Originally released on vinyl as the two-volume CAL TJADER'S CONCERT BY THE SEA in 1959, THE MONTEREY CONCERTS is the vibraphonist/percussionist's breakthrough recording under any name. The bass-less, percussion-heavy lineup--Tjader on vibes, Willie Bobo on drums and timbales, Mongo Santamaria on bongos, Lonnie Hewitt on piano, and Paul Horn on flute--offers a curious mixture of Latin rhythms and the sort of West Coast cool pioneered by Tjader's former employer Dave Brubeck. Evenly balanced between standards given Tjader-style cool arrangements and band originals like Santamaria's classic "Afro Blue" (given a definitive reading here, with the exception of John Coltrane's 1963 take), THE MONTEREY CONCERTS captures Tjader's best band at their collective peak, and is essential listening for all fans of Tjader's unique brand of Latin jazz.

Recorded live in New York City, the roster for this TropiJazz collection includes Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Humberto Ramirez, J.P. Torres, Michel Camilo, Giovanni Hidalgo, Hilton Ruiz and Dave Valentin. Among the performances are renditions of "And Sammy Walked In" and "Oh My Goodness Baby." ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide