The third of three CDs from Liberation Hall, this one, recorded in Hollywood in 1978. Led by Cal Tjader - perhaps the most underrated of the name American vibraphonists - it features him in his oft-favoured Latin setting.
Unlike the recently reissued Dizzy Gillespie album on the same label this one hits the jackpot. The rhythms are crisper and sounding less contrived than on the Gillespie album and I got the feeling that I was at a street party in Rio and getting as high on the music as I was on the cachaca (38-48%).
Ritmo Caliente (Eduard Cano, Jr.) opens up with a powerful brass blast before Tjader shows his metal followed by Zunigar with some dextrous pickin'. Trumpet blows with the power of a mariachi brass man.
Desposada*, composed by Fischer features Foster on flute. A lovely relaxed melody that also has Tjader in a mellow mood.
Bachi* another opus by Fischer (he penned four of the six) has Tjader floating over the exotic rhythms. Flute and guitar carry the baton with flare and imagination to a punchy finale.
Huracán*, I guess means huricane and after the calm before the storm it all erupts with the arrival of Rosolino. It intensifies when McGettrick and Foster do things that saxophones aren't supposed to do but, I guess anything goes in a hurricane**.
Funquiado*, as the title hints at, has very much a tinge of Latin funk. Trumpet blows his top and the combination of timbales, bongos, congas and other bits of ironmongery show just why even the great Tito Puente would have been surplus to requirement with these rhythm aces.
Tres Palabras (Osvaldo Farras) drifts beautifully and gently over the now totally laid back rhythm. Foster's alto a far cry from his days with Zappa.
Check it out on BANDCAMP. Lance
*Composer Clare Fischer.
**Turns out that a Huracán is also a powerful Lamborghini automobile but, reading up on it, I think my observations still apply whether it be to the storm or the car!
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