Stan and Cal work well together
Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 12/06/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's unusual to find Stan Getz recording on the Fantasy label in 1958, when these sides were made, getting second billing no less. He could thank his boss Norman Granz for that, though, who "loaned" Getz to Fantasy to record with Tjader "for a fee." Ah, well. It didn't seem to bother Stan, however, because he plays marvelously on the date. (Maybe having just heard that he won the Down Beat and Metronome polls again further inspired him.)
Tjader is an excellent vibes player who specialized in Latin jazz. He and Stan do some of their best playing on the up-tempo samba GINZA SAMBA. LIZ-ANNE, a Tjader composition, is a medium-up waltz that swings nicely, with good solos by Stan and Cal. Guitarist Eddie Duran has a well-developed solo on CROWS NEST, a medium-up blues, and Getz is at his prettiest on I'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO HER FACE. The seldom heard MY BUDDY gets a nice relaxed treatment that makes you want to hear it more frequently. This is a great album, relaxed and swinging, and containing excellent tune choices. Definitely worth checking out.
[Whatever happened to the OJC CD issue of this album?]"