JOv2
Well-Known Member
One cannot discuss popular 1960s trumpeters Al Hirt and Herb Alpert without mention of Bert Kaempfert.
Kaempfert was a German songwriter, arranger, bandleader, and producer. He was unique in that he sustained notable success in the US pop music market — considered a unique feat for someone from a non-English country.
The casual ear will identify that much of Kaempfert’s music featured lead trumpet. In fact, his principal lead trumpeter, Manfred "Fred" Moch, and Herb actually played in similar styles.
Consistent with many 1960s non-rock "pop"artists, Kaempfert’s US commercial peak was 1960-67; nevertheless, he enjoyed continuous relative success in Europe and elsewhere up to his unexpected passing in 1980. Like Herb and Jumbo, his music was too good to be lumped in with the myriad of "easy listening" outfits of the day. I'm unsure about the 1960s, but I read that in the mid '70s Kaempfert led an actual band, which was clearly influenced by Basie (who wasn’t?).
The most distinguishing feature of Kaempfert’s arrangements were his bass parts, typically recognized as his "signature sound", which, typically called for two simultaneous basses: double bass, and Fender or the Danelecro 6-string bass — both of which were plucked (with a plecktrum) and quickly dampened to quell string resonance.
Kaempfert was a German songwriter, arranger, bandleader, and producer. He was unique in that he sustained notable success in the US pop music market — considered a unique feat for someone from a non-English country.
The casual ear will identify that much of Kaempfert’s music featured lead trumpet. In fact, his principal lead trumpeter, Manfred "Fred" Moch, and Herb actually played in similar styles.
Consistent with many 1960s non-rock "pop"artists, Kaempfert’s US commercial peak was 1960-67; nevertheless, he enjoyed continuous relative success in Europe and elsewhere up to his unexpected passing in 1980. Like Herb and Jumbo, his music was too good to be lumped in with the myriad of "easy listening" outfits of the day. I'm unsure about the 1960s, but I read that in the mid '70s Kaempfert led an actual band, which was clearly influenced by Basie (who wasn’t?).
The most distinguishing feature of Kaempfert’s arrangements were his bass parts, typically recognized as his "signature sound", which, typically called for two simultaneous basses: double bass, and Fender or the Danelecro 6-string bass — both of which were plucked (with a plecktrum) and quickly dampened to quell string resonance.