CALDERA-MENDES-ALPERT-HALL CONNECTIONS

[Aqua do Brasil]

Dear Mendes fans,

During my years as a designer/art-director with Capitol/EMI records in The Netherlands i was hooked by one hell of a tremendous group of Latin/American musicians:
The Latin-fusion jazz ensemble CALDERA.

The centerpoint of the group was leader and keyboard wizard Eduardo del Barrio, with the late Carlos Vega (shot himself to death at the age of 47 several years ago) on the drums an Steve Tavligione on flute/sax, with Mike Azevedo on percussion and Jorge Strunz on guitars plus several guest musicians.

The sound of the group was ahead of its time.
They released 4 albums on Capitol records and a fifth
album is still laying on the shelfs at Capitol.
Never ever released on CD till now, a shame!

Is there a Mendes/Caldera connection ? Yes and no!
Is there a Caldera/Herb Alpert/Lani Hall connection? Certainly!

Sergio hired the late Carlos Vega and Steve Tavligione on his albums Oceano and Arara. And, but I am not sure about it but Steve Tavligione played sax with Sergio Mendes and Brasil 2000.

Alpert recorded Eduardo del Barrio with Oscar Castro Neves at the last album of Stan Getz on A&M.
Del Barrio played and arranged on Lani Halls Brasil Nativo and with his brother Jorge del Barrio on a Spanish influencend Alpert album from the early nineties.

Caldera was great!

All the best,
Aqua do Brasil

 

[Captain Bacardi]

The centerpoint of the group was leader and keyboard wizard Eduardo del Barrio, with the late Carlos Vega (shot himself to death at the age of 47 several years ago) on the drums an Steve Tavligione on flute/sax, with Mike Azevedo on percussion and Jorge Strunz on guitars plus several guest musicians.

I have a couple of Caldera albums, and Sky Island is great! A couple of other connections you missed:

On Sky Island there is a tune called "Ancient Source", which Herb covered on his Under A Spanish Moon album with Lani on vocals (Dianne Schurr sang on Caldera's version). Steve Tavligione was also on that date with Herb. George del Barrio did the string arrangements on Caldera's album, and also wrote the "Under The Spanish Moon" suite for Herb.

Also, Carlos Vega was the drummer on the first Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela album. I didn't know he shot himself. Very talented drummer.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[DAN BOLTON]

Remember too that Eddie del Barrio also did a lot of work on MY ABSTRACT HEART.


Dan

 

[Harry]

And since no-one else has mentioned it, I'll throw in the fact that Herb Alpert co-produced Eduardo del Barrio's Free Play album on A&M in 1991 (75021 5355-2). Shorty Rogers wrote the liner notes which mention Eddie's membership in the group Caldera.

Harry
NP: Free Play- Eddie del Barrio

 

[Rudy]

I'd seen Caldera mentioned in passing but never paid much attention. Had I known there was such a connection to the A&M gang, I may have picked something up!

It's a shame about Carlos Vega. He's credited on many albums in my own collection.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

And since no-one else has mentioned it, I'll throw in the fact that Herb Alpert co-produced Eduardo del Barrio's Free Play album on A&M in 1991 (75021 5355-2). Shorty Rogers wrote the liner notes which mention Eddie's membership in the group Caldera.

I was going to mention this, but Harry beat me to the punch.

Jon