Cal Tjader

Cal Tjader may have been a pioneering West Coast and Latin jazz vibraphonist and bandleader, but he isn't really thought of as a trippy fusionista. But the 1970s were the 1970s, so on Amazonas Tjader joined forces with a Brazilian band assembled by the eccentric percussionist Airto. Oddly enough, the thigh-booted funk arrangements are by the very American George Duke. The results don't really feel like Cal Tjader and are a little off-kilter, like Super Fly recast on the dirty streets of Sao Paolo. That said, the music holds up well and should please young jam-rock fans and freaks of all musical stripes.