Bloque 6

Bloque 6 (1968) captures Juan Carlos Calderón at the start of his jazz journey, long before the funk, disco and flamenco touches of his later records. Trained as a pianist, Calderón came up in Spain’s early jazz scene and, with his brothers, helped open one of the country’s first jazz clubs.

Released months after Juan Carlos Calderón presenta a Juan Carlos Calderón, this set brings together key Spanish players including Pedro Iturralde, Vlady Bas and Pepe Nieto. Alongside originals like Sambando, Calderón takes on Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Oliver Nelson, with hard bop and modal jazz in the mix.

Often compared to Nelson’s The Blues and the Abstract Truth period, the album won Best International Jazz Album of the Year in the US in 1969 and was later reissued on CD by Blue Note. This is the first time it’s been reissued on vinyl.

Tracklist

Side A
1. Milestones
2. Bad Feeling
3. Sambando

Side B
1. Stolen Moments
2. Straight No Chaser
3. Bloque 6