While jazz music not as popular and mainstream as it used to be, there was a time when this genre switch to other genres to reach more listeners. Same happened with this song composed by Viva Tirado.
While many may be more familiar with version made by LA–based on brown-eye soul band, El Chicano, many people may not know the original version of the song is a big band composition written by legend, prolific composer Gerald Wilson. Not at all Jazz artists you can name, Wilson has written for, from Duke Ellington to Ray Charles to Billie Holiday.
Much Wilson’s compositions blend elements of jazz and Latin jazz. This is usually a respect for his wife’s Mexican-American heritage. His most famous song sampled this combination is “Viva Tirado”.
Above lead track on his 1962 album Moment of truthLatin elements of “Viva Tirado” instantly recognizable (Another version of the song recorded in 1967 for Wilson Live and Swing – recorded live in old LA jazz score, Marty’s On The Hill.) If you listen carefullyyou can notice and listen to talented people guitarist Joe Passes the first and second guitar solos in the score. Pass was a member of the band Wilson in mid-1960s.
Hopefully you can appreciate this unique, colorful selection of big band jazz with a latin flair. Now a century later real judgment era of big bandsa band like this is elusive, and acoustically, a precious work of art rarely reproduced.
