🎵 AotW AOTW: Herb Alpert & the T.J.B. - CONEY ISLAND (SP-4521)

[Captain Bacardi]

Herb Alpert & the T.J.B.
CONEY ISLAND
A&M SP-4521

Released 1975
Peaked at #88 on the Pop Charts (1975)

Format: Vinyl/Cassette/8-Track

Produced and Arranged by Herb Alpert

Songs:

• 1. Coney Island (Julius Wechter) - 2:13
  2. I Have Dreamed (Oscar Hammerstein II/Richard Rogers) - 2:35
  3. Señor Mouse (Chick Corea) - 4:28
  4. Mickey (C'Est Ainsi Que Les Choses Arrivent) (Michel Colombier) - 4:02
  5. Sweet Georgia Brown (Ben Bernie/Maceo Pinkard/Kenneth Casey) - 2:29
  6. Ratatouille (Coisa No. 1) (Moacyr Santos/Clovis Mello) - 3:07
  7. Catfish (Bob Findley) - 2:37
  8. This Masquerade (Leon Russell) - 2:38
  9. Carmine (Herb Alpert) - 5:33
  10. The Crave (Jelly Roll Morton) - 1:52
  11. Vento Bravo (Edu Lobo) - 3:47
  12. I Belong (Goran Fristorp/Hal David) - 5:01

Musicians:
Herb Alpert - Trumpet, Flugelhorn (4, 9, 12), Piano (9), Vocal (12)
Bob Findley - Trumpet
Bob Edmondson - Trombone, Bass Trombone (6)
Dave Frishberg - Piano, Arrangement (10)
Steve Schaeffer - Drums
Papito Hernandez - Bass
Vince Charles - Percussion, Steel Drums
Julius Wechter - Marimba, Vibes, Percussion
Peter Woodford - Guitar
Peter Matz - Orchestration (4)
Jimmy Haskell - Strings (12)

Special thanks to our trumpet teacher and New York friend, Carmine Caruso, and My Love, Lani Alpert Hall.

Recorded at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood, California
Engineers: Stan Ross and Larry Levine
Re-Mix: Herb Alpert and Stan Ross
Mastering Engineer: Bernie Grundman, A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, California

Art Direction and Cover Illustration: Roland Young
Design: Junie Osaki
Photography: Andy Kent



Capt. Bacardi

 

[phantomoftheparadise]

This is a great album. There isn't a song on it I don't like. Hopefully this will get a cd release soon.

 

[Mr Bill]

I agree with the previous post. Probably the "jazziest" TJB album with each player getting to stretch out with mopre of an improvisational feel than on any previous TJB album.

I've been listening to a homemade CD of this pretty regularly in my discman. My favorite tune varies day to day. Today I voted for "Carmine" because of Bob Findley's trumpet solo. Plus Herb plays piano on this one, foreshadowing his next album, Just You & Me.

Other faves include the title track, which I rank with "Spanish Flea" and "Brasilia" as Julius's finest compositions. Until the Wechter memorial I didn't know there were lyrics, which added even more color to this roaring 20's musical tour-de-force.

"Catfish" and "The Crave" are also a lot of fun and the obligatory Herb vocal is among his best IMHO. With "Vento Bravo" I much preferred the way they did it on the Sentry TV Special.

One wonders if when this gets the CD treatment they'll include "El Bimbo" as a bonus... it was a single-only that didn't make the cut on Lost Treasures. I also wonder, since Alpert, Findley and Wechter got tunes on this one, if there was maybe a Frishberg tune that didn't make it onto this release... I guess we'll have to wait until Lost TReasures2 to find out!

--Mr Bill

 

[Dave]

I somehow voted for "I Belong" as my favorite... Interesting Herb Trumpet/Vocal combination similar to the other numbers he did with this approach... The '45' (which I never did buy) seems to have an ARP Synth credit by Clarence McDonald, not listed on the LP...

Good "reinvention" of Herb's Tijuana Brass, which along with the couple o' non-album singles, should get reissued on CD...



Dave

 

[Rudy]

"Vento Bravo" has always been my favorite on this album. "Carmine" is now a solid #2 for me.

 

[LPJim]

"Vento Bravo" is my fave as well,
JB

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is one of my favorite TJB albums. A very "live" feel to it, and obviously a very jazzy effort. For me, "Senor Mouse" is the best tune. Just hearing Julius playing marimba on this as well as Dave Frishberg's piano is astonishing. Just a dazzling arrangement. I also loved "Vento Bravo" and "Catfish", which I thought as a very funky piece. Julius also plays some hot vibes on "This Masquerade". The only tune I wasn't too thrilled with is "I Belong", even though Herb's flugelhorn work is pretty nice. I wish I could have seen this particular group in concert. Can't wait for this to be reissued!



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I have a hard time picking a favorite here. The album is all over the map for me, as I'm not a big jazz fan so I tend to pick the pop-like tunes as favorites. "Catfish," "Vento Bravo" and "I Belong" are my first picks, with "I Have Dreamed," and the song Disney named a movie after, "Ratatouille" as runnerups.

I think I like "Catfish" because it sounds like the old Brass on jazz steroids, and "Vento Bravo" because it sounds so different from the old Brass.

As for "I Belong," it's one of my top 3 favorite Herb Alpert vocal tracks (the others being "This Guy" and "Save the Sunlight"). But what really sells the song for me is the ending. The way it builds and builds is a highlight, and I like the way it ends, with the two sections of the song overlapping each other. Very creative and a nice album closer.

I'd like to see this hit CD not only for any bonus tracks it might include ("El Bimbo," the original "Whistlestar," and hopefully "Desert Dance") but just so I can get a decent copy. Mine's got a lot of groove distortion.

 

[Rudy]

I wish I could have seen this particular group in concert.

I saw it, but unfortunately don't remember too much of it. It was a fun concert, though--very much reminiscent of the TV special (although w/o Muppets).

 

[Rudy]

I'd like to see this hit CD not only for any bonus tracks it might include ("El Bimbo," the original "Whistlestar," and hopefully "Desert Dance") but just so I can get a decent copy. Mine's got a lot of groove distortion.

I have yet to find a good, clean pressing of this album. My own copy is trashed from years of being played (and not always put in the sleeve). Since then, I've purchased three copies. One has too much groove wear, and the second has just a little wear, but is too Rice Krispied for me. The third was a Columbia record club pressing, and it sounds horrible (like most club pressings do). The tonal balance is way off, very wonky...but the vinyl is clean. My quest continues, and my goal is to get a promo copy in decent shape.

Come to think of it, I have the same problem with You Smile...I still have yet to find a satisfactory copy.

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

This was the group and music I heard in concert many years ago in San Diego......great album, although "I Belong" is, IMHO, a horrible song and proof what a powerful and unique team Bacharach and David were together (they've done some wonderful solo work since, granted - but this ain't it). Interesting to hear the incomparable Dave Frishberg as a sideman just on the piano....

 

[Rudy]

This was the group and music I heard in concert many years ago in San Diego......great album, although "I Belong" is, IMHO, a horrible song and proof what a powerful and unique team Bacharach and David were together (they've done some wonderful solo work since, granted - but this ain't it). Interesting to hear the incomparable Dave Frishberg as a sideman just on the piano....

I would have liked "I Belong" as an instrumental.

 

[DAN BOLTON]

I went for VENTO BRAVO...something vaguely reminiscent of ZAZUEIRA to it.

When I did my college radio show, VB was my theme music.


Dan

 

[Harry]

I voted for "Coney Island" - it's a brilliant Julius Wecther track and it's a great starter to the album. I also could have picked "Vento Bravo" or "I Belong" as those are other favorites.

This is possibly the first, maybe second Herb Alpert album I did not buy. I wasn't even aware that it had come out, and found it in the throwaway pile at my first radio station. I recall taking it home and listening to it, enjoying a few tracks, and filing it away. It didn't hit me right away like the old Tijuana Brass stuff did, and this being a jazzier album, it didn't register as highly with me, since I wasn't very into jazz back then.

I did get to see this incarnation of the T.J.B. in concert at the old Valley Forge Music Fair. I remember being disappointed that all of the old musicians that I knew and loved from the '60s albums weren't still around, but was impressed with the virtuosity of the new crew. I was happy to see Lani along to do a couple of numbers, though I still remember being uncomfortable that she'd left Sergio Mendes where I thought she was at her best.

As a result of this not becoming a well-worn favorite, my copy of the album is in pretty good shape, and made for a pretty good CD-R that I can enjoy anywhere.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

I like the song "Coney Island", but I really do prefer it in the slower version I originally heard on the TV special, and in concert.

 

[AudiophilePhil]

"I Belong" is my favourite.

Everytime I hear it, it reminds me of Christmas because of the melody and arrangement.
This song could easily be mistaken as one of the tracks from the "Christmas Album."

 

[AudiophilePhil]

I'd like to see this hit CD not only for any bonus tracks it might include ("El Bimbo," the original "Whistlestar," and hopefully "Desert Dance") but just so I can get a decent copy. Mine's got a lot of groove distortion.

I have yet to find a good, clean pressing of this album. My own copy is trashed from years of being played (and not always put in the sleeve). Since then, I've purchased three copies. One has too much groove wear, and the second has just a little wear, but is too Rice Krispied for me. The third was a Columbia record club pressing, and it sounds horrible (like most club pressings do). The tonal balance is way off, very wonky...but the vinyl is clean. My quest continues, and my goal is to get a promo copy in decent shape.

Come to think of it, I have the same problem with You Smile...I still have yet to find a satisfactory copy.

I have three copies and one of them is the SEALED white promo copy. When I opened it, it has white labels and deep grooves, deeper than the other two copies that I have. I haven't played it even once becuase I am reserving it for a near fiuture needle drop if I already have my planned turntable setup. I found them after a long search.

 

[mjwiz23]

My favorite is "I Belong". Can't wait for it to be reissued on CD, or at least part of Lost Treasures 2 with "Save The Sunlight."

If that happens, I could die!

Heard that Fandango and Midnight Sun are next for release later this year. Any confirmation on this?

Thanks.

mjwiz23

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Heard that Fandango and Midnight Sun are next for release later this year. Any confirmation on this?

Yes, we have it from a reliable source that those are the next two Signature Series releases. No dates have been announced yet, however. Stay tuned!

 

[Rudy]

I have three copies and one of them is the SEALED white promo copy.

Guess who's envious??

 

[AudiophilePhil]

My favorite is "I Belong". Can't wait for it to be reissued on CD, or at least part of Lost Treasures 2 with "Save The Sunlight."

If that happens, I could die!

Heard that Fandango and Midnight Sun are next for release later this year. Any confirmation on this?

Thanks.

mjwiz23

Welcome to this greaty forum, mjwiz23.
Please invite more of our fellow audiophiles and music lovers from the other side of the Pacific.

 

[martin]

Coney Island is a wonderful album. Combining all the fun of the traditional TJB sound with more improvisation. One could only hope for a CD release from Shout! Factory with "You Smile" and "Coney Island" together and some added bonus material. It would have made a great "Lost Treasures 2".

- greetings from the north -
Martin

 

[Mike Blakesley]

That would have to be a 2-CD set. The two albums alone (without bonus material) won't fit on one CD. Herb has stated a dislike of "two-fers" so I don't foresee this happening, but since these two albums were among his lesser performers, it's still possible. (Maybe with a different cover design?)

 

[Mr Bill]

I could easily see this one coming out with the remaining tracks form YS-TSB that did not appear on Lost Treasures. And there may even be room for "El Bimbo" and (if they were ever recorded) "Desert Dance," "Neverland" and "Somewhere."

When Just You & Me gets the Shout!Factory treatment, I sure hope they include "The You In Me" (the flip side of "African Summer"'s original release). It's a understated vocal, but better than most as far as Herb vocals go...

--Mr Bill

 

[Harry]

I could easily see this one coming out with the remaining tracks form YS-TSB that did not appear on Lost Treasures.

But the big question is whether or not the albums would get full re-release treatment, or be included as part of a LOST TREASURES II. I can't imagine them re-releasing "Up Cherry Street", "I Might Frighten Her Away", "Promises, Promises", etc., again, as they appeared on YOU SMILE - THE SONG BEGINS. Herb somehow considered these tracks, and perhaps the whole album as "lost", so if the rest of the tracks and CONEY ISLAND were ever released, would they also get a re-done treatment like the other YOU SMILE tracks did?

If they are released as they were, then what about the above tracks? Will the original mixes languish in obscurity?

It all goes back to that sinking feeling we all had when the LOST TREASURES track listing was released: "Uh-oh - why are these tracks considered 'lost'?"

Harry