Ask Herb

[Steve Sidoruk]

Herb's nephew, Randy, is working on a project with Herb to answer general questions about the following recordings: SOUTH OF THE BORDER, WHIPPED CREAM & OTHER DELIGHTS, GOING PLACES and WHAT NOW MY LOVE. He will organize the questions and Herb's responses & comments will be recorded on video. You can post your questions here. Go for the big, important questions, not little nit-picky ones. Remember, anything very technical about the recording process would likely only be known by the late, Larry Levine, so we can't go there.
Let's see what you've got!

 

[Bobberman]

I hope this isn't a Nit picky question but I was always curious about the times of day when these recordings were made ( not the locations or places ) it seems the recordings mentioned seem to have a very Common "Feel" to them and may I say A very positive one. Thank you for allowing a Lifelong Fan like Myself to Participate naturally I have many questions but for obvious reasons I will just limit them to just this one. Blessings to all.

 

[Mind Open]

Probably sometime between 12 and 5pm would be my guess. I’ll guess we’ll wait for Herb. Hehe. Didn’t the session contracts have the time of the session on them?

 

[Sinatra Fan in KC]

I would find it interesting to know how the songs were chosen, and if any were chosen but didn’t work out.

And, hope it’s not nitpicking, but how the musicians were miked.

And what conditions are the masters in for future preservation?

What a great idea.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Not specific to those albums, but there was an article in Billboard years ago in which Herb mentioned that they'd found a lot of Sol Lake songs that were still unreleased. I'm curious if there are any unreleased TJB recordings from these albums' era that are still in the can.

Of course there is the age-old question of the two versions of "Brasilia" (with and without the opening trombone riff). I've always wondered if anyone has ever played Herb those two versions back to back to see what his reaction would be.

 

[Bobberman]

Not specific to those albums, but there was an article in Billboard years ago in which Herb mentioned that they'd found a lot of Sol Lake songs that were still unreleased. I'm curious if there are any unreleased TJB recordings from these albums' era that are still in the can.

Of course there is the age-old question of the two versions of "Brasilia" (with and without the opening trombone riff). I've always wondered if anyone has ever played Herb those two versions back to back to see what his reaction would be.

That is A great Question why didn't I think of that one?

 

[Aaron Bitman]

I would find it interesting to know how the songs were chosen, and if any were chosen but didn’t work out.

Yeah. Why did the TJB never record "Music to Watch Girls By"?

There's a couple of questions I'm dying to ask Herb Alpert, but they have nothing to do with his albums. Still, I can't resist the temptation to ask them here, even though I know they won't get selected.

I mean... time and again, I listen to an interview in which Alpert mentions Dizzy Gillespie being a friend of his. Yet the only thing Alpert ever says about him is to quote him saying "The closer I get, the farther it looks." Surely I can't be the only one who finds that bit of name-dropping frustrating! I'd like to ask when and how Alpert met Gillespie.

And I'd ask about Herb's sister Mimi. I'd like to know what, if anything, she did for a living. (Also, I know that in her youth she played the piano, but did anything come of that?)

 

[Rudy]

Of course there is the age-old question of the two versions of "Brasilia" (with and without the opening trombone riff). I've always wondered if anyone has ever played Herb those two versions back to back to see what his reaction would be.

That's one of those technical/engineering questions that is lost to time (and Larry Levine's memory). I could post copies of each album on our YouTube channel but I doubt anyone would bother listening to them. (And that's impossible anyways since copyright issues would cause both to be blocked.)

I only have technical and engineering questions, so I really have nothing to ask. Although one that Randy might be able to answer would be the point at which Herb quit using Gold Star and started using A&M's own multitrack studio.

 

[alpertfan]

Just out of curiosity, why "The Third Man Theme" for GP? Great film, and I like the arrangement of the song that's on the album. Another movie-related question would be, "How difficult was it recording 'Zorba The Greek'?"

 

[SteveM]

Interesting that those 4 albums are generally considered the TJB's best. They each have a different and distinct "sound." SOB is the most "mariachi," WC more polished, GP brassy and bouncy, and finally WNML has the most "sophisticated" sound. I've often wondered if that's deliberate, or just happenstance, based on different song arrangements, or perhaps recording techniques, or Herb's vision just undergoing a natural evolution.
If it was deliberate on Herb's part, then I have a bone to pick with Herb. I think he changed his sound too quickly. I would have loved a "South of the Border, Volume 2" (love the mariachi sound!), a "Whipped Cream, Volume 2" (just a great vibe/groove throughout the album), a "Going Places, Volume 2" (my favorite "sound"), etc. --- you get my drift. A follow-up album for each of those albums, maintaining the same "sound," would have suited me just fine. Then along comes SRO, which sounds nothing like any of the albums that came before it!
So, Herb, was the different sound of each album deliberate, and if so, why did you deprive us of follow-up volumes to some of the greatest instrumental pop albums ever made?

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Maybe Herb could share some memories / stories about Bud Coleman, who wrote several of the TJB songs (that's usually him on mandolin and banjo, if I'm not mistaken), and of course memories of Julius Wechter too.

 

[martin]

What a wonderful idea!
Nearly all of the brass players of my generation that I talk to hear in Norway tell me that Herb was a big inspiration for them, and most of them own at least a couple of albums, usually from this period of South Of The Border to What Now My Love.
As an arranger myself I have wondered about the arrangements on these albums. Herb is credited as the arranger, but I wonder how much was actually prepared before going into the studio? Would it just have been like a lead sheet or was any of the horn parts, like the trombone or second trumpet written on beforehand?
I understand that string parts (like e.g. on "Mae" and "And The Angels Sing" ) were probably written out, but I guess that happened after the basic tracks were cut?

- greetings from the north -
Martin

 

[abstract_fan]

On Going Places we first see the touring band. Why no marimba? I've seen theories on this Forum; and many times he shared the bill with BMB. On The Lonely Bull he is pictured with a mandolin and violin player. The 70's TJB touring band remedied the marimba player.

 

[John-NJ]

I have often wondered about some of Herb's TJB album titles, such as "Going Places", "S.R.O.", and "Sounds Like..." when the albums themselves contain no corresponding song that matches the title.

Do "Going Places" and "Standing Room Only" simply refer to the rising popularity of the TJB at the time of their release?

I see the connection between these titles and the cover art, however. On "Going Places", Herb is in an airplane, apparently going somewhere, and on S.R.O., the band members pictured are all standing. 😊

John

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Why no marimba? I've seen theories on this Forum; and many times he shared the bill with BMB. On The Lonely Bull he is pictured with a mandolin and violin player.

It's been stated that they didn't tour with Julius because he was busy with the BMB. If the TJB and BMB were on a co-bill, you probably wouldn't want one poor marimbaist to have to play two full shows.

The band on the back of the Lonely Bull album is not necessarily the band on the grooves, they were just there for looks, I believe.

I always wondered why they didn't just find another marimbaist for touring, but maybe they tried and were unable. (Herb? Any comment there?)

 

[Mind Open]

I guess I would ask:

Was the marimba added after or played while the rhythm tracks were being layed down?

Also, any mention of Julius would be fantastic!

 

[Steve Sidoruk]

I have given Randy a link to the posts here. He has given me the following "Ask Herb" Q&A to share with you all thus far:

what conditions are the masters in for future preservation?

There are over 1,200 master recordings that include 2, 3, 8, 24 and 48 trk analog tapes. I spent 3 years with a great team of people preserving about 140 of the most important multi track and 2 trk mixes and then we transferred everything into the digital domain via high end digital converters. These analog tapes will not last forever so it was really important to transfer them ASAP.

I was always curious about the times of day when these recordings were made

Most of these recordings were recorded in 3 hour sessions between 11am and 6pm. Sometimes, depending on musician availability, a session may have been recorded at 6-9pm or 7-10pm. So much depended on when the right musicians were available for the tracking sessions.

Why did the TJB never record "Music to Watch Girls By"?

This song was originally a short Pepsi commercial in 1966 the year that Herb exploded with 6 albums on the charts. Bob Crewe immediately copped Herb's sound and released a record that piggy backed off of the TJB. Herb was not about to go and do his own version after Bob Crewe released his hit recording. There were a whole lot of sound-a-like TJB recordings released in 1966, 67, 68.

Alpert mentions Dizzy Gillespie being a friend of his. Yet the only thing Alpert ever says about him is to quote him saying "The closer I get, the farther it looks." Surely I can't be the only one who finds that bit of name-dropping frustrating! I'd like to ask when and how Alpert met Gillespie.

I am not sure exactly when Herb met Dizzy but they were indeed friends. One day in late July of 1979 I was in Studio D at A&M working on a mix of the song "Street Life" for the Rise album and I heard some rhythmic hand clapping behind me and when I turned around it was Dizzy grooving to the song.. I was not even aware that he had come into the studio He was a lovely man with a HUGE smile.

Although one that Randy might be able to answer would be the point at which Herb quit using Gold Star and started using A&M's own multitrack studio.

A&M moved to the LaBrea Lot in November 1966. Design and construction of the studios started in early 1967. 2 of the studios started testing/recording towards the Fall of 1967. I believe that Herb did a few recordings in late 67 and then started recording albums in 1968.

 

[Mind Open]

Will we ever get a decent recording/video of a live concert from the 60s?

And will we ever see the full footage from the documentary within the documentary that showed Herb performing and traveling in the 60s?

 

[Bobberman]

Another Question I'm sure everyone would like to know is " Will any of the 4 TV specials (the Singer sponsored first one The Beat of the Brass.The Brass are comin. And the 1974 reunion special) ever be released on DVD and streaming? And Thank you Randy for your answers so far much appreciated and thank you Steve for letting us participate.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

When the Whipped Cream cover was presented to Herb, it was risque for its time. How close did they come to rejecting that idea and changing to a different cover design? Or did Herb take one look at that cover and go, "that's it!"?

 

[DAN BOLTON]

Has there ever been a song that Herb would have loved to record but never was able to for any reason?

 

[Aaron Bitman]

When the Whipped Cream cover was presented to Herb, it was risque for its time. How close did they come to rejecting that idea and changing to a different cover design? Or did Herb take one look at that cover and go, "that's it!"?

I'm no authority, but I can do a Google search as well as the next guy. According to this...

The Real Story Behind Herb Alpert’s Iconic ‘Whipped Cream & Other Delights’ Album Cover, 50 Years Later

As Herb Alpert remembers it, he was in a recording studio one day in 1965 when the art director for A&M, the label Alpert co-owned, showed him the photograph that would eventually grace one of the most memorable LP covers of all time. “My first reaction was, Holy $#!^, man. Too racy,â€Â Alpert...

www.billboard.com

...Herb's first reaction to that historic photograph was "Holy ----, man. Too racy." I'd call that a pretty clear "No" to your last question.

This...

The Icon & Iconic Album Cover - VEER Magazine :: Hampton Roads arts, culture, entertainment, beer, wine, travel, dining

By Jeff Maisey One of the most recognizable, iconic record album covers in pop culture almost never saw the light of day. “If it was up to me I would have rejected the cover,” said legendary trumpet player Herb Alpert, who released “Whipped Cream & Other Delights” with his Tijuana Brass Band in...

veermag.com

...quotes Herb saying "If it was up to me I would have rejected the cover... I looked at it and didn’t like it at all... But my partner Jerry Moss and the art director, Peter Whorf, were really excited about it.”

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Well thanks for taking all the fun out of it.

 

[Aaron Bitman]

Oop. Sorry. Well, I had fun looking it up, anyway. I remember listening to this interview with Alpert...

Off the record interview with Herb Alpert, 1987-02-12

...because it was such a good source of quotes. But mostly, I remember noting, at around 17:20, that it's unusual to hear Herb Alpert swear.

 

[Mind Open]

Thanks for the interview! Never heard it before.