When people think of
Cal Tjader, they think of Latin jazz. The vibist wasn't Hispanic himself, but, like trumpeter
Dizzy Gillespie, he demonstrated that a jazzman didn't have to be a Latino to be considered a master of Afro-Cuban rhythms. However, not everything that
Tjader played had a strong Latin influence -- Latin jazz was only one of the styles that he played, and he sticks to a non-Latin approach to bop on The Shining Sea. Percussionist
Poncho Sanchez, who considered
Tjader a mentor and played with him extensively during the last seven years of the vibist's life, isn't on this album. Instead,
Tjader leads a quintet that employs
Scott Hamilton on tenor saxophone,
Hank Jones on piano,
Dean Reilly on bass, and
Vince Lateano on drums. Produced by the late Carl Jefferson in 1981 -- the year before
Tjader's death -- this extremely melodic date is a tribute to composer
Johnny Mandel.
Hamilton and
Jones have plenty of solo space, and that's a good thing because this
Mandel tribute called for soloists who weren't afraid to be lyrical. The quintet is as cohesive on "Emily" as it is on "Quietly There," "A Time for Love," and the title track. Equally triumphant is the quintet's interpretation of the "Song From M*A*S*H"; like
Bill Evans (the pianist, not the saxophonist),
Tjader and his allies demonstrate that the "Song From M*A*S*H" can easily lend itself to a jazz interpretation. The Shining Sea is not only an inspired salute to a great composer -- it's also one of the best albums from
Tjader's Concord period. ~ Alex Henderson