Description
Book Synopsis Within one of the most complex musical categories yet to surface, Cal Tjader quietly pioneered the genre as a jazz vibraphonist, composer, arranger and bandleader from the 1950s through the 1980s. Reid tells the life story of a humble musician, written in a familiar, conversational tone that reveals Tjader''s complex charisma. Tjader left behind a legacy and a labyrinth of influence, attested by his large audience and innovation that would change the course of jazz. Expanded and revised, this intimate biography now includes additional interviews and anecdotes from Tjader''s family, bandmates, and community, print research, and rare photographs, presenting a full history of an undervalued musician, as well as a detailed account of the progression of Latin Jazz.
Trade ReviewProvided plenty of information, some quite provocative, and, in doing so, has filled a gap in documenting a musician who achieved one of history's most compelling fusions of jazz and Latin music...strongly recommended." —
ARSC Journal"A meticulously researched and detailed account...fills a gap in the history of Latin jazz and leaves a soulful legacy of 'good vibes' about a jazz great." —
newbooksinjazz.comTable of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Foreword by Gary Foster
- Preface
- One. Tap Dancing with Bojangles to Playing with Brubeck
- Two. Tjader Plays Mambo and Tjazz
- Three. Reaching for the Skye
- Four. Last Bolero in Berkeley
- Five. Flying with Concord
- Epilogue
- Appendix 1. An Interview with Elizabeth A. Tjader
- Appendix 2. An Interview with Robert C. Tjader
- Musical Glossary by Michael Weil
- Discography by Michael Weil and S. Duncan Reid
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography and Sources
- Index
