Ritmo Caliente

"Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Cal Tjader, became known as the most successful non-Latino Latin musician. He also explored various other jazz idioms but never abandoned the music of Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Tjader primarily played the vibraphone, but he was also accomplished on the drums, bongos, congas, timpani and the piano, and worked with numerous musicians from several cultures. In April 1954, he formed The Cal Tjader Modern Mambo Sextet. Back in San Francisco and recording for Fantasy Records, the group produced several albums in rapid succession. Ritmo Caliente, recorded in 1954-55, is one of their very best.