Caldera: Caldera/Sky Islands

Rating: ★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Roberto da Silva (perc)
Ralph Rickert (flhn)
Ray Armando (perc)
Ralph Humphrey (d)
Raul De Souza (tb)
Dean Cortez (b)
Mike ‘Baiano’ Azevedo (perc)
Jorge Strunz (g, perc)
Chester Thompson (d)
Carolyn Dennis (v)
Eduardo del Barrio (p, ky, syn, perc, v)
Steve Tavaglione (ss, f, bf, afl)
Steve Barrios (perc)
Larry Dunn (syn)
Hector Andrade (perc)
Dianne Reeves (v)
Carlos Vega (d, perc)

Label:

BGO

July/2019

Media Format:

CD

Catalogue Number:

BGOCD1368

RecordDate:

July 1976 and various dates 1977

A BGO two-fer-one reviving Caldera's first albums on Capitol. Indeed, only two more followed before the band's brief career self-combusted in 1979. But Caldera remain an intriguing element within the jazz fusion story. Latin rhythms had underwritten the genre from the off, notably with early RTF and Weather Report. But Caldera, Spanish for cauldron or melting point, with their strong contingent of South American and Caribbean born musicians, could have been strong contenders to nurture those roots to a more fruitful outcome. However, the albums bombed at the time and have not aged well: perhaps trying to shoehorn Afro-Latin rhythms with McLaughlin-like guitar was a step too far. Larry Dunn's presence on Sky Islands pulled the disparate threads tighter, and a very young Dianne Reeves was a bonus. So, despite sucking in elements from their peers, Caldera neither rocks like Santana, has EW & F's R&B dance groove, or the starry genius of Weather Report, even if Chester Thompson guests on Sky Islands.

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