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August 9, 2006 By Tomas Pena On reflection, it’s hard to believe that 2006 marks the 40th anniversary of the original, landmark (vinyl) LP. For new listeners, who may be wondering what all the fuss is about, El Sonido Nuevo is considered one of the best collaborative efforts for its time. According to Eddie Palmieri, who spoke about his initial meeting with Cal Tjader during an interview with former WBAI (99.5 FM) talk-show host, Nancy Rodriguez, Tjader came to see him perform at The Cheetah (a popular New York night spot during the 60s). After the show, they chatted backstage and expressed their admiration for each other. The conversation led to an “exchange of artists” agreement, whereby each artist agreed to appear as a guest on the other’s record label. Looking back, their meeting could not have occurred at a better time. Tjader was riding high with albums such as Soul Sauce (which briefly made Billboard’s Top 40) and Soul Bird, Whiffenpoof. Eddie Palmieri, and his powerhouse band, La Perfecta, were “destroying the dancers” (as Palmieri has been known to say) with Azucar Pa’ Ti and Mozambique. In May (24, 25, 26) of 1966, Tjader and Palmieri entered Rudy Van Gelder’s Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and commenced the recording sessions. Also on hand was the producer, Creed Taylor and arranger Claus Ogerman, who arranged five of the eight tracks (Palmieri arranged the other three). In the original liner-notes, Creed Taylor recounts the fact that, “Cal and the Palmieri band hit it off at once. They were in the same groove and the listener can sense the flow of the rapport and involvement between them on every track of the album.” Longtime fans of El Sonido Nuevo need no introduction to the music. However, for those who may not be familiar with the landscape, Picadillo (track 4) is a good place to start. It’s a head arrangement, or jam session, where Tjader, Palmieri, and La Perfecta (augmented by two additional trombones) “take off” as they explore Tito Puente’s classic composition. For a kick, check out the swinging Modesty (track 5), which derives its title from the obscure B-movie Modesty Blaise (James Bond in a miniskirt circa 1966). Finally, listen to the pulsating rhythms of the title track. Interesting fact: Eddie Palmieri was denounced as a Communist by the Cuban community for performing Mozambique, a Cuban carnival style rhythm that was developed by Pello “El Afrokan.” According to Palmieri’s detractors, he was sending secret codes to the Communist party via his piano! For a sampling of Mozambique, listen to On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever). In 1993, Polygram reissued El Sonido Nuevo, The New Soul Sound, with the original cover-art and liner-notes on CD format. The album also included additional liner-notes by Larry Birnbaum (titled Reissuing El Sonido Nuevo) and six additional tracks from Tjader’s Breeze from the East and Along Comes Cal. While conducting my research for this project, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the six tracks were selected by writer and historian, Max Salazar. Judging from Birnbaum’s liner-notes, it becomes apparent that the bonus material was an attempt to demonstrate that Tjader was a “master of Latin jazz in his own right.” Nevertheless, the bonus tracks raise some interesting questions about the original recording. For instance, what happened to the original master tapes? Do they still exist? If so, why not include the unedited version of the original recording, rather than material from other sources? I bring this up by way of addressing one of the most common criticisms about El Sonido Nuevo, the fact that many feel the recording is over-edited. Meaning, the tracks are exceedingly short and, in some cases, faded out prematurely. To the best of my knowledge, neither Palmieri, nor anyone else associated with the recording, has addressed the observation. That said, El Sonido Nuevo, and its 1967 follow-up, Bamboleate (on Roulette, Palmieri’s label) are brilliant, highly influential recordings that stand the test of time. Pianist, composer, arranger and eight-time Grammy winner, Eddie Palmieri, recently celebrated his fiftieth year as a professional musician. He is the host of the upcoming new radio show, Caliente Latin Jazz, which features special guests such as saxophonist, David Sanchez; vibraphonist, Joe Locke; trumpet player, Brian Lynch; and pianist, Monty Alexander. Palmieri can also be heard via the upcoming Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project and the upcoming CD titled, Simpatico (now available). A musician’s musician, Cal Tjader is one of the most famous non-Latinos to ever front a Latin band. From the 1950s, until his death in 1982, his vibraphone effortlessly straddled the worlds of jazz and Latin music (rumor has it that he never hit a sour note). His recordings with Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Charlie Palmieri, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Brubeck, Carmen Mc Rae and George Shearing continue to have a profound influence on musicians. Imagine if you will, a Tjader and Palmieri box-set, containing the unedited tracks, out takes, snippets of conversation and commentary by those who participated in the recording sessions... Until then, we have El Sonido Nuevo and Bamboleate to enjoy. Tomas Peña
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