Flamingo

[JOv2]

Flamingo's "outside lane" arrangement is what compels me. Personally, I don't fancy his trumpet playing in the arrangement -- but those pseudo-automaton singers hook me in (particularly on the fade). Herb has this unique ability to mesmerize the listener with a varying soundscape of repetitive elements. Flamingo exhibits that to some degree (it's not unlike The Factory which he did about 15 years later).

 

[Michael Hagerty]

A thumbs up from here for "Flamingo", but then I'd never heard any version but Herb's at the time (I was 10). Even so, it's still among my favorite TJB records.

 

[Rudy]

A thumbs up from here for "Flamingo", but then I'd never heard any version but Herb's at the time (I was 10). Even so, it's still among my favorite TJB records.

A version that has gone a bit bonkers:



That's Wechter on the mallets. One of other dudes did the bird calls.

 

[DAN BOLTON]

A version that has gone a bit bonkers:



That's Wechter on the mallets. One of other dudes did the bird calls.

Nice cover...

 

[JOv2]

A version that has gone a bit bonkers

--that's putting it lightly.

 

[Bobberman]

A thumbs up from here for "Flamingo", but then I'd never heard any version but Herb's at the time (I was 10). Even so, it's still among my favorite TJB records.

Herb's version was the first I heard on the radio in 1977 on an AM station but I heard a nice Latin flavor slow orchestra version of it by Manuel and his music of the mountains ( an alias for UK Orchestra leader Geoff Love) and Cal tjader's version about all in the same period so for me it's a three way tie for my favorite versions of Flamingo it's a great song in my opinion

 

[JOv2]

Here's the first version I heard...Cannonball Adderley from his debut recording [1955], which I bought in '83. There's an overall aspect of unforgiving sorrow that gets me every time.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

A version that has gone a bit bonkers:



That's Wechter on the mallets. One of other dudes did the bird calls.

Oh....wait....there's a RECORD inside that jacket?

(sorry---67 going on 13)

The second version of "Flamingo" that I heard was three years after Herb had the hit---in 1969, KHJ's "The History of Rock and Roll" (later syndicated) devoted its first hour to the music that led up to rock's big arrival, and played this:



And, of course, later I learned that it goes back ten years before Earl, to Duke (and Herb Jeffries):

 

[Michael Hagerty]

A version that has gone a bit bonkers:



That's Wechter on the mallets. One of other dudes did the bird calls.

And in an attempt to inject some redeeming social value into my inability to look away from the album cover, it turns out Martin Denny used the same model for most, if not all of his album jackets. Her name was Sandy Warner:

Groovy History

groovyhistory.com

The piece mentions that Sandy was a singer. The one album was produced by Steve Allen. I'll put it in the "Female singers of the 1950s largely lost to time" thread.

 

[Harry]

Let's not forget that Herb Alpert himself has done "Flamingo" more than just on SRO. Here's his take in the 90's on SECOND WIND:

 

[Harry]

Another more sprightly version showed up on MUSIC VOLUME 1:

 

[Bobberman]

Let's not forget that Herb Alpert himself has done "Flamingo" more than just on SRO. Here's his take in the 90's on SECOND WIND:

This is also is among my favorite versions I think it was the best update in 1996 I couldn't stop playing this version

 

[Rudy]

Oh....wait....there's a RECORD inside that jacket?

My dad had that record...and that (those??) likely is/are the reason(s) he bought it.

I did play it a few times as a kid but had no clue Julius was playing mallets on it.

 

[bob knack]

Interesting that Steve Allen produced one of these. Maybe it inspired him to record this one...

 

[Moritat]

I consider "Flamingo" (from SRO) to be the best TJB song of all time followed by "Wade In The Water."

 

[Harry]

I could agree with that on some days.

 

[AM Matt]

I liked the "oohs" & "aahs" when the male singer is doing "Flamingo"!!