The Official TJB Press Reviews Thread + COMMENTS

[Craig Z]

Herb Alpert is cool. Who knew?

BY DEVIN GRANT
Special to The Post and Courier


HERB ALPERT & THE TIJUANA BRASS -- "THE LONELY BULL/SOUTH OF THE BORDER/LOST TREASURES" -- (SHOUT!FACTORY)

Back in the '60s, there were three truly cool musical acts. I'm guessing that you can name the first two, The Beatles and Bob Dylan, fairly easily. But when it comes to the third defining music superpower of that decade, there are all kinds of contenders for the post: Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The WHO, The Grateful Dead. All of these are good choices, but allow me to throw one more act into the mix — Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.

All right, you can stop laughing. Lumping Alpert with the likes of Mick Jagger and Pete Townshend might be exaggerating things a bit, but before you start to denounce the work of Alpert as pop-jazz-fluff, allow me to throw out a few facts.

Alpert, who began his music career by co-writing "Wonderful World" with Lou Adler and Sam Cooke, has won seven Grammy Awards and watched with pride while one of his albums with The Tijuana Brass, "The Lonely Bull," sat on the charts for more than three years. As one of the founders of A&M Records, Alpert was instrumental (pardon the pun) in signing acts such as The Police, Joe Jackson, The Carpenters, Barry White, Bryan Adams, Soundgarden and Sheryl Crow.

Now Shout!Factory has seen fit to team up with Alpert to re-release his music library, beginning with two classic TJB albums, as well as another CD of songs, many previously unreleased. Both "South of the Border" and "The Lonely Bull" sound just like fans remember, with Alpert's signature trumpet sound punctuated by bursts of marimba.

The sound is best described as Dixieland jazz on a tequila bender, and many of the tracks on those two classic albums, including "Mexican Shuffle," "El Presidente" and "Struttin' with Maria," follow that formula. The third CD in the series, "Lost Treasures," features a number of tracks that Alpert himself admits he forgot he recorded during the TJB's heyday. Classics such as "Tennessee Waltz," "Flowers on the Wall," "Killing Me Softly" and "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" are well represented here. There are even covers of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" and The Beatles' "And I Love Her."

All of the CDs feature extensive liner notes, including a brief message in each from Alpert himself. It's an overdue recognition to one of the biggest musical acts of the '60s (75 million albums sold), even if Alpert's act's music elicits snickers these days.

Sure, keep laughing at me, but when Quentin Tarantino slaps a TJB track on the soundtrack to his next hipster film, I'm going to look like a genius. All three albums: (B+)

[edited to clarify the thread title]

 

[jfiedler17]

One chart statistic that I'm surprised the writer didn't point out to prove his point is how Herb and the TJB had more albums reach the #1 spot on the Billboard charts than any other American artist during the '60s, and were second only to the Beatles as the act with the most #1 albums in that decade. Now that's impressive!!!

Jeff F.

 

[goldwax]

Can we perhaps change the title of this thread to "Online reviews of Signature Series Releases" or somesuch, so that this place can be a clearinghouse of online reviews people come across? Just a thought.

Anyway, here are two review I found on JazzReview.com:

Featured Artist: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

CD Title: The Lonely Bull

Year: Reissued in 2005 - Originally Released in 1962

Record Label: Shout

Style: Smooth Jazz

Review: When trumpeter Herb Alpert made a splash in the mid-1960s with his Tijuana Brass, there was a sense among some so-called hip jazz listeners that this was music for squares, kind of like Burt Kaempfert playing mariachi. Given that 1962 was the year that Miles cut Quiet Nights and Sun Ra and Albert Ayler were stretching ears and expanding minds, The Lonely Bull wasn’t exactly turning heads. Likewise, when Whipped Cream and Other Delights hit in 1965, the buzz in the jazz world was that Trane released three major recordings in Ascension, Om and Kulu Se Mama, and that Herbie Hancock’s landmark Maiden Voyage had finally been released to overwhelming popular and critical acclaim. In 1964, the year that Alpert’s South of the Border LP hit the stores, John Coltrane’s classic My Favorite Things was hands down the most popular album on the streets of jazzland. Still, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass were the buzz above ground, past that rarified subterranean jazz world of the 1960s. Listening to these albums now I’m struck with the musicality of the discs. It isn’t earth shattering and it wasn’t mind stretching. It is just what it was always meant to be. Exciting, fun music. It must have struck a chord with the pop music public. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass were the fourth best selling artists of the 1960s, after Elvis, the Beatles and Frank Sinatra. As a teenager in the mid 1960s, I was swept up in the excitement and these re-issues are a reminder of how much fun the music was. The title cut is one of the most recognizable instrumental numbers of all time with its audience roar and majestic trumpet regalia.
When The Lonely Bull, the debut disc from Herb Albert & The Tijuana Brass and the first album released on the fledgling A&M Records (Alpert and Jerry Moss’s new company) was released, it was an immediate smash, largely based on the title tune. Jazz fans will note that the version of “Desifinado” included here is first rate, though there is much more to appeal to fans of well executed music: The gorgeous voicings on “El Lobo (The Wolf)” and the waltz version of “Never On A Sunday” in particular. There are many novelty tunes, such as the heavy German polka of “Tijuana Sauerkraut,” the time freeze “Acapulco 1922,” and the radio hit “Mexico,” again with that heavy, heavy downbeat. The version of “Let It Be Me” is superbly rendered, with strings, voices, and mandolin in the mix. Alpert’s solo is first rate on this, as his playing is throughout.

The Tijuana Brass was a mystery aggregation on this debut disc. They were studio players who included the Ventures drummer Mel Taylor and Sun studios guitarist Bill Riley among their number. It’s unfortunate that, even now, those players are not identified. In Josh Kun’s extensive liners Alpert admits that he never listened to Mexican music and it is revealed that he’s not Mexican, as many assumed. Myths fall by the wayside.

Record Label Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Listen : @ amazon.com

Reviewed by: Mark E. Gallo

http://www.jazzreview.com/cdreviewprint.cfm?ID=8691


Featured Artist: Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass

CD Title: South of the Border

Year: Reissued in 2005 - Originally Released in 1964

Record Label: Shout

Style: Smooth Jazz

Review: The Tijuana Brass was a band that found a formula and a niche and played it to the hilt. Schmaltz (a horrible version of “Hello Dolly,” a song that was horrible from the get) and beautiful work, such as that on “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” share space. In between are bouncy, jaunty tunes that were structured in such a way as to get grandma’s toe tapping as quickly as junior’s. “Up Cherry Street,” for instance, has the same intro as Herman’s Hermit’s “I’m Into Something Good,” and a mix of horns and whistling, all the rage in instrumental music of the time. “The Mexican Shuffle” was a radio hit that reminds a bit of “Tequila,” and “El Presidente” mirrors the bombastic excitement of “The Lonely Bull.” Though I don’t recall this being much of a radio staple at the time, it has ‘hit’ written all over it. The version of the Beatle’s “All My Loving” was years ahead of Musak, and it has the same appeal as the Longines Symphony Plays the Beatles. “Angelito” is one of the standout numbers, for its trumpet work and the languid quality. The xylophone solo was a very nice touch. “Salud, Amor y Dinero” is nicely done and features nice guitar work. “Numero Cinco,” a folky piece, has a fine interplay between the horns and percussion, and the closer, “Adios, Mr. Corazon,” another quiet piece, is well performed. Fans of instrumental pop music, and obviously those of the Tijuana Brass, will find much to enjoy here.

Record Label Website: http://shoutfactory.com

Listen : @ amazon.com

Reviewed by: Mark E. Gallo

http://www.jazzreview.com/cdreviewprint.cfm?ID=8693

 

[Rudy]

I agree--I changed the thread title, and we can add more reviews to this one thread rather than scatter them about.

Thanks!

 

[goldwax]

I agree--I changed the thread title, and we can add more reviews to this one thread rather than scatter them about.

Thanks!

Great!

Here's a piece that ran in Los Angeles Times Magazine yesterday. The cool thing is that it ran in the Entertaining section with a recipe (featuring Whipped Cream--of course the album cover was also included!), so it might attract people other than your general music fan.

_____________________________

ENTERTAINING
Sweet Licks
Grammy nominee/restaurateur Herb Alpert hits another high note--with whipped cream, of course


Adam Robert, Adam Robert is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer.


Herb Alpert, the Latin-influenced jazz-pop trumpeter and bandleader who topped the charts in the '60s and '70s with the Tijuana Brass, has taken home seven Grammy Awards during his four-decade career. And if all goes well tonight at Staples Center, he will need to make room on the mantel for No. 8—he's nominated for a tune called "Chasing Shadows."

Although Alpert is best known for his music, the Los Angeles native has piled a lot on his plate during the last 40 years as a record company mogul (A&M Records), Broadway producer ("Angels in America"), Abstract Expressionist painter and philanthropist. Just last year, he added restaurateur to his credits when he opened Vibrato, a grill and jazz club at the top of Beverly Glen, with the Pasadena-based Smith Brothers Restaurant Corp.

That may not come as much of a surprise to anyone who remembers Alpert's 1965 breakthrough album "Whipped Cream & Other Delights," a food-themed album with a track listing that reads like a shopping list ("Whipped Cream," "Ladyfingers" and "Peanuts," to name a few). One song, "A Taste of Honey," won him his first three Grammys. But what made it memorable to legions of American males was an album cover that pictured a young woman wearing nothing more than whipped cream.

"At the time my partner and I both thought it was pushing the envelope," Alpert says of the dairy-clad dame. "A lot of people did come up to me, and they were particularly crazy about it—not necessarily the record but the album cover."

As for the countless meals he's consumed on the road, he says "the food [at a jazz club] has always been a kind of second-class citizen. It's the music first, and then let's throw a pizza on or something."

Now Alpert, who once hoped to open a place with his buddy Stan Getz, the late jazz saxophonist, has an upscale jazz club with food to match. "I was involved in everything," he says. "The look, the feeling of the place, the music, the food. I was very concerned that the acoustics be beautiful." For the right sound, he hired the acoustical engineer who worked on his A&M studios. For the right menu, he tapped Sharon Funt, formerly of Nick & Stef's, as executive chef.

And what does the man who topped the charts with a dessert-topping title have for dessert at his restaurant? "We keep changing the menu," he says. "But at the moment there's Upside-Down Banana Cake, which is quite good." It's served with whipped cream.



*

Upside-Down Banana Cake

From Vibrato executive chef Sharon Funt

Makes 1 (10-inch) cake or 7 (3 1/2-inch) cakes



CARAMEL SAUCE

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Place the sugar and water in a heavy medium-sized saucepan. Over medium heat and without stirring, melt the sugar and cook until it reaches a dark golden caramel color, about 15 minutes. Brush down the sides of the pan with water to remove any sugar granules. Remove from heat and whisk in heavy cream carefully, as mixture will bubble up. Whisk in butter until melted and smooth. Set aside. Makes 1 cup.



CAKE

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup clarified butter, chilled

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

Butter, to grease the pans

Caramel sauce

2 to 3 ripe bananas

Whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs and buttermilk. Mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until smooth.

For a 10-inch cake, heavily butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cake pan or use a nonstick cake pan. Spoon the caramel sauce into the pan and spread to fill the bottom. Cut the bananas into 1/2-inch slices and lay in a circular pattern in the bottom of the pan. Without disturbing the banana slices, carefully pour the batter into the pan and spread to the edges. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake sit for 5 minutes, then loosen the sides and invert onto a cake plate. Serve with whipped cream.

For 3 1/2-inch cakes, heavily butter the bottom and sides of 7 extra-large muffin tins. Spoon 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce into each tin. Reserve remaining caramel to serve on the side. Cut 2 bananas into 1/2-inch slices and fit 4 to 6 slices on top of the caramel. Pour 1/3 cup batter into each tin. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes sit for 5 minutes, then loosen sides and invert onto a large serving plate. Serve with whipped cream.

http://www.latimes.com/features/pri...ing07feb13,1,4406154.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

 

[Numero Cinco]

Thanks to New Member goldwax for posting these fresh reviews. goldwax may also take the prize for first new member to score by posting a recipe from The Herb Alpert Pastry Collection!

From the somewhat pissy review by Mark E. Gallo: . . . “Angelito” is one of the standout numbers, for its trumpet work and the languid quality. The xylophone solo was a very nice touch. “Salud, Amor y Dinero” is nicely done and features nice guitar work. “Numero Cinco,” a folky piece, has a fine interplay between the horns and percussion, and the closer, “Adios, Mr. Corazon,” another quiet piece, is well performed. Fans of instrumental pop music, and obviously those of the Tijuana Brass, will find much to enjoy here.

Julius Wechter's nice touch on "Angelito" is performed with vibes, not a xylophone.

"Adios Mr. Corzaon"?

No. Adios, Mr. Gallo.

 

[Harry]

And,

...and the waltz version of “Never On A Sunday” in particular. There are many novelty tunes, such as the heavy German polka of “Tijuana Sauerkraut,”...

Last time I checked, it was "Tijuana Sauerkraut" that was a waltz, while "Never On Sunday" was in 2/4 time.

Harry
...correcting a few of the errors above, online...

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Last time I checked, it was "Tijuana Sauerkraut" that was a waltz, while "Never On Sunday" was in 2/4 time.

Actually, "Never On Sunday" is in 4/4 time. I'm still trying to figure out what polka the writer was referring to. The closest thing to a polka may be "Struttin' With Maria", but that's kind of a stretch.


Capt. Bacardi
...wishing that music reviewers actually knew something about music, online...

 

[Numero Cinco]

Capt. B: I'm still trying to figure out what polka the writer was referring to.

If Mr. [sic] Corazon doesn't know the difference between a vibraphone and a xylophone, we needn't waste more time trying to find a polka in The Lonely Bull.

 

[Harry]

Last time I checked, it was "Tijuana Sauerkraut" that was a waltz, while "Never On Sunday" was in 2/4 time.

Actually, "Never On Sunday" is in 4/4 time.

I can't believe I typed 2/4. Thanks for catching MY mistake!

Sheesh!

But I guess we should forgive a factual error now and then - after all, even Herb made an error in the liner notes to LOST TREASURES.

On this CD you'll also find a couple of songs I recorded in the early '70s, such as "Promises, Promises," "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," and a remake of Julius Wechter's "Up Cherry Street," that were released on unsuccessful albums.

As most of us know, "Raindrops..." never appeared on any album, while the other two did.

Harry

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I can't believe I typed 2/4. Thanks for catching MY mistake!

We'll forgive you.

I wonder how Herb defines "unsuccessful". I don't remember exactly how high You Smile - The Song Begins charted, but I'm thinking it was in the top 100 somewhere. I would think that if it's anywhere on the charts then it's somewhat successful.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[goldwax]

Thanks to New Member goldwax for posting these fresh reviews. goldwax may also take the prize for first new member to score by posting a recipe from The Herb Alpert Pastry Collection!

My pleasure. And if anyone actually takes a crack at making this dessert, be sure to report back!

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Here's a review from the Wisconsin State Journal:

• Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, "Lost Treasures," Shout Factory.

When my buddies and I used to play poker in college, we'd either be listening to a Herb Alpert album or the soundtrack to "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." So listening to Shout Factory's new series of Alpert re-issues really brings back the smell of cheap cigars, the faint snap of cards hitting the table, and that sinking realization that maybe I shouldn't have bet my entire stack of quarters on a pair of threes.

That said, Alpert's music remains the hippest easy listening sound around, and the CD reissues of "The Lonely Bull" and "South of the Border" sound great. But if your original vinyl versions will suffice, Alpert fans should still pick up "Lost Treasures," which features 22 B-sides and other rarities.

A few of the tracks are covers of such '60s chestnuts as "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," and a surprisingly swinging "(They Long To Be) Close To You" that features a rare vocal track by Alpert. Elsewhere is a spry Dixieland version of "Up Cherry Street," and a cover of that weird '70s novelty hit "Popcorn" that might have best been left in the vaults. Otherwise, crank up the hi-fi and enjoy.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[goldwax]

Wisconsin State Journal:

a cover of that weird '70s novelty hit "Popcorn" that might have best been left in the vaults.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I don't remember exactly how high You Smile - The Song Begins charted, but I'm thinking it was in the top 100 somewhere.

I remember it being on the Billboard chart for awhile too, definitely in the top half. Maybe he meant unsuccessful as in, "not in the top 10?" I think the album went "gold" too, didn't it?

 

[Craig Z]

From THE PLAIN DEALER:

Leave it to trumpeter Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass band to turn James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" - a ballad borne out of mental illness and the death of a friend - into an upbeat stroll through the park. Then again, Alpert (the "A" in A&M Records) always had a gift for making almost any tune come off like the breezy theme song to a Wink Martindale-hosted TV game show. Check out the shagadelic renditions of "(They Long to Be) Close to You," "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" and "Popcorn" on "Lost Treasures," a fun collection of Alpert outtakes from the '60s and '70s. If you like what you hear, Shout! Factory also is reissuing the vintage Alpert albums "The Lonely Bull" and "South of the Border," with more titles to follow. Easy listening doesn't get any easier. In stores Tuesday. A-

 

[Mr Bill]

Maybe he meant unsuccessful as in, "not in the top 10?" I think the album went "gold" too, didn't it?

Warm was the last original TJB LP to go gold, as did all that came before it. From Brass Are Comin' on there was no gold (except for Greatest Hits, but that's a compilation).

Of course, sales of the reissues would be added to all previous sales numbers so it's possible the non-gold LPs could achieve gold status (if they stay in print long enough).

As for solo LPs, my data runs out at Beyond (which wasn't gold at the time it was compiled) and shows Rise as having gone gold. I would imagine of the solo LPs only Rise and Keep Your Eye On Me achieved gold status. Someone with more current data or full access to Billboard could update us on these.

--Mr Bill

 

[goldwax]

From Chris Muther's Boston Globe column today:

OBSESSIONS
By Christopher Muther, Globe Staff | February 17, 2005

1. CLAM CHOWDER AT GREAT BAY Chef Jeremy Sewall reinvents the dense New England classic into a smooth, elegant broth made from milk and clam juice that’s pureed with onion, leeks, celery, bacon, and thyme. To add drama, the soup is poured from a swank black tea kettle into a minimalist bowl accented with just the right amount of clams and potato.

2. CHANG-RAE LEE’S ‘‘ALOFT’’ A mesmerizing novel that dissects suburbia in stunning, painstaking prose. The book is now out in paperback, and Lee will read from ‘‘Aloft’’ at Borders in Boston on March 11. If you start reading now, you’ll be finished in time to appreciate hearing the author recite his own words, and you can ask an intelligent question or two as your book is being signed.

3 HERB ALPERT AND THE TIJUANA BRASS At long last, the trumpeter’s back catalog is being released on CD. Essential listening is a recently released disc of rarities called ‘‘Lost Treasures.’’ On it, you’ll hear Alpert reinvent Spanky and Our Gang’s ‘‘Lazy Day,’’ the Carpenters’ ‘‘(They Long to Be) Close to You,’’ and Gilbert O’Sullivan’s ‘‘Alone Again, Naturally.’’ The biggest demonstration of Alpert’s skill, however, is his ability to take James Taylor’s whiny ‘‘Fire and Rain’’ and turn it into a pert Mexican party tune. Now, bring on ‘‘Whipped Cream and Other Delights.’’

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Orlando Sentinel (my favorite newspaper): I have to agree with this guy about "Hello Dolly" and "Tijuana Sauerkraut."

--------------------------------------

RECORD REVIEWS: * * * * (4 out of 5)
These horns harken back to a cheesier time
And that's a good thing, when it comes to Herb Alpert and his band

By Jim Abbott | Sentinel Pop Music Critic
Posted February 11, 2005

Classify the above ratings in the "so bad, it's good" category.

These three albums, two reissues of 1960s suburban cocktail-hour staples and a new collection of rarities and unreleased tracks, unlock the secret to the Beatles successful invasion. With mom and dad listening to South of the Border in 1964, "She Loves You" must have been irresistible.

A lot of stuff changes in 40 years. Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney has gone from bane of the establishment to the family-friendly alternative at this year's Super Bowl. Likewise, the vintage cheese of the Tijuana Brass has aged to perfection.

There's a new market for the kitsch that oozes so effortlessly from Herb Alpert's trumpet. And the site of a sombrero-clad trombone player in a frilly shirt and vest fits in a culture where retro influences inspire devotion rather than derision.

The music?

It's better than Leonard Nimoy or William Shatner -- the latter, incidentally also is on the Shout roster -- but not without outright laughable moments. Besides, everyone knows that Whipped Cream & Other Delights is the band's best album, for the cover alone.

The Spanish-accented chorus of "Holly Dolly!" on South of the Border is only a nudge away from a Golden Throats parody. An instrumental of the Fab Four's "All My Loving" is akin to Pat Boone's "Tutti Frutti." On The Lonely Bull, the TJB's first A&M album in 1962, "Tijuana Sauerkraut" is a clunky tuba-driven waltz that doesn't quite reach Lawrence Welk sophistication.

Yet there are moments of sheer inspiration: "The Lonely Bull," the chewing gum TV jingle "Mexican Shuffle" and the lovely mariachi treatment of "Let It Be Me."

As for the Lost Treasures, these takes on Burt Bacharach, James Taylor and Cat Stevens ("Whistlestar") are tasty too -- like finely aged cheddar. Small servings are recommended.

 

[goldwax]

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=16788

Herb Alpert Triple Play from Shout! Factory
Posted: 2005-03-07


By Charlie B. Dahan

Shout Factory has just released three excellent reissues of Herb Alpert and His Tijuana Brass Band. This record company truly understands what it takes to successfully re-release an album: remaster the sound without removing the original charm, add new insight (essays and in this case recollections from Alpert) and stay true to the original artwork. Instead of adding extra recordings to each of the Alpert reissues, Shout Factory compiled them on one master entitled Lost Treasures. The first two albums by the Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass in this series will be The Lonely Bull and South of the Border.

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
The Lonely Bull
Shout! Factory
1962-2005

The Lonely Bull made music history when it was originally released in 1962. It marked the beginning of the very successful A&M Records (Alpert & Moss) and both the title track and the album hit the top ten Billboard charts. Inspired by a trip to Mexico prior to this recording, Alpert successfully marries the rhythmic and fanfare like qualities of Mexico with the improve and groove of American jazz much like Dizzy Gillespie’s marriage of jazz and the music of Cube and the Caribbean. This recording is bound to put a smile on your face and as with the rest of the releases, the liners will inform and enlighten.

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
South of the Border
Shout! Factory
1964-2005

South of the Border enjoyed similar chart success as it’s predecessor The Lonely Bull and explored mainstream repertoire such as “The Girl from Ipanema” and “All My Loving” along the same lines as many of the aptly named “Lounge” or “Bachelor Pad” style bands of the day. The only reach for the next button moment occurs with the awkwardly sung “Hello Dolly”, which features a fake Spanish accent. Otherwise, this is just as fun and musical as Lonely Bull.

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
Lost Treasures
Shout! Factory
2005

Finally, Shout Factory compiles twenty-two previously unreleased and rare recordings from Alpert from this era. Some may feel betrayed by the fact that these recordings weren’t added onto the several reissued recordings of this series, but in this case, perfection is to leave the album in it’s original form and to treat the unreleased recordings as a separate piece. What makes this collection special are the interpretations of pop repertoire. You almost wonder why the Tijuana Brass’ versions of James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain,” Cat Steven’s “Whistling Song” or The Carpenter’s “(They Long to Be) Close to You” never saw the light of day. This album possesses both aural pleasure and pure entertainment.

In addition to these three excellent salvos, Shout! Factory has eight more Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass reissues on the docket with a “remix” album coming out this summer — that should be interesting! Great job Shout Factory, keep it up!

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Hmmm, "Whistling Song", eh?


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Funny how the reviews keep dumping on "Hello Dolly." While I admit it's not one of the TJB's finest moments, it's not exactly bottom of the barrel either. I guess because it's a vocal, it stands out.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Funny how the reviews keep dumping on "Hello Dolly." While I admit it's not one of the TJB's finest moments, it's not exactly bottom of the barrel either. I guess because it's a vocal, it stands out.

I always looked at it as a tongue-in-cheek version of the song. Maybe they had a few margaritas before the session?


Capt. Bacardi

 

[thetijuanataxi]

Fake Spanish accents or not, Herb's version of "Hello Dolly" is my favorite. Although I do love Satchmo's version as well.

David,
NP- "HALLO DOLY"

 

[Harry]

I've always found a bit of cringe-worthiness in the fake Mexican accents on "Hello, Dolly," but over the years I've gotten so used to it that I forgot how cheesy it really is.

At least it's still there for all to hear and not edited for some kind of political correctness. I find comfort in that fact, anyway.

Harry