Herb Alpert REWHIPPED: Comments + Poll

[daveK]

I have to say that the more I listen to this disc, the more I like it. I probably haven't listened to a current Herb Alpert release this consistently since MY ABSTRACT HEART (although I have been rediscovering PASSION DANCE and COLORS as of late).
I voted for "Whipped Cream" as my favorite track but now I would vote for "Lemon Tree" hands down. It's so beautiful. "Cream", "Ladyfingers" and "Lollipops and Roses" are my next favorites.
I would most like to see the remainder of the Alpert catalog reissued but I would also love to see another remix album.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

ReWhipped is holding at #10 on the Contemporary Jazz charts.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mr Bill]

Well, that should be encouraging for future releases (and re-releases) and a decent hold by a release that's in its fourth month on the market at that...

--Mr Bill
though chart performance for jazz artists is different from pop...

 

[spanky1]

Well, I finally made the purchase. I bought multiple new copies of all the other releses as soon as they came out. After listening to the sound clips several times, I couldn't make myself pay a retail price for the Re-Whipped experiment. Anyway, I finally found a new copy on ebay and anxiously awaited it's arrival.

During, the initial listening i was underwhelmed. I've since given it 3 or 4 more tries, and I think it's garbage. I know that's pretty strong, but that sums it up for me.

I think I'm swayed by the possibility that this "experiment" stood between us getting the remainder of the Tijuana Brass catalog released. I would like to think that any time, money, and energy expended on Re-Whipped could have been better spent on the reissue project.

Perhaps I'm just showing my age, but I find this type of music as interesting as paint drying. As a side note, if anyone feels the same as I do about sampling and re-mixes, I would highly recommend watching the "Classic Albums" DVD of Steely Dan's Aja lp. Watching Don and Walt humorouosly "discussing" the sampling of "Black Cow" for some hip-hop group is worth the price of the dvd. As a side note, Don and Walt recieved a handsome sum for the use of that snippet in that rap song. It seems as if the hip-hopsters had never bothered to get permission. Afoter it was already released, Walt and Don could basically name their price for the use, and they stuck it to them(that's one for us old geezers).

I'd really love to see the sales figures of each of the reissues and this one. And then, I'd also like to know the rate of resale for all of the reissues versus Re-Whipped.

I may be in the minority, but this one just doesn't do it for me. I'd have been much more interested if Herb had recut these without trying to appeal to the 15-25 age group.

Just my opinion.

Michael H.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I think I'm swayed by the possibility that this "experiment" stood between us getting the remainder of the Tijuana Brass catalog released.

Do keep in mind though: ReWHIPPED has sold more copies than any of the reissues.

Look at it this way: With RE-WHIPPED doing well, that will only encourage Shout Factory to do more projects with Herb.

I don't think future reissues were canceled or whatever because of RE-WHIPPED. It is a side project.

I have found that RE-WHIPPED grows on me with each listen. I find myself humming the re-whipped "Whipped Cream," a song which I was never all that fond of in its original version.

 

[martin]

I don't think it is at all strange, that "Re-Whipped" doesn't appeal to "old TJB fans". To me it is a very musical and honest attempt to communicate Herb's music to new, more "contemporary" listeners. That it still holds a place on the contemporary jazz chart is a sign, that it is quite successful at that, but of course it would probably need a real hit song (Love Potion No.9) to break even wider.

- greetings from the north -
Martin

 

[Captaindave]

I tend to remind myself that this ReWhipped album isn't really a new Tijuana Brass album (after all, there can't really be any "new" Tijuana Brass albums since that is all over and a matter of history - unless Herb Alpert decides to record some new music as Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. I will allow for things like Lost Treasures as a "new"album, but I don't think anymore Going Places, SRO, etc, types of albums are coming). Rather, as mentioned above, it is an effort to communicate the music on this particular album to a more "contemporary" audience that actually likes and enjoys this kind of sound.

After listening to this album for a few months now, I have only three songs I actually play when this disc goes in - the rest is definitely aimed at some other audience than me. After all, to each his own...the sound techniques employed on the remix do not appeal to me. That would be true whether it was Herb Alpert music or anything else.

I don't know what is where on the contemporary jazz charts - that knowledge probably wouldn't matter much to me anyway.

I am glad to have what has been offered to date - with or without ReWhipped - and hope that the other albums from the sixties, original TJB period see the light of day. I am only expressing my personal opinion, but I will be very happy with the entire effort and all the participants if it all shows up in my library eventually - that means from Lonely Bull through the end of the sixties TJB era. I'd like to have Warm because, IMHO, it helps completes the collection, just like Volume 2. I am willing to "let it go" after Warm. After that, I do not think Herb's heart was in it anymore - and risking some criticism, maybe not even with Warm. For my part, I can hear it. But, I do think that Warm needs to be a part of any complete reissue effort.

On a personal level, I really don't mind if TBAC and Summertime do not get reissued, and the reissue project of the sixties era music gets defined as Lonely Bull through Warm. But my reasons for that are purely personal - no one else would be interested. However, I hope that anyone who wants to have these will eventually get them.

 

[Mr Bill]

I for one find ReWhipped much more listenable than his three ALMOSounds albums or even the last two or three solo A&M efforts...

--Mr Bill

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Agreed wholeheartedly. PASSION DANCE is pretty good, but I like RE-WHIPPED better than that one too. I think RE-WHIPPED is Herb's best album since KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME.

 

[Mr Bill]

Well, then that's two of us!

I see Re-Whipped as a new album based on the classic album. I do NOT see it as a "reworking" of the classic and certainly not a "replacement."

Passion Dance was certainly the best of the three ALMOSounds albums, but the bet ALMOSounds cut IMO is "The Look Of Love" mainly because we get to hear Lani sing and Herb play the horn...

--Mr Bill

 

[ultraJC]

Hello All,

In light of some of the negative comments posted elsewhere about this CD, I thought I would return to the original thread and post my views.

Before I give my opinion, I need to make it clear that I am a HUGE fan of the original (and all of the '60s TjB recordings, for that matter) even if I was born the same year it came out! This recording, perhaps more than any other HA album, was burned into my brain at a very early age. I still have many childhood memories attached to it (I think we all do!) and it takes me on a wonderful journey every time I hear it.

That being said, I think this project is incredible! Is it perfect? No. There are some tunes I don't like as well as others (I've never warmed up to "Butterball" or "Peanuts"), but I think Herb and his "re-whippers" did an admirable job retaining the spirit of the original recording, while broadening it's influence into the 21st century ("Tangerine" being just one example - even though I went with "Bittersweet Samba" as my favorite). And such a joy to hear Herb swinging so beautifully at 71 years young.

It's been said here before that this project was probably designed to expose Herb's music to a younger audience - well let's hope so! I'm completely in agreement with those who would like to see the rest of the TjB albums on CD, but in the meantime, it was nice to have a new (well, sorta) HA record to listen to - that's never a bad thing.

John