Jazz masterpiece
B. London | Chicago | 03/11/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Perchance a Jazz artist gets to make one perfect recording: Charlie Parker with Strings, Kenny Burrell's Guitar Forms, Miles Davis Sketches of Spain, Chet Baker with Strings, Billy Holiday and Lady in Satin. Here Tjader is not playing Latin rhytyms but straight ahead jazz, the symphonic strings are marvelous and Lonnie Hewitt is a terrific pianist [who died too young]. The grand music of Harold Arlen, the bluesiest songwriter, and Bernstein! Perfect, a shimmering gem to listen to."
Elevator Muzak?
Juan Oliver Colom | San Juan, PR Puerto Rico | 05/03/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I have admired Cal Tjader since the 50's. However, this merger of two of his most forgettable albums left me cold. It projects blandness, lacks swing and the arrangements sound atonal,trite and limp. Clare Fischer at his worst? You can hear a difference in "Tonight", in latin tempo which is the one bright star in a blah disk. Two stars for this unfortunate CD, which I'm sure Cal himself would agree is a blatantly commercial attempt to add an "easy listening" label to jazz. A disappointment!"