I played back the video of Herb Alpert hosting the Hollywood Palace from December 1967 with the A&M stars, and Herb and the TJB played one nifty song that was heard from years prior to 1967. It was "The Love Nest", which was the theme song to the old George Burns and Gracie Allen Show from the 1950s. Herb always was a master at adapting classic old pop songs to the beat of the Brass. The uptempo arrangement fits the Brass perfectly, as heard from their Ninth album.
Steven J. Gross
Well-Known Member
Unparalleled brilliance..
Outside of The Lonely Bull, Ninth was the last TJB album I heard. Combining that fact with the other fact that it was a late arrival to CD, makes it the one TJB album that still "seems fresh" to me all these years later. I can't describe why that is. The only song on it I don't like all that much is "Carmen," and the only thing about that I don't like is the orchestra.
It's not my favorite Brass album... Warm still claims that distinction. But I still never get tired of hearing it.
It's not my favorite Brass album... Warm still claims that distinction. But I still never get tired of hearing it.
I love "Carmen"! Loved it the first time I heard it and my estimation of it hasn't changed. I also love orchestral stuff, so I certainly can't fault the use of the orchestra here, given the "classical" nature of the source material.
I'm reminded of a thread over on the Steve Hoffman forum where Steve himself started a thread on "Carmen".
"Steve Hoffman" said:
The thread is here:
"Carmen" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass from 1967, their ultimate track?
"CARMEN" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, arranged by Peter Matz. I woke up with this on my mind this morning (yes, I'm weird.) My mom and I...
forums.stevehoffman.tv
Funny how somebody else questioned Steve's comment that "This Guy" was intended for the Carpenters, and he doubled down, saying it was going to be their first record. I'm surprised he has that information so backwards when it's well-documented that Herb didn't even know the Carpenters from a hole in the wall when he recorded "This Guy." Then when you "set Steve straight" about the whole thing with your very diplomatic post, he didn't acknowledge or admit his mistake.
Someone on that thread mentions that the Ninth album is very different from Herb's previous output, and that it is....he was definitely in a mellower mood. I guess if I had to pick one, my favorite song on it these days is "Love So Fine."
Somebody else says that the fell off the TJB bandwagon after the SRO album, and thus hasn't heard whatever came later. He must not have liked the TJB music all that much....how could you let that much good music go unheard??
Someone on that thread mentions that the Ninth album is very different from Herb's previous output, and that it is....he was definitely in a mellower mood. I guess if I had to pick one, my favorite song on it these days is "Love So Fine."
Somebody else says that the fell off the TJB bandwagon after the SRO album, and thus hasn't heard whatever came later. He must not have liked the TJB music all that much....how could you let that much good music go unheard??
Bobberman
Well-Known Member
According to Hoffman and His conversation with Larry Levine as I read it it appears the ninth album was intended to the the Last TJB album but I'm kind of doubtful about that as Beat of the Brass came out just a short time Later. But I found Carmen to be a mix of art and the TJB parodying itself it is a fun track to listen to it would have been sad if the TJB Ended at the ninth album we would have missed out on a lot of gems.
