California Soul

Reception

AllMusic gave the album a rating of 2 stars. In his review, Scott Yanow criticized the album, stating that it was one of Gerald Wilson's weakest releases on Pacific Jazz, primarily due to the commercial material."

Track listing

All compositions by Gerald Wilson except as indicated

"California Soul" (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) - 4:06

"Light My Fire" (The Doors) - 5:00

"Channel Island" - 5:05

"Lullaby from Rosemary's Baby" (Krzysztof Komeda) - 2:47

"Sunshine of Your Love" (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 2:49

"Russian River" - 5:20

"Yesterlove" (Al Cleveland, Smokey Robinson) - 3:57

"Down Here on the Ground" (Gale Garnett, Lalo Schifrin) - 4:45

"El Presidente" - 4:10

Recorded at Liberty Studios in Hollywood, CA on August 7, 1968 (tracks 3 & 9), August 16, 1968 (tracks 1, 4 & 7) and September 2, 1968 (tracks 2, 5, 6 & 8).

Personnel

Gerald Wilson - arranger, conductor

Bobby Bryant (tracks 2, 5, 6 & 8), Larry McGuire (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 & 9), Ollie Mitchell (tracks 1, 4 & 7), Alex Rodriguez (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 & 9), Tony Rusch (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 & 9), Dalton Smith (tracks 1, 4 & 7) - trumpet

Thurman Green, Lester Robertson, Frank Strong - trombone

Mike Wimberly - bass trombone

Art Maebe - French horn, tuba (tracks 3 & 9)

David Duke (tracks 2, 5, 6 & 8), George Hyde (tracks 1, 4 & 7), Jim McGee (tracks 1, 4 & 7) - French horn

Ramon Bojorquez, Henry DeVega - alto saxophone

Anthony Ortega - alto saxophone, flute, piccolo

Hadley Caliman, Harold Land - tenor saxophone

Bill Perkins - tenor saxophone, flute (tracks 1, 4 & 7)

Richard Aplanalp - baritone saxophone

Alan Beutler - alto saxophone, baritone saxophone (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 & 9)

William Green - flute, piccolo (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 & 9)

Pete Terry - bass clarinet, bassoon

Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone

Tommy Flanagan (tracks 3 & 9), Jimmy Rowles, Mike Wofford (tracks 1, 4 & 7) - piano, organ, electric harpsichord