Herb Alpert Is... CD and Vinyl Box Sets

For those keeping score at home, I count 5 LPs

19 tracks on Record 1
15 tracks on Record 2
9 tracks on Record 3
8 tracks on Record 4
12 tracks on Record 5
 
I kinda agree with Rudy, though you cast Google cast FB video to your big screen.YouTube can also be annoying but it is easier to manage.

I just came across the “companion” cd or vinyl and booklet for “Herb Alpert Is...”. Quite expensive and though I am a major fan of his music and have all of his releases in cd or digital formats, I’ll pass as I cannot afford that outlay.. Odd to say that because I am a completist.

Really would like remasters/rereleases of remaining 80s albums and alternate stuff (releases in nin US markets, alternate versions of songs,, and songs in which he was an artist on another artist’s tune).
 
I just came across the “companion” cd or vinyl and booklet for “Herb Alpert Is...”. Quite expensive and though I am a major fan of his music and have all of his releases in cd or digital formats, I’ll pass as I cannot afford that outlay.. Odd to say that because I am a completist.
I'm going to have to pass too. They are listed on Amazon (US) for pre-order. $99.98 for the 3-CD set, and $322.98 (!) for the 5-LP set. I'm guessing that the price is so high, because it's a niche item and will only be produced in small quantities? It would have been nice to have especially for the booklet, but it's hard to justify paying that much for another copy of music I already own on other albums. It's unfortunate that it's being released at a time when many people's finances have taken a hit due to the pandemic.
 
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I'm going to have to pass too. They are listed on Amazon (US) for pre-order. $99.98 for the 3-CD set, and $322.98 (!) for the 5-LP set. I'm guessing that the price is so high, because it's a niche item and will only be produced in small quantities? It would have been nice to have especially for the booklet, but it's hard to justify paying that much for another copy of music I already own on other albums. It's unfortunate that it's being released at a time when many people's finances have taken a hit due to the pandemic.

My feelings as well.
Would have hoped for some unreleased and/or alternate takes.
May consider if the price comes down to < 60 bucks in US.
 
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It's expensive, but at the same time it looks to be a product of high quality, with the booklet, photos and all. Almost 20 years ago I payed $ 100 for "The Brass Are Comin'" CD on eBay, so compared to that it isn't so bad... :wink:

- greetings from the north -
Martin
 
There are 6 songs from What Now My Love, yet no inclusion of Zazueira, To Wait for Love, Promenade?
 
Wow. I'm quite surprised at the perceived lack of support here. I'm thrilled at finally getting a Herb Alpert box set, something we've been crying for here for ages.

Do you all realize that the only things "close" to a Herb Alpert box set in all these years have been:

Longines Symphonette 5-record set with the Baja Marimba Band occupying one record.
Herb Alpert & Friends LP box set of various A&M artists and themes (UK).
A wonky "Fan Box Set" that was comprised of the ganging together of Greatest Hits 1 & 2.
The "lunch box" tin from Shout! with three albums inside (Whipped, Going, and What Now).

As Martin said, some of the foreign CDs that we collectors have paid big bucks for makes the cost of this pale in comparison. I'm not exactly rolling in dough, but as long as there's breath in this body, I'll be supporting my favorite artist.
 
As I have all the original recordings newly remastered and in hi-res (and vinyl where available), I have absolutely no use for a box set. Why buy music I already own? I can sequence the exact same thing in a playlist in Roon, or I can spin the vinyl I already own.

Would I buy an illustrated book? Yep, in a heartbeat. I'd also purchase a video including this documentary if it were available. Years ago when the only thing we had were recycled anthologies (Greatest Hits, etc.) and Whipped Cream, sure, a box set made sense to me.

Yep, this box set is definitely not for me. But I do see a very small market for it--collectors of either Herb Alpert's music or lavish box sets in general, including those who may only own an old Greatest Hits CD who want more and want a bit of exclusivity.

Preorder links:

CD box set:

Amazon product ASIN B08F7ZVS66/

Vinyl box set:

Amazon product ASIN B08F7WGFBD
 
Well, I see we don't all concur on this. I agree with Harry, it is absolutely no question about not getting the "Herb Alpert Is..." box for me. I find it great that it is finally happening.

- greetings from the north -
Martin
 
It would be nice to have, but not for 100 bucks...
Exactly--repurchasing music I already own just to get a $100 (or $322*) booklet makes no sense.

Don't get me wrong--it's a beautiful set and the selection of tunes across the discs is certainly better and more representative of Herb's career than any other anthology I've ever seen. If I were someone who collected nice box sets and didn't own much in the way of his music, this would
be on my list for certain. But I'm not the target market for this set, so, kudos to whoever buys it.

* The vinyl set is overpriced at Amazon, but the preorder price this early in the game is usually not settled in yet. It's usually a better indicator closer to release day what the actual price is, as I've seen the same happen with so many other items during preorder, a price tacked on with no rhyme or reason. If I were in the market for this set, the vinyl set is the one that's going to be the true collectible here. From the photos, the binding looks tops notch, and the book and record sleeves are bound in together.

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There are other sites selling it for a little less. Amazon will likely adjust downward closer to release day.
 
Here is an exclusive Variety interview with Herb that explains a lot about the Documentary and Collectors Box Set:

Herb Alpert Talks Documentary, Companion Boxed Set Coming in October: ‘I Always Felt I’m in Somewhat of a Dream’ (EXCLUSIVE)
I nearly fell off my chair laughing when I read this line: “I don’t handle that end of it. My nephew, Randy ‘Bad-Ass’ Alpert, handles that end of it for me, and I go along with him." :shock: :laugh:


(Obviously, the interviewer misunderstood when Herb said "Badazz")
 
I'll definitely buy it for the book and packaging. Since I already have all the songs on my digitized collection there's no need to re-rip all of it... unless there are some new remasterings or some such, which I doubt. I'm looking forward to the documentary more than the box set, to be honest.

I will admit to a little (OK, a lot) disappointment that there are no tracks on it that aren't on previous HAP releases. I mean, they coulda done something from Lost Treasures maybe, since that's gone now. Or my big wishlist item, "Desert Dance."

There is also that old Billboard article (that I sure wish I'd photocopied) that said something about a bunch of Sol Lake tunes being "in the can." I guess that means the garbage can, or maybe they burned up in the Universal fire. I guess we will never know.... that stuff is lost to the ages. At least we can still hit up Youtube for the "wet" version of "Brasilia."
 
I'll definitely buy it for the book and packaging. Since I already have all the songs on my digitized collection there's no need to re-rip all of it... unless there are some new remasterings or some such, which I doubt. I'm looking forward to the documentary more than the box set, to be honest.

I will admit to a little (OK, a lot) disappointment that there are no tracks on it that aren't on previous HAP releases. I mean, they coulda done something from Lost Treasures maybe, since that's gone now. Or my big wishlist item, "Desert Dance."

There is also that old Billboard article (that I sure wish I'd photocopied) that said something about a bunch of Sol Lake tunes being "in the can." I guess that means the garbage can, or maybe they burned up in the Universal fire. I guess we will never know.... that stuff is lost to the ages. At least we can still hit up Youtube for the "wet" version of "Brasilia."

Lost Treasures does seem to be a lost treasure.. It’s not even on Spotify or other streaming services. I wonder why..
 
The boxed set is exciting news indeed! And a coffee table book to go with the LP set sounds even better. Let’s hope the price comes down.
 
The boxed set is exciting news indeed! And a coffee table book to go with the LP set sounds even better. Let’s hope the price comes down.
Keep an eye on the price--near release day it should drop to somewhere around the suggested list price. Amazon in particular has no price history on unique items like box sets and the label may not have been provided with a list price for it, so their algorithm (for better or worse) determines the price listed for the preorder. When others put up preorders with prices, and those price tend to all be about the same, they will adjust theirs to be closer. (It also helps to report lower prices to Amazon.)
 
It's funny how promotional pics for vinyl sets always show the records laying on a table stacked atop each other, plus the rest of the package (or in this case, the 180 page book) is sitting on top of the records. Both huge no-nos for any vinyl freak!
 
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