Hello from a newbie!

[AlongCameMary]

Hi, fellow Herb fans --
I have been a great fan of Herb and the TJB from way back -- oh, thirtysomething years now or more (yes, I was TWO when I started loving his music <g>). He was the one who inspired me to take up the trumpet in junior-high band in Michigan, and while I never was the greatest of trumpet players (solid third or sometimes second part), I gained SO much from participating in high school and then college band. It's been a while since I've picked my horn up (I actually play the Scottish bagpipes now!), but a few weeks ago I was shopping on Ebay and just happened to type in "Herb Alpert" -- what a treasure trove! I ended up buying a VHS copy of "The Beat of the Brass" special -- a TV special I well remember from its first airing, and which I never thought I'd see again! (Where DID that guy get it??)

It inspired me to start digging up all my old Herb collection -- I had all the albums, of course, plus concert programs, posters, clippings -- all the usual fandom collectibles. It's all in boxes somewhere -- I'll find it!! I even have live cassette recordings I made when I sneaked a tape recorder into a couple of Herb's concerts in the '70s and '80s. (Sshh -- don't tell!)

I have to grin when I think of those days -- at a time when all my friends were into the Rolling Stones and all the other late-'60s, early-70s rock, I was into Herb and Sergio Mendes and the Baja Marimba Band! It's good to see I was not alone!

So -- can you all help me to catch up? What has Herb been doing lately? Is he healthy and well? (I last saw him in 1997 when he played in L.A. -- went backstage to chat with him, and SUCH a nice man!! I had met him once before, when a fellow college trumpet player and I went backstage at one of his concerts in the '80s, but my 1997 meeting with him was much more relaxed.) Is there a page somewhere that updates us on the doings of the surviving TJB members? (I know that, sadly, we lost Julius Wechter not too long ago.) I know the great John Pisano is a regular here in L.A., playing in top jazz lounges. What about the rest of them?

Speaking as a current L.A. resident, it was SO hard a few years ago when the A&M Records sign came down at the old Chaplin studios, as the company was closed down. I shed a few tears at the demise of this once-great independent label (and I know Herb and Jerry are very teed off at the way it was all done -- I hope they win!). What memories were there -- what sounds were created for all of us to enjoy!

Anyway -- I have many more thoughts to post, when I have some more time. Very glad to be here!! Mary

 

[Captain Bacardi]

So -- can you all help me to catch up? What has Herb been doing lately? Is he healthy and well?

Welcome to the Corner, Mary!

Herb has been doing more art shows than recording lately (although he is on the new Gato Barbieri album The Shadow Of The Cat), and as far as we know he is healthy. Like you, we're all waiting for a new Herb album.

As far as the original TJB members go, Lou Pagani, Tonni Kalash and Nick Ceroli have all passed away, as did Julius Wechter. Bob Edmondson is retired from playing, but has been involved in some production work. John Pisano and Pat Senatore are still playing in the L.A. area.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

Hi, fellow Herb fans --
I have been a great fan of Herb and the TJB from way back -- oh, thirtysomething years now or more (yes, I was TWO when I started loving his music <g>). He was the one who inspired me to take up the trumpet in junior-high band in Michigan,

Wow! Whereabouts in Michigan? Small world.

Still doesn't explain how I could have been such a Herbie fan back in my school days, and yet I took up "da sax".

-= N =-

 

[bob knack]

"I even have live cassette recordings I made when I sneaked a tape recorder into a couple of Herb's concerts in the '70s and '80s. (Sshh -- don't tell.)"

O.K. But start dubbing, we want our copies.

 

[Rudy]

As for A.C.Mary's other question--we've discussed ex-TJBers in the past here, but since we changed the forum software back in the spring, some of our older posts are now archived offline. (And unfortunately, the "status" of older musicians often means they are no longer with us!) Since the question does come up, I think we should probably put up a page here with TJB musicians and their current whereabouts. If anyone else wants to assist with current info, pass it along!

An uncredited TJB player was Pete Jolly, who still performs in the L.A. environs. In fact, I was supposed to go see him at Monteleone's when I was out there in 1998, but it was the night before the return trip back home. I'm trying to swing a trip out to L.A. again next spring or early summer. Definitely want to see Pisano and Jolly while I still can. Who knows when they may decide to retire!

We've figured that Tonni Kalash passed away within the past couple of years, as did Lou Pagani. Bob Edmondson was rumored to be in the insurance industry, but I saw his name on a Bobby Troup CD, credited as the person who cleared the performance rights for the songs on the album.

I know session drummer Hal Blaine (drums on "Taste of Honey") is still with us--his daughter was in contact with me at one point. Carol Kaye is also still out there performing (sometimes with her good buddy John Pisano)--she played bass on the "Whipped Cream" and, I think, a few other tracks on that album. I would be interested to get a list of the musicians who appeared on the early A&M recordings.

-= N =-

 

[AlongCameMary]

>>"I even have live cassette recordings I made when I sneaked a tape recorder into a couple of Herb's concerts in the '70s and '80s. (Sshh -- don't tell.)">>

O.K. But start dubbing, we want our copies.

I'd be more than happy to share or trade copies for things I don't have! Not sure what your trading policies are here on the board -- is there a trading forum or should I just post here when I find the tapes and get some dupes? (Sorry -- I should just read the FAQs -- my bad!) Mary

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Carol Kaye is also still out there performing (sometimes with her good buddy John Pisano)--she played bass on the "Whipped Cream" and, I think, a few other tracks on that album.

Carol also played a 12-string guitar on "Mexican Shuffle", which I believe was her first gig playing a guitar, if I remember right.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

I'd be more than happy to share or trade copies for things I don't have! Not sure what your trading policies are here on the board -- is there a trading forum or should I just post here when I find the tapes and get some dupes? (Sorry -- I should just read the FAQs -- my bad!) Mary

A lot of us trade amongst ourselves, but we tend to do it off-the-forum. If anyone has something for sale or trade (nothing "homemade", in other words), the Trading Post area is cool for that.

For a couple of years now, I'd thought about putting a new feature up here somewhere called a "Trading Tree". Any person could list what they have to offer in trade, as well as a list of items they're looking for in a trade. Any negotiations would take place off-the-forum, either via private message, or the forum's e-mail function. And I would ask that no money changes hands, other than to cover costs (such as blank CDs or actual postage paid). This would also be a restricted forum in that only forum members could access it, just to help curb any abuse from "drive-by" visitors.

If anyone thinks this might be useful, let me know, and I can create a new forum area for it.

Not sure what Universal would say about it, but quite frankly, I really don't care at this point. If they're not going to reissue it and just let it fester and grow mold in their vaults, then why should we all keep hoarding all this good music for ourselves?

Also, any smart A&R person should take note of what the popular trading items are, and consider them for future reissues. But that would be giving today's record label "suits" too much credit for creativity.

-= N =-

P.S. Which school did you go to in Michigan, Mary? We have Cousino's 20-year reunion coming up in a couple of weeks...I get to see who's still married from the 10-year, who has hair, who has gained or lost weight, or converted, or come out of the closet...

 

[Rudy]

Carol also played a 12-string guitar on "Mexican Shuffle", which I believe was her first gig playing a guitar, if I remember right.

She actually started playing and teaching guitar in 1949. At a 1963 session at Capitol studios, the bass player never showed for the gig, and she picked up the bass, at that point beginning her successful career as a "first call" studio bassist. Heck, even Pat Senatore took bass lessons from her!

Just looking over her website again...I'm betting anyone can look in their record collections and find at least a half dozen songs that Carol has played on, not to mention many popular television shows. (See the Library page at http://www.carolkaye.com .)

-= N =-

 

[Captain Bacardi]

She actually started playing and teaching guitar in 1949. At a 1963 session at Capitol studios, the bass player never showed for the gig, and she picked up the bass, at that point beginning her successful career as a "first call" studio bassist. Heck, even Pat Senatore took bass lessons from her!

I knew there was a "first" in there somewhere. The ol' brain doesn't function as good as it used to.

Do we still have Carol's posts from a couple of years ago? I don't know if that's still a searchable thing or not.


Capt. Bacardi
NW: Giants vs Cards

 

[Rudy]

I thought her first bass gig was for "Whipped Cream", but apparently not. (Close, though. )

I don't have the old interviews online anymore, but do have nearly all the old forum's files archived offline. I may need to try to load up the old forum on my server here at home and extract her posts from them. They would have been August 1998, same month that Julius first posted.

Her site gave me an idea. On her Library page, there is a huge listing of songs she's played on. Some of these were culled from Union contracts and logs. I wonder if the musician's union has ever attempted to catalog all of these logs and put them into a searchable relational database. Imagine being able to type in a song by an artist, and see what musicians played on it!

-= N =-

 

[AlongCameMary]

P.S. Which school did you go to in Michigan, Mary? We have Cousino's 20-year reunion coming up in a couple of weeks...I get to see who's still married from the 10-year, who has hair, who has gained or lost weight, or converted, or come out of the closet...

I went to Haslett HS, and college at Michigan State -- go Spartans!! I was in the trumpet section of the great Spartan Marching Band all through my undergrad and grad work there. I think we had 60 trumpets -- what a great experience that was (especially our trip to the '88 Rose Bowl!). Mary

 

[Rudy]

I went to Haslett HS, and college at Michigan State -- go Spartans!! I was in the trumpet section of the great Spartan Marching Band all through my undergrad and grad work there. I think we had 60 trumpets -- what a great experience that was (especially our trip to the '88 Rose Bowl!). Mary

This should be reeeeeeally interesting, Wolverine fan that I am. Our annual grudge match is Nov. 2. (No, I'm not putting money on it. ) Not too familiar with the Lansing area, other than what I used to pass when taking I-96 to US27 to go up to the Traverse area. Trying to see, from the map, if it's more like a "four corners" small town or a suburb (looks more like a suburb).

-= N =-