ProJazz.net

Breeze from the East is a 1963 album by vibraphonist Cal Tjader, arranged by Stan Applebaum. The album features jazzy lounge music with a quasi-Asian sound.

“Cal Tjader’s Breeze from the East combined the vibist’s Latin lounge style with kitschy Asian touches. In lieu of the Asian-born material and Lalo Schifrin’s airy arrangements found on its predecessor Several Shades of Jade, though, Tjader opted here for Stan Applebaum’s self-penned go-go charts. On “Sake and Greens,” “Cha,” and “Shoji,” mod-rock guitar lines shadow Tjader’s solos on pat-sounding Oriental scales, while pianist Lonnie Hewitt keeps up a soul-jazz rhythm — picture ’60s-era James Bond on a wild chase through the heart of Tokyo. Tjader’s traditionally light, Latin combo approach — sans much of the Eastern ornamentation — is still used on standards like “Stardust” and “East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)” and even worked to somewhat sublime heights on “Fuji” and “Black Orchid.” The ultra-smooth Latin jazz sound Tjader favored has always been more infectious than demanding and Breeze from the East’s commercialized mod/eastern elements only end up expanding the pop exotica mix.” – Stephen Cook/AllMusic .

Track listing:
“Sake and Greens” (Stan Applebaum) – 2:24
“Cha” (Applebaum) – 3:03
“Leyte” (Cal Tjader, Lonnie Hewitt) – 3:00
“Shoji” (Applebaum) – 2:33
“China Nights” (Nobuyuki Takeoka, Sedores, Yaso Saijo) – 2:28
“Fuji” (Tjader) – 2:23
“Black Orchid” (Tjader) – 3:04
“Theme from Burke’s Law” (Herschel Burke Gilbert) – 2:37
“Stardust” (Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish) – 2:45
“Poinciana” (Buddy Bernier, Nat Simon) – 3:23
“East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)” (Brooks Bowman) – 2:23

Personnel:
Cal Tjader – vibraphone
Stan Applebaum – arranger, celesta
George Duvivier – double bass
Jerry Dodgion – flute
Dick Hyman – electronic organ
Lonnie Hewitt – piano
Willie Bobo – percussion
Johnny Rae – drums

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Released: May 1964
Recorded: November 26–December 2, 1963
Label: Verve V6-8507[