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Musical instrument players among TJB fans

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happycamper

happycamper

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I am curious about how many of you diehard TJB fans play a musical instrument yourselves. I play trumpet for fun, but I have heard some comments over the last year or two that there are pros among the forum members.

I thought I remember one of you saying that you could play Zorba the Greek on a trombone. That is an accomplishment!! Was that Capt. Bacardi?

Just thought it might be interesting to see what talents are out there. And tell us if you play much TJB music. I like to play along with "Up Cherry Street", "So What's New?", "Slick", and "Jerusalem". And I want to learn to play several more.
 
I always wanted to play the drums, but had to be content with piano and then Hammond organ. I took lessons for about 10 years when I was a kid, but haven't played in years.

I used to play "Tijuana Taxi" and "Brasilia" on the piano. I had my own "made-up" arrangements of them. (Very simple, definitely not recital stuff!)

If I could pick any instrument to play now, I think marimba would be fun to play.
 
I play the trumpet since 1968, and I got the songbook herb alpert & the tijuana brass that came with a flex-disc. I wish I still had that disc I play a cheap sound King tempo. which sound like the volume 2 album. you know, correct me if I am wrong. I do not believe Herb used the benge on the volume 2 or did he? maybe that is why that album sounded so tinny.
if the original master was still avaible , all herb would have to do is rerecord his trumpet part.
bob
 
happycamper said:
I thought I remember one of you saying that you could play Zorba the Greek on a trombone. That is an accomplishment!! Was that Capt. Bacardi?
Click to expand...

Yes, that was me. It took a while, but I finally got it down. It's actually not that hard a tune if you can double- or triple-tongue with ease. But there are a couple of tricky spots for slide movements. I also play a little trumpet, keyboards, percussion.

I love playing my horn alongside the TJB. I actually hate practicing, but I want to keep my chops up, so I often just put in a CD and play along, sometimes playing a little jazz over it or adding different harmonies. It's a fun way to keep the chops in shape.



Capt. Bacardi
 
Trumpet player since 1962, serious player since 1966. By serious player, I mean several things including many years of private lessons, nearly daily practice, many years of public performance, some recording experience, etc.

Today, I play only for my own amusement/recreation, but pretty much every day. I do practice traditional practice material for skills building and development, but I also play music of various kinds. After some basic practice routines, I will run through whatever comes to mind at any given time from the TJB albums. I periodically play some of Herb's slower tunes like Mae, The Shadow of Your Smile, Tangerine, More and More Amor, Cantina Blue, Felicia, Angelito, Crea Mi Amor, El Lobo, etc, for tone practice. Walk Don't Run, Work Song, Slick, Up Cherry Street, So What's New for some stylistic practice, etc. Pretty much all the rest here and there - not all at one time or on the same day.

I can play pretty much all the TJB music from Lonely Bull to Beat of the Brass from memory - both the lead and harmony parts. I used to play in a group that played that repertoire from the combo books that were available many years ago - and some that wasn't published in the books by listening and making our own arrangements, as well as some other Herb songs like Rise, etc. that I learned by listening. I still remember all of it although I haven't seen the books for years.
 
These are my drums. I've been playing since '65. Self taught with lots of inspiration from Nick Ceroli. My drum head is a tribute. I play everyday & never tire of any Tijuana Brass album.
Ive passed the "torch" onto my 17 son Chris who is a wildly fantastic drummer and also plays vibes,keyboards,and guitar.
Marty
 
These are my sons vibes, drums, and hammond organ. He has a professionaly done cd out that was recorded in October of 2005. He's been playing drums since he was old enough to sit up on the drum stool. Shortly after he took up vibes and piano. Recently he has taught himself the guitar.
 
I also have played cornet/trumpet since the mid 60's and I still play in a local community band and also a 17 piece swing big band. The big band has played some TJB charts on occasion, but I seem to be the only one in the group who is a fan, so Herb doesn't get much play :cry:

I've been a fan of Herb and the TJB since I was a grade schooler just learning to play. Although, I don't recall which interest came first. That is, whether I got interested in trumpet because of Herb, or got interested in Herb because I played the trumpet. I'm thinking it was the latter.

For those of you who used to play and think you'd like to take it back up, but are embarassed because it's been so long ago, I'd suggest looking for a community band in your area. Usually they are happy to have new members. Most new members haven't played in a long time.

Dennis
 
Marty--I don't think the site you're linking the photos from lets you "hotlink" to other sites. Not sure, but they're not loading here. :sad: I think you can get a free account at Photobucket or somewhere similar, and they do allow hotlinking...if you think that would work better. :wink:
 
I took piano lessons in the late '50s/early '60s, learning how to read music and play what was written on the sheet music. I was only ever "fair" at it, lacking any artistic flair, but I enjoyed being able to play.

Sometime around 1966 or so, because of Herb, I became interested in the trumpet. While visiting an aunt and uncle's house, I was fascinated that she had a trumpet and was also a big Herb Alpert fan, and I got to try out the trumpet.

That interest prompted my parents to go out and get a not-very-pricey trumpet for me to experiment with. Basically I taught myself how to play it, and was fairly quickly reading along with the Herb Alpert songbooks and playing along with the records. Many of those songbook songs were in the wrong key, so on some of those occasions, I'd transpose by hand to another sheet of paper, in other cases I'd sight-transpose.

My dad and I had great fun playing along with the TjB - he on his drum set and me on trumpet. A couple of times we even recruited a cousin with a cornet to add a bit of harmony to what we were doing. It probably sounded pretty awful, but we all had fun.

It had been a lot of years since I played that trumpet, when I had occasion to pick one up in a music store just for kicks. I was quite embarassed that I was not able to make a single note on the darned thing!

These days, I still have the ancient not-too-pricey trumpet up in a closet, and we have a piano in our living room. Unfortunately, about the only keyboard practice I get is on the one I'm typing on now.

Harry
 
I play clarinet, marimba and drums.

I pretty much suck on drums and get by fairly well on clarinet (though I am a bit rusty). But I actively play marimba, bells and percussion in our church praise band.

--Mr Bill
 
GUITAR, BASS, KEYBOARDS, DRUMS, PERCUSSION, HARP, VIOLIN...!!!

--You name it, I tried it; even a cheap plastic TOY trumpet with FOUR valves (which were really buttons) for my playing along with--Yeah, HERB ALPERT!--which my nepphew semi-destroyed... :wtf:

I live in a Post-Motown Detroit, Michigan, so don't expect me to get anywhere PROFESSIONALLY in This Day & Age... :baah:



Dave
 
Rudy said:
Marty--I don't think the site you're linking the photos from lets you "hotlink" to other sites. Not sure, but they're not loading here. :sad: I think you can get a free account at Photobucket or somewhere similar, and they do allow hotlinking...if you think that would work better. :wink:
Click to expand...

I fixed them Rudy. :thumbsup:
 
Marty said:
Rudy said:
Marty--I don't think the site you're linking the photos from lets you "hotlink" to other sites. Not sure, but they're not loading here. :sad: I think you can get a free account at Photobucket or somewhere similar, and they do allow hotlinking...if you think that would work better. :wink:
Click to expand...

I fixed them Rudy. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Working fine now! Thanks!! :)
 
For those of you who used to play and think you'd like to take it back up, but are embarassed because it's been so long ago, I'd suggest looking for a community band in your area.
Click to expand...
My biggest "thing" is performing in front of people. I tried playing organ at church one time, and played for a few weddings, and every time I was sure I'd have a stroke on "performance day." I'm fine with reading in front of people, or DJing (which I did for 16 years) but singing/playing/etc, forget it. It's sad really because I think I have a fairly decent singing voice. (At least my wife says so when we're in church but then maybe she's just being nice.)
 
Hi Jay,
My sister is an artist. She did the Herb Alpert head for me & the BaJa head for my son.
Love your albums & your work,
Marty :D
 
I don't know about anybody else here, but I was pure hell on a wooden ruler stuck with a clothespin "mouthpiece" at age 10, playing along with Herb and Al Hirt back in '65!

About 20 years ago I was in a jam-band that originated in my graphics shop and floated out for some local gigs, even playing a "Live Set" once on NPR radio, KUT 90.5. I used to play anything that I could pick up--guitar, bass, keyboards, sax, trumpet, flute, percussion, beer bottles...but nowadays I mostly play old records and just hum along. Those were the days!

Happy new year to y'all,
Mike A
 
Well, I guess I'll join in...

I've been a professional freelance musician in the Washington, DC area for the last 20 years or so: trombone mainly, but also trumpet. All kinds of gigs... variety bands, shows, big band, zydeco/dixieland, brass quintet, different kinds of recording gigs (concert band, jazz band, reggae, etc.). I did a show at the Kennedy Center last summer (Mame) which was a total blast. I play trumpet in my TJB tribute band, The Black Sombrero Brass
( www.BlackSombreroBrass.com ), whenever we can scare up a gig, which is not often enough, unfortunately. But I also have a day job, 'cause I have kids and it's really tough for freelancers to get health insurance or make enough money to take care of the little ones.

Looking back, I think the TJB probably had a lot to do with my early interest in music and in playing a brass instrument... my parents used to listen to their albums, and I've always enjoyed it. I guess they were my favorite group, until I stumbled onto Chicago when I was in high school... now THAT was another original and distinctive horn section sound (with another great trombone player, James Pankow)!

Happy new year everybody.

Dan
 
-Happy New Year everyone,
As many of you I am also a practicing musician/teacher.
I play the trumpet, piano - accordion and a little guitar.
I would love to share a soundclip of my work and a biography .
My favorite sound clip is Stardancing.
Go to: www.gigmasters.com
scroll to Alphabetical Artist Directory to the right of the page
click on R
Scroll to Rim Kasputis.
It be fun to have an A&M corner jam session would'nt it?

All the best...Rim Kasputis.
 
I started playing trumpet in elementary school, as a direct result of listening to the TJB. Never did anything much beyond high school except a brief stint in the church orchestra though. I still have my horns (a Yamaha YTR-739T and YFH-631 flugel) and if I ever get the time I'd like to take some lessons and start back up again.
 
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