🎵 AotW Classics Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass GOING PLACES SP-4112

What is your favorite track?

  • Tijuana Taxi

    Votes: 3 10.0%
  • I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

    Votes: 2 6.7%
  • More And More Amor

    Votes: 7 23.3%
  • Spanish Flea

    Votes: 3 10.0%
  • Mae

    Votes: 1 3.3%
  • 3rd Man Theme

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Walk, Don't Run

    Votes: 3 10.0%
  • Felicia

    Votes: 2 6.7%
  • And The Angels Sing

    Votes: 5 16.7%
  • Cinco De Mayo

    Votes: 1 3.3%
  • A Walk In The Black Forest

    Votes: 1 3.3%
  • Zorba The Greek

    Votes: 2 6.7%

  • Total voters
    30

Harry

Charter A&M Corner Member
Staff member
Site Admin
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
!!GOING PLACES!!

A&M SP-4112

sp4112.jpg


Release as mono LP-112, on A&M CD 3264, and on Shout! Factory CD as DK 30765

Tracks:

Side One
1. Tijuana Taxi (Ervan Coleman) 2:05
2. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (George Bassman) 1:59
3. More And More Amor (Sol Lake) 2:44
4. Spanish Flea (Julius Wechter) 2:07
5. Mae (Riz Ortolani) 2:27
6. 3rd Man Theme (Anton Karas) 2:28

Side Two
1. Walk, Don't Run (J. Smith) 1:50
2. Felicia (John Pisano) 2:45
3. And The Angels Sing (Mercer-Elman) 2:34
4. Cinco De Mayo (Chris Montez) 2:15
5. A Walk In The Black Forest (Schwarzwaldfahrt-Jankowski) 1:48
6. Zorba The Greek (Mikis Theodorakis) 4:25

Produced by Herb Alpert & Jerry Moss
Arranged by Herb Alpert
Engineered by Larry Levine
Gold Star Recording Studios

Liner notes:

This is the fifth album from a group which our abbreviation-minded world is beginning to call the TJB--Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass.

The TJB's previous albums and singles have sold like hot tortillas (and tortillas themselves have been selling faster than ever even north of the border).

"Going Places," this newest musical piñata from Trumpeter Herb Alpert and his men, should do equally well. In fact, their zitherless zing through "The Third Man Theme" took off as a single even before the album went to the pressers.

The reason for the TJB's swift success seems obvious. A new sound nowadays is hard to find--a good new sound. Herb Alpert found it by turning to what is probably (rain dances excepted) the oldest organized sound southwest of Dodge City, the strolling Mexican mariachi band.

It has gained something in translation, including a beat and a bass line the likes of which Pancho Villa have never heard, plus some studio wizardry that gives Herb's brave squad the fire power of a battalion.

What remains, however, to give the TJB its special old-new flavor is the triumphant trumpet--brilliant, melancholy or, now and again, even mocking. It can (collectively) blow down the walls of the plaza de toros, or chant a moonlight duet with the mandolin.

These latest sides confirm what has been hinted in earlier outings by the Tijuana Brass: that the sound carries an international passport and will travel. This is to say, the Alpert instrumentation lends itself just as nicely to the music of Manhattan or Vienna as to the music of Mexico.

It is, in fact, a surprisingly versatile sound. And although the album title is intended geographically, "Going Places" also suggests to me that the TJB and Herb Alpert are still very much on the march, musically speaking. With each album. they discover a new range. They are, you might say, going places.

Charles Champlin, Entertainment Editor-Los Angeles Times
 
Following our brief holiday respite, we'll continue on with our Classic Album Of The Week listings and polls. We're up to 4112, GOING PLACES by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - a classic album to be sure.

Harry
 
"Walk Don't Run" is a vastly under-rated single... Surely would'a been worthy of putting on any TjB "Greatest Hits" compilation, from A&M's GREATEST HITS to the Universal DEFINITIVE HITS set...

The songs are fairly moving and have a lot of "go", which seems to be the theme here much like the WHIPPED CREAM (AND OTHER DELIGHTS) "food themes"...

And a lot of the other songs here are great, too, but unfortunately, "Zorba The Greek" is one of my least favorites...



Dave
 
This is a tough one...

I like just about every song on this album - some better than others, but my vote went to More and More Amor.

It isn't one of the hits or so-called signature songs, which are well represented on this album. Regardless, I have always liked the sound and feel of More and More Amor as well or better than most of the rest of the album.

The whole album is so strong and diverse that it is hard to pick any favorite. This album is the one that I think really launches the TJB into mid-1960s prominence for the rest of that decade.
 
This is easily their strongest album. Every track is arranged, performed and produced with style and graceful fashion. And it really is hard to pick just one favorite. But for me I'd have to say "And The Angels Sing", yet this is one album/cd I always play right through; no need to skip a single track.
 
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SP 412 Stereo Jukebox Little LP

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Jukebox title strips

Recording Session Info:

4/28/65 - United Recording Studio - Mae, And The Angels Sing - Herb Alpert - trumpet, Hal Blaine - drums, Russell Bridges - piano, Bud Coleman - guitar & mandolin, Lyle Ritz - ukelele, bass, tuba, violin; Tommy Tedesco - guitar, Israel Baker - violin, Harry Bluestone - violin, Jesse Ehrlich - cello, Cecil Figelski - viola, Arthur Gleghorn - ?, Murray Kellner - violin, Sarah Kreindler - violin, Reuben Marcus - viola, Lou Raderman - violin, Joseph Saxon - cello, Paul Shure - violin.

6/29/65 - Columbia Records - I'm Getting Sentimental Over You - Chuck Berghofer - bass, Pete Jolly - piano, Nicholas Martinis - drums, Howard Roberts - sax.

7/6/65 - Gold Star Recording Studio - Third Man Theme - Herb Alpert - trumpet, Hal Blaine - drums, Nick Ceroli - drums, Bob Edmondson - trombone, Tonni Kalash - trumpet, Lou Pagani - piano, John Pisano - guitar, Bill Pittman - guitar, Pat Senator - bass.

8/6/65 - Gold Star Recording Studio - A Walk In The Black Forest, I'm Getting Sentimental Over You, Walk, Don't Run - Herb Alpert - trumpet, Nick Ceroli - drums, Bud Coleman - guitar & mandolin, Bob Edmondson - trombone, Tonni Kalash - trumpet, Lou Pagani - piano, John Pisano - guitar, Bill Pittman - guitar, Pat Senator - bass, Julius Wechter - marimba, Lyle Ritz - ukelele, bass, tuba, violin.

8/10/65 - Gold Star Recording Studio - More And More Amor, Tijuana Taxi - Herb Alpert - trumpet, Nick Ceroli - drums, Bud Coleman - guitar & mandolin, Bob Edmondson - trombone, Tonni Kalash - trumpet, Lou Pagani - piano, John Pisano - guitar, Bill Pittman - guitar, Pat Senator - bass, Julius Wechter - marimba, Lyle Ritz - ukelele, bass, tuba, violin.

8/13/65 - Gold Star Recording Studio - More And More Amor, Spanish Flea, And I Love Her, John's Tune (Felicia), Cinco De Mayo - Herb Alpert - trumpet, Nick Ceroli - drums, Bud Coleman - guitar & mandolin, Bob Edmondson - trombone, Tonni Kalash - trumpet, Lou Pagani - piano, John Pisano - guitar, Bill Pittman - guitar, Pat Senator - bass, Julius Wechter - marimba, Lyle Ritz - ukelele, bass, tuba, violin.

8/17/65 - Gold Star Recording Studios - Zorba The Greek - Herb Alpert - trumpet, Nick Ceroli - drums, Bud Coleman - guitar & mandolin, Bob Edmondson - trombone, Tonni Kalash - trumpet, Lou Pagani - piano, John Pisano - guitar, Pat Senator - bass, Julius Wechter - marimba.
 
Well, Steve's session info pretty much clears up any lingering questions as to when AND I LOVE HER might have been recorded.

I agree with Bobbyvox...this album is very hard to pick a favorite from; like SOTB, it's really a long-playing single. But, I always loved AND THE ANGELS SING...the trumpets and those lush, full strings just floor me every time! I never noticed it until I got the Shout! Factory reissue, but there's a few bars of a block arrangement so popular with small combos in jazz clubs in the mid '50's just a few bars from the end. I had to have the headphones on to catch it...it's a small detail, but very much appreciated.


Interesting that MORE AND MORE AMOR was recorded twice, and AND I LOVE HER was recorded during one of the same sessions. I wonder if Herb was playing ping-pong with both songs; if so, he made the better choice...MORE AND MORE AMOR has that Sol Lake touch, and it's an original tune. Everybody was covering the Beatles in '65. Herb's take on the song is fine, but it doesn't quite grab me like MAMO does.


Dan
 
Steve's info also provides proof that Tonni Kalash was indeed involved in the recording sessions at least. Whether or not his playing actually got onto the records is still a matter of discussion. I guess it's possible that he was there for work leads and such.

Harry
 
Interesting to see the list of personnel on this album. I've mentioned many times in the past that Hal Blaine had told me he was the drummer on "Getting Sentimental". Now it seems this may not be true.

As far as the album goes I think this is probably the most definitive of the TJB sound. There's not a bad tune here. My favorite is "Getting Sentimental Over You" followed closely by "Walk, Don't Run" - which I still think is a better version than the Ventures'. Another big fave is "More And More Amor" - love Julius' vibe work. I would consider this as the album to start any novice on.



Capt. Bacardi
 
I disagree with the statement that this album has the definitive TJB sound. I would save that for SRO or Soundslike. This record still sounds like a studio band, with different musicians brought in for whatever job was needed. There's really no one sound, every track has a different characteristic. This is far from my favorite TJB album. There are a lot of rather corny songs on this album, so I picked the laid back Felicia.
 
Going Places is by far Herb and the TJB's most popular album in Norway. It spent more than three years on the official album chart (1967 - 1970) and peaked at no. 5. The TJB TV Specials were shown in 1968, 69 and 70 and helped keep it up there. In addition "Tijuana Taxi", "Spanish Flea" and "Cinco De Mayo" were played by nearly every school wind band in the country, and Norway has a lot of those.

- greetings from the cold north -
Martin
 
Like many of the people who have responded regarding this album, I don't think there's a single clunker in the bunch, but, for reasons I really can't put into words, "A Walk In The Black Forest" is my favorite, so I voted for it.
 
To me, GP is by far the TJB's best and most cohesive album. If I could only have one TJB album this would be it. I don't understand what audiophile means about GP not being the definitive TJB sound. How much more definitive can you get than "Tijuana Taxi" or "Spanish Flea"? And according to Steve's musician list for the GP sessions, all of the "tour band" members had prescence on this album. And let's not forget that other musicians wre used in the later albums as well. If you ask someone who is not a big fan of TJB music, they probably wouldn't recognize anything after GP as being TJB. Not to mention that we all seem to agree that Herb's sound was more robust through WNML and started to change with SRO. I think that tonally, phrasing wise and energy wise, Herb was at the top of his game on this album. As others have said, there isn't a clunker on the LP, and it has the distinction of being the only TJB album where none of the songs fade out! How's that for live performance feel! SRO has 6 songs that fade out and SL has 3 fade outs. Not to mention that the biggest hit on SL, "Casino Royale" is devoid of any TJB participation. It is Herb playing along with Burt Bacharach's orchestra. As for my choice for favorite song, "Tijuana Taxi". A close second and third are "Spanish Flea" and "Cinco De Mayo". I am also one of the pro "Zorba" people. I can't imagine this album ending with any other song. But I love the entire album. It just rocks from start to finish.

David
 
Yes, we see the presence of TJB members on this album, but first off they're only on a couple of tracks. Second of all, this was the first time many of them appear on any TJB album, therefore I think it is impossible that they would have enough time to grow and evolve together to the point where they develop their signature sound. Maybe this album has the definitive Herb Alpert sound, but the TJB in my book was still yet to be born.

Maybe Tijuana Taxi is one of their most well known songs, but it certainly is far from their best. A lot of the music from the first five or so albums just didn't hold up that well over time. Most of the music from SRO to The Brass Are Comin is real quality music, that most people who don't like or make fun of the TJB, haven't even heard.

So in my opinion, the best music that Herb produced with the TJB was made from 1966 to 1969, therefore I think those albums have the definitive TJB sound. Then who's to say what the definitive TJB sound really is. It's obvious Herb's music changed over time I just prefer the later half of the sixties. And as far as Herb's tone dwindling over time......It was never that bad where it ruined the music later on, but the music wasn't just about Herb's trumpet playing. It was about the arrangements, the production, the other players. a group sound....
 
Captain Bacardi said:
As far as the album goes I think this is probably the most definitive of the TJB sound. There's not a bad tune here. Another big fave is "More And More Amor"... I would consider this as the album to start any novice on.

Capt. Bacardi

Funny you should mention it... I was a 'novice' [kid] from 1974 to 1977 living in Rota, Spain listening to this album, and Herb Alpert, for the first time. "More And More Amor", with it's volume overload followed by recession, Wechter touch and downright beautiful melody, should captivate and mesmorize any true Herb fan. "Third Man Theme" was especially fun with it's breakdown and "Ohhh, yeeeahhh!!!"... And with the eception of "Mae" (too much sappy-string orchestration for me), this is an all-but-perfect album. Every other track could have qualified as a fave.

But I was 6 or 7 years old, and the first track I heard, the one that truly started it all, was "Tijuana Taxi". Fond memories, indeed.

Tony
 
Yes, we see the presence of TJB members on this album, but first off they're only on a couple of tracks.
Actually, according to Steve's info at least some of the group members appear on ALL of the tracks with only two exceptions: "Mae" and "And the Angels Sing." And those two tracks are the ones that sound the least like the "definitive" TJB sound to me.

I have a real hard time picking a favorite from the songs here. At one time I liked "Black Forest" the best because of its marimba solo. "Tijuana Taxi" and "Spanish Flea" are sentimental favorites too, although I've heard them SO much over the years that it's easier to pick another tune as a current favorite. In the last couple of years I've grown more fond of "Getting Sentimental." I really like the arrangement there. "Zorba" is another sentimental favorite and "Walk Don't Run" is right up there too. "Felicia" has grown on me too - the Pisano guitar in it is great.

Probably much easier to pick a least-favorite....it would probably be "Cinco De Mayo," which I do enjoy exept for the goofy "oooooh-pah-pahhh, pah-pahhh" voice that pops up in the bridges. What is that anyway?
 
I think most of us agrees this is one of the best albums in the Herb Alpert catalog. It defines all that is good about the TJB; Herb's versatile, yet unmistakably recognizable sound, the mix between the fun stuff (Tijuana Taxi, Spanish Flea) that appeals even to young kids, the soft ballads, and the virtuoso jazz-pop-rock (Walk don't run, 3rd Man Theme, Zorba). And it's a great party album! To use a much hated term: "Easy listening" as good as it gets!

- greetings from the cold north -
Martin
 
Tijuana Taxi and Spanish Flea were probably the two most popular, widely recognized - even to this day, and definitive songs of the Herb Alpert/TJB era 1962-1969.

These were the ones that even were made into high school marching band arrangements at that time.

This was my first TJB album, so my personal "definition" of Herb Alpert and the TJB was born with Going Places.
 
I've been tossing this poll around for days and I STILL can't single out a favorite! Some days it's Zorba, others it's Third Man, then Taxi.

I heard Third Man on the 60s channel on XM a month or so ago...great stuff!
 
MORE & MORE AMOR in my estimation is one of the best tunes in the TJB catalog and certainly my favorite on this lp. Sol Lake really outdid himself here. Over the years, I grew tired of Tijuana Taxi and Spanish Flea, but More & More Amor remains fresh every time I hear it.

Wes Montgomery has a nice version of it on one of his Verve lps.
 
What a gorgeous tune this is! I've always wanted to have dinner under a sparkling full moon on a clear, crisp evening listening to this piece of music. Another of Sol Lake's incredible masterpieces.
 
Here's an interesting quote from mastering engineer Steve Hoffman regarding "Tijuana Taxi" and its various versions with regard to the number of taxi horn honks:

Steve Hoffman said:
Thanks to the late Larry Levine, I have the scoop.

Herb wanted the 45 to be the most novelty sounding of them all and it was mixed first to make sure it contained the max. number of honks and max reverb and analog compression..

The mono LP version was mixed second, by Larry at Gold Star, a few less honks so not to wear out their welcome (after all someone paid 3 bucks for the album), less reverb.

The stereo version of Taxi was actually mixed by Herb Alpert who wanted the (important to him) stereo version to be a lot less, um, novelty so just a few honks. He felt this was the version that would be played the most in the coming years and didn't think a bazillion honks would age well. He expertly mixed it to sound good in stereo and it still does. I just wish it had more damn honks.

So there you go, honks counted, varied on purpose depending on what it would be released on. Herb never left anything to chance if he could help it.
 
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