Is there any plan to release the 45 single only "El Bimbo" and other Herb Alpert rarities on HAP label?
Thanks,
Ricardo Jr.
Thanks,
Ricardo Jr.
El Bimbo and Other Herb Alpert Rarities
- Thread starter Ricardo Motos Jr.
- Start date
If so, the only way to obtain El Bimbo is to get a copy of the 45 rpm single vinyl record.
Thanks Harry! I already have a 45 RPM copy of El Bimbo single record on a NM vinyl. I'm just wandering if HAP will release a new version of "Lost Treasure" CD with "El Bimbo" included in a new compilation.
Yes. "El Bimbo," the single release by Herb Alpert and the TJB which was released at about the same time as the album "Coney Island."
Thanks Harry! I am very cautious when buying non-USA compilation of Herb Alpert/the Tijuana Brass tracks and any American artists because of the questionable higher generation sources. I stay with the country of origin of the artist as much as I can. By the way, I ordered a white label promo copy of the 45 rpm single of "El Bimbo" with the stereo version on Side A and the mono version on Side B. I'm not sure if the mono version is a true mono mix or just a mono fold-down of the stereo mix. It's like my Minty white label promotional copy of the Alessi 45 rpm single "Oh, Lori" on A&M label with the stereo version on Side A and the mono version on side B.
Bobberman
Well-Known Member
That is a very good wise rule one thing to keep in mind you will find posts around the forum concerning unauthorized bootlegs especially those that claim to be domestic remember only Herb Alpert Presents is THE ONLY AUTHORIZED LABEL for All things Alpert ( New titles and Reissues) as well as left over Shout factory and Older A&M issues there have been many discussions here concerning the bootlegs
Steven J. Gross
Well-Known Member
I like it!
Bernoullis
Member
El Bimbo is not the name of a tune I recognised, but as soon as I played the Youtube link above, I realised that it is familar to me. I did a quick search and came up with the following ......
The track seems to have made it on to singles in at least 4 different markets in 1975. From the Discogs website:
Additionally, it appeared as the opening track on a 1976 Japanese compilation TJB album of the same name:
The track seems to have made it on to singles in at least 4 different markets in 1975. From the Discogs website:
El Bimbo (7") A&M Records 16227 A Spain 1975
El Bimbo / Catfish (7") A&M Records AMRS 1158 1975
El Bimbo (7", Single) A&M Records AMS 7183 UK 1975
El Bimbo (7", Single) A&M Records 16 227 AT Germany 1975
El Bimbo (7", Single, Promo) A&M Records 1714-S, 1714 US 1975
El Bimbo / Catfish (7") A&M Records AMRS 1158 1975
El Bimbo (7", Single) A&M Records AMS 7183 UK 1975
El Bimbo (7", Single) A&M Records 16 227 AT Germany 1975
El Bimbo (7", Single, Promo) A&M Records 1714-S, 1714 US 1975
Additionally, it appeared as the opening track on a 1976 Japanese compilation TJB album of the same name:
El Bimbo (LP) A&M Records (manufactured by King Record Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) – GP-281
toeknee4bz
Well-Known Member
I remember hearing it in Bar Playa, Rota, Spain in 1975. The melody was in my head, but I had no idea what it was and wouldn't find out for another 40 years. That you tube video satisfied a very old curiosity for me!
El Bimbo was originally released by a group called Bimbo Jet, about a year after Herb's Coney Island. Herb's "El Bimbo" came out later and was far better, in my humble opinion.
Bernoullis
Member
I am going to stick my neck out here and say that the combination of a beach bar in Rota, Spain in 1975, coupled with you now being in Palataka, Florida, itself fairly close to Jacksonville, Florida means ....... you might have served in the US Navy?
Or have I compeletely misread that?
toeknee4bz
Well-Known Member
Close. I'm a Navy brat. I was only six years old when I heard Herb on the speakers in Rota. Dad was an Aviation Metalsmith, and he served in VR-24 Detachment in Rota and in HS-11 in Jacksonville.I am going to stick my neck out here and say that the combination of a beach bar in Rota, Spain in 1975, coupled with you now being in Palataka, Florida, itself fairly close to Jacksonville, Florida means ....... you might have served in the US Navy?
Or have I compeletely misread that?
Captaindave
Well-Known Member
I also did not recognize the song by title, but I do recognize the melody.
To my ears, El Bimbo reminds me of early TJB....perhaps somewhere in the Lonely Bull or Volume 2 time period, or at the latest, South of the Border. The sound and style would have fit nicely on one of those earlier albums.
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I thought that too when I first heard the record. The "aah-aah" backing vocals and Latin-type melody recall a very early TjB sound. But I suppose the "wah-wah" guitar place it squarely in the 70s.
Captaindave
Well-Known Member
i think the song was written much later. Maybe about 1974, from what I can find. But yes, the sound is very much early TJB. I think some Baja Marimba Band tunes used that type of vocal background also.
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DAN BOLTON
Well-Known Member
There seems to be some controversy over just who wrote the song, and when.
There are some claims that the song was actually written in 1971 by Afghani songwriter and singer Amad Zahir, and the song was originally called Tanha Shodan Tanha; and Claude Morgan from Bimbo Jet covered the melody in 1974, calling it El Bimbo. Others say that Morgan wrote the song first, and Zahir covered the song in 1977.
The TJB single credits Morgan, so that would place the Brass' recording ca. 1974-75.
This song reminds me a lot of Aranjuez, with its quasi-middle eastern beat with a bit of a funk jive to it due to the wah-wah pedal guitar.
It's impossible to ask Zahir just what the deal is regarding authorship because he died under mysterious circumstances in the late '70's.
My strongest memory of the song comes from the gay leather bar scene in Police Academy.
Dan
Bernoullis
Member
Wey-hey, well that wasn't a bad guess then! I am still amazed that I was bang on with the Rota and Jacksonville USN links!
