moanin'" that has Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter sitting in.  Judging by this collection alone, you'd think Tjader's Verve period was the perfect marriage of high-quality jazz and mainstream commercial instincts.  If only "selling out" always sounded this good.  Maybe there's more to Cal Tjader's Verve sessions than there appeared to be at the time.  ~ Nick Dedina, All Music Guide 

This Cal Tjader compilation is an amazing and very cohesive collection of well-played, well-arranged songs.  It's one of those rare cd's that everyone I play it for seems to like.  It's great to listen to and also is one of the best "all-purpose, interesting background music" cd's in my collection for various parties and get-togethers with friends.  
On the one hand there are the rich and varied latin jazz rhythms underpinning many of the numbers.  Then, there's a certain early '60's "swinging bachelor pad" air to the sophisticated, well-crafted, vibraphone-driven arrangements that support the songs without smothering them.  

If you like music like Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue", Vince Guaraldi (the guy who did all the music on the "Peanuts / Charlie Brown" TV specials) and early Santana, then you will enjoy this Cal Tjader collection.  ~ "bemaric"

Verve Jazz Masters 39 - Cal Tjader Tracks:
01  Soul Sauce 2:26 
02  Curacao 6:18 
03  China Nights (Shina No Yoru) 3:32 
04  The Whiffenpoof Song 2:05 
05  Triste 4:12 
06  Soul Bird (Tin Tin Deo) 2:41 
07  The Way You Look Tonight 3:10 
08  Daddy Wong Legs 3:43 
09  Tokyo Blues 4:13 
10  Cuchy Frito Man 2:22 
11  The Prophet 4:35 
12  Borneo 4:03 
13  Leyte 5:22 
14  Hip Vibrations 3:52 
15  Cal’s Bluedo 5:34 
16  Moanin’ 3:14