IN THE TRUNK: “Aquarius” by Cal Tjader (Audio)

“Aquarius” is a lullaby known by hip hop heads across the world, with the immediate recognition of A Tribe Called Quest’s use on an interlude for the Hip Hop classic Midnight Marauders LP of 1993. Mr. Callen Tjader was born in St. Louis Missouri, and later lived in San Mateo California. One of the most interesting things about Tjader is the fact that he was not Latin born and did not grow up in The Bronx, Puerto Rico, or Harlem. He studied Latin Jazz, making a powerful contribution to it. Tjader’s main instrument was the Vibraphone. He began playing in a big band in the bay area as a teen and won a contest to play drums for Gene Krupa in the early 1940’s. He played the drums until 1953, then later switching to the vibraphone. He traveled to New York regularly to see artists such as Mongo Santamaria, Machito, and Tito Puente and became influenced by their style. He created his own group called the Mambo Quartet, which recorded on Fantasy Records. During this time he created a heavily mambo influenced sound, which was not a mere copy but rather an artist truly inspired. In his career, he went on to play with the likes of Donald Byrd, Chick Corea, and Willie Bobo. He put out records on Fantasy, Verve, Skye and Concord Records. He started recording in 1951 and continued up until 1982, putting down almost eighty albums!

“Aquarius” is endearing, sincere, and down right infectious. The arrangement includes vibes, which were recorded in 1969, ten years before I was born. The track is like a night stroll full of romance, wonder, and reflection. It is worthy of loud play in the morning or softness at night. Although Tjader has many tunes that would burn a hole in your shoes, this LP The Prophet is much more about simply chilling out. His work has been sampled by A Tribe Called Quest, Gangstarr, Large Professor, Q-Tip, and Camp Lo, to name a few. Take a listen to “Aquarius.” Cal’s music can be purchased on Cal Tjader.com.

“Aquarius” from The Prophet

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Robert Liu-Trujillo

Parent, illustrator, author, owner of Come Bien Books, muralist, activist, and self-proclaimed believer in the power of music and its infinite sonic vibrations. Follow him @RobertTres

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