Psst ... Don't tell anyone...

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Tim Neely

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but evidently Steve Hoffman, remastering engineer extraordinaire, is starting on a project relating to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. He's looking for a clean copy of the mono Going Places LP and a 45 of "Tijuana Taxi." He's not at liberty to say exactly what he's doing, but evidently, something's up. Quoth Mr. Hoffman, "Don't get excited yet. It is a LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG road ahead yet..."

Stay tuned!
 
Tim Neely said:
but evidently Steve Hoffman, remastering engineer extraordinaire, is starting on a project relating to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. He's looking for a clean copy of the mono Going Places LP and a 45 of "Tijuana Taxi." He's not at liberty to say exactly what he's doing, but evidently, something's up. Quoth Mr. Hoffman, "Don't get excited yet. It is a LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG road ahead yet..."

Stay tuned!

Hmmm, are you dangling a carrot in front of us??? :D


Capt. Bacardi
...incredibly curious online...
 
I've seen some mono copies of TJB albums floating around a couple of local vinyl haunts. One that may have it is Melodies & Memories, on Gratiot Ave. in Eastpointe. Another might be Car City Records in St. Clair Shores, but be advised that depending on who you talk to, you may be advised to go look through the dumpster for Alpert albums. :confused:

There is a mono copy at Dad's house, but "clean" is not an option on that one.

Thanks for the "carrot", Tim. :wink: There was also some talk of Herb and Larry Levine going through some old masters, but we haven't heard of anything else since this past spring. If they're taking this long and being this thorough, I'm sure it will be worth the wait!

That said, I CAN'T WAIT!!! :D I rule out album reissues for various reasons (ain't gonna happen), but I smell "box set" all over THIS news.

-= N =-
 
I don't recall anything really unusual on the mono copy of Going Places. I know the 45 version of "Zorba" & "Taxi" are different, but that's not on the LP, if I remember right. Is there a different mix on the LP that I'm missing?


Capt. Bacardi
...just finishing mowing, online...
 
Captain Bacardi said:
I don't recall anything really unusual on the mono copy of Going Places. I know the 45 version of "Zorba" & "Taxi" are different, but that's not on the LP, if I remember right. Is there a different mix on the LP that I'm missing?

It's possible that the powers that be don't know that -- or are trying to find out. The mono Going Places is just a mono-ed out version of the stereo mix, as far as I know. Those two tracks on the 45 ("Taxi" and "Zorba") appeared on an album on the mono version of the Best From Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass: Dee Jay Sampler.

Harry
...who's noticed the aroma of 'box set' in the air as well, online...
 
Just came across a little anomaly about Going Places while doing a quick check of the mono version. When I got to side two, I noticed a little 'guitar-string-scratch' sound just before the "Walk, Don't Run" track officially started. You can hear the tape hiss/hum start and this srting-scratch happens just before the opening note. This sound is missing on the stereo CD version I have (US version from 1988).

So I dug out the stereo LP I have to check it there and this is where the discrepancy occurs. I have two stereo copies of the LP, one is an ochre label original, and the guitar-string-scratch isn't there -- it's just like the CD. So upon discovering this, I began to think that that's what this Steve Hoffman might be looking for on the mono LP. Then I played the other copy I have on LP, a stereo silver-label reissue, and the 'guitar-string-scratch' sound is there just like it is on the mono LP.

Now I'm beginning to wonder if there are other really minor differences in these LP pressings.

Harry
...seemingly !!going nowhere!!, online...
 
Wow!! THAT's what's missing from the CD! Always felt like something was missing.

IMHO, the mix on "Mae" has always seemed slightly different, mono vs. stereo, but that goes with the territory.

-= N =-
 
I just noticed another anomaly on the mono copy of "Taxi" - there's a taxi horn missing a few bars before the marimba solo. I hadn't noticed that before.


Capt. Bacardi
...who has a really, really scratchy copy of this album, online...
 
Rudy said:
IMHO, the mix on "Mae" has always seemed slightly different, mono vs. stereo, but that goes with the territory.

In doing a more thorough side-by-side comparison, all I noticed was a discrepancy in the speed. The mono LP seems to be mastered at a slightly slower speed than the CD -- and it's not a variance in the turntable, which strobes perfectly at 33 1/3. The other minor difference in "Mae" was more subjective: it seemed like Herb's overdubbed lead on the bridge was mixed louder on the mono mix, making it more forefront. I say subjective, because it just seemed that way. It could still just be the difference between the mono and the stereo causing this perception. For the ultimate test, I'd need to combine the stereo into a mono sound and compare THAT with the mono LP.

Captain Bacardi said:
I just noticed another anomaly on the mono copy of "Taxi" - there's a taxi horn missing a few bars before the marimba solo. I hadn't noticed that before.

Yeah, I think we uncovered that a while ago and just forgot it. There are really three different mixes of "Taxi" with respect to the amount of horn-honking: the mono LP with the fewest number of honks, the stereo mix with that extra honk before the marimba solo, and the 45 mix with the extra honks all over the place and the 'equalized-for-AM-radio' sound.

Harry
...noting that your "Taxi" mileage may vary, online...
 
If you don't mind, I'm passing along this information on the differences to Mr. Hoffman. By the way, as soon as I know anything more concrete about this project, I'll pass it along. If Steve Hoffman's involved, it's highly likely to sound great.
 
Better yet, have him stop in here if he'd like to ask questions directly. We have the largest group of A&M/TJB collectors hanging out here, and as you've probably noticed, we tend to over-analyze every little bleet and blat that came out of Herb's trumpet. :wink:

FWIW, I've also just gotten wind that there is some "dealing" going on right now, but don't know much beyond that, or any who/where/when for that matter. Any major news I'll post here and on the tijuanabrass.com site.

It's about time, though!

-= N =-
 
I've also just gotten wind that there is some "dealing" going on right now, but don't know much beyond that, or any who/where/when for that matter.

Now THERE is a carrot! :?: :!: :?:
 
That's wonderful! Though I'm happy that at least they're TRYING to release something, I have to let out a sarcastic, "Oh well, finally!" Well, it looks as if our demand and patience for Herb Alpert/Tijuana Brass music has finally paid off. Makes me wonder if Mr. Alpert or Larry Levine or even Mr. Jerry Moss secretly tapped into this page and saw the many times people have talked about TJB CD reissues and it took doing that just to convince them that people still LOVE this music. I'll be checking back here to see whatever comes out of this.

-alpertfan...glad to hear that it seems as if the waiting is over. :D
 
If Julius Wechter actually visited this site[and he DID], you can bet your bottom dollar that Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss BOTH know about it, and have undoubtedly at least browsed by here. Herb has known for years that his loyal fans would love to have some kind of reissue, and when the time is right....until then, we'll just have to wait. I will believe the box set is out there when I see it...I hope something wonderful is about to happen, but I'll not hold my breath. I DO have my fingers, toes and eyes crossed, however....c'mon, Herb...pleeeease, pleeeease, pleeeease!!!!!


Dan
 
It's too early to say much of anything about what they're working on, since those who know are sworn to secrecy. I do know the old 'A&M gang" keeps tabs on us, and they are aware of the fact that TJB material is worth a fortune on eBay. Some of the more obscure albums, as usual, would stand a lesser chance of being reissued, but if this is the right time in history to launch these, I'd say 'go for it'! I just hope whatever comes out gets some promotion. Definitive Hits was virtually ignored here in the U.S., far as I could see.

-= N =-
 
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