Cal Tjader - Carmen McCrae - Heatwave - Quality 80`s Latin - LP
LP

Cal Tjader & Carmen McRae - Heat Wave

Label: Concord Jazz
Catalog#: CJ-189
Format: Vinyl, LP
Record is VG++
Cover: top right corner is slightly dented
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Latin


Side 1
1. Heat Wave
2. All in One Love is Fair
3. Besame Mucho
4. Evil Ways
5. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me

Side 2
1. Love
2. Upside Down
3. The Visit
4. Speak Low
5. Don't you worry 'Bout a Thing

With this recording, Carmen McRae continues the well established tradition (see Billie Holiday, Cassandra Wilson, Christian McBride etc etc etc) of taking pop songs and giving them a new workout. She takes Evil Ways, originally by Tjader's former band member Willie Bobo, and gives it the sultriest rendition I have ever heard, and her versions of Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing, All is Fair and Heat Wave have real personality and warmth.
Cal Tjader executes one of the best solos of his recorded career on Evil Ways, and plays with great sensitivity on Upside Down and Besame Mucho. This was the last album Tjader made before he died, and when conguero Poncho Sanchez then struck out on his own, he took part of the band with him. Who could blame him? These guys can really play!

The repertoire swings from jazz to Latin, deliacte (Upside Down, All is Fair), to powerful (Love, Evil Ways) and everybody handles everything easily, including the merengue interpretation of Love with the drum kit playing a modification of a standard jazz patterns, as well as all the Latin-izing. And what a wonderful change it is to hear Latin jazz album that is not purely Cuban or Brazilian influenced, but takes ideas and rhythms from a few places. The recording quality is smooth and clear, everthing you could possibly want is right here.

Cal Tjader and Carmen McRae Heatwave



Carmen McRae - Don't You Worry 'bout A Thing

like sarah, this lady just got better as she aged. until late in her career she was in the shadow of the other female jazz ladies. her flowering , like all precious blooms, was all to short. on this track she is happy and totally in tune with her musicians. a lovely lady



Cal Tjader and Carmen McRae All In Love Is Fair