Herb Alpert's next record

[cfpmike]

I got this out of an interview at Berkley.

What is your next project?

Well, I’m working on an album with my wife Lani (Hall). She’s a great singer, she was the lead singer with Brasil ’66. We’ll be doing standards like "Willow Weep for Me," "Skylark," and "My Romance." I have an art show in New York in November, an exhibit of paintings and sculpture.

Mike

 

[Jay Maynes/Juan Oskar]

This is what H. Alpert needs to do. (On second thought, why would he ask me.) I'd like to see Mr. Alpert make a double CD with about 30 or 40 songs, using all the former TJB and BMB members, (that are still around, God bless them all) and do a bunch of great music not worrying about doing "hits" but just leaving a 21'st century A&M Legacy. Maybe throw in a short tour and a video. When musicians get into their 60's and 70's. they are not looking to play and record "hit songs" they just want to do their gift. I like Herb Alpert not because I think he's a great trumpet player, but his playing tweaks my emotions and imagination. At his age he should just record...record...& record. In a 100 years from now, let history judge. Paz Corner amigos...Jay

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I got this out of an interview at Berkley.

What is your next project?

Well, I’m working on an album with my wife Lani (Hall). She’s a great singer, she was the lead singer with Brasil ’66. We’ll be doing standards like "Willow Weep for Me," "Skylark," and "My Romance." I have an art show in New York in November, an exhibit of paintings and sculpture.

That interview was over two years ago, and it seemed the whole thing fell through. Since that time Almo folded, Lani's status at Windham Hill Jazz is unknown, which leaves both without a label, it seems. But Herb has done a lot of art shows since then.


Capt. Bacardi
NP: Herbie Mann - Glory Of Love

 

[cfpmike]

I'm sorry I didn't notice the date.

mike

 

[Rudy]

Since that time Almo folded, Lani's status at Windham Hill Jazz is unknown, which leaves both without a label, it seems.

Between now and the time Lani recorded her last album, there was a lot of 'housecleaning' at Windham Hill Jazz, where some artists got dropped. Could be she had a one-off album deal, too.

I'm just curious to know when Herb's next album comes out, which label it will be on. I think he's at the point now where he doesn't want to form a record label just to release an album. He's already done that twice.

-= N =-

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Maybe he could sell it over the internet (and possibly....thru A&M Corner! Herb, are you reading this?)

I love Jay's idea, too.

 

[Rudy]

It's not too far fetched--more and more, I hear artists complaining about the situation with the record labels not nurturing new talent or shutting the "good old boys" out in favor of the fast cash...and more of them are releasing on smaller labels or just self-producing and selling through alternate channels.

I guess the music industry just doesn't get it: the consumers hate them, and the artists are starting to hate them with a passion. Hopefully, the faster the Univer$als and Time/Warner/AOLs of the world shoot themselves in the arse, the better off we'll all be.

Even Burt Bacharach complains about the situation--take a look at the link Harry posted to the Detroit News in our Reviews forum here. I do not blame Herb or Jerry for not wanting to go back into the music biz anymore!

-= N =-

 

[Captaindave]

I wonder if there will be a "next" record?.......

 

[DAN BOLTON]

Apparently, there's a reissue of some sort in the works...DEFINITIVE HITS was a bust, both saleswise and production wise here in the States...but a NEW recording of some kind is probably a pipe dream...no label- and Herb's already started two and seen them both get swallowed up in the great corporate abyss

Dan, NP "I Have Dreamed" HA &TJB

 

[Mike Blakesley]

DEFINITIVE HITS was certainly no chartbuster, but it DID stay on the contemporary jazz chart for over half a year. Not bad. It proves there's still an Alpert market out there. Now, if only they'd promoted it... but then, most people already have the hits on other collections. WE WANT THE ALBUMS!

 

[bob knack]

Hey mike. did you see my idea on the tjbig band? It has a lot to do with what herb and lani were talking about in that old interview...doing some standards. Much like that "midnight sun" record he did. Nobody ever mentions that one here very much, it seems. It was terminally laid back. but I thought it was nice.

About that record label. Who needs one? If Herb wants to come to Chicago, I'll find backing for him. We can name the label after my cat. What's the dif? Can't he finance it? I don't think he's running out of loot. What would a project cost? By all means, sell it over the internet. Create a buzz. Does anyone remember when you could only get Coors beer in Colorado? It tasted a lot better when it was hard to find. Maybe if the zillions of people who bought Herbs records in the 60's (there must be a few left! hell, I'm still here!) find out, the word of mouth will make it something really special. By the way for anyone who cares, I grew up just down the street from the Albany Park neighborhood in Chicago, where Lani went to Roosevelt High. You wouldn't go there now, especially at night. I understand Julius Wechter was from around here, too.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

It does seem that artists don't want to bankroll their own projects. They would rather have a label back them, or start a company with investors taking the risk. Could it be it's because they have all their money tied up in investments and really don't have millions of bucks in ready cash lying around?

Then there is the problem of distribution. Chicago is a good example...they had their own company, Chicago Records, but they had no distribution, even though the albums were supposed to be available from the usual sources. I tried to order some of those albums and never had any luck finding them. So they have now turned to Rhino Records to handle distribution for them. (And Rhino is doing a good job....their 2-CD best-of on Chicago is their highest charting album in about 20 years.)

 

[jimac51]

Mike-I think Chicago's label was distributed through Valley Media. I heard that their Christmas album was being remaindered last year in bargain bins(and I missed out,too)and that was probably because Valley had bellied up and returns could not be made. However,when I managed a store('89-'98)I had liittle trouble getting Chicago product from AEC(Abbey Road),Pacific One-Stop or Northeast. The decision to go through Rhino was probably part in desperation to keep cash and product flowing but it was probably the deal they should have made all along. Strange,since Warner now owns 100% of Rhino,Chicago is back in WEA's fold. Also,note the commercial for the 2CD hits package-what do Barry Manilow,the Beatles and even Andy Griffith know that Chicago is learning? You can sell a bunch of music on TV-are you listening Herb? Mac

 

[bob knack]

Also,note the commercial for the 2CD hits package-what do Barry Manilow,the Beatles and even Andy Griffith know that Chicago is learning? You can sell a bunch of music on TV-are you listening Herb? Mac

This is what H. Alpert needs to do. (On second thought, why would he ask me.) I'd like to see Mr. Alpert make a double CD with about 30 or 40 songs

Hey jay & juan & jimac, to quote Albert Brooks in "Lost in America", "That's the campaign, I have the chills!" Herb can do a half-hour infomercial! But instead of Woks, Showtime Ovens, or Breast Enlargement , he can present his new CD.
Make it like one of Herb's old TV specials. Use the clips from those and combine with new material including the story of the Brass and how many records they sold in the sixties compared to elvis, beatles, et. la. ONLY, PLEASE, NO DICK CLARK!!!!! [/quote]

 

[Rudy]

It does seem that artists don't want to bankroll their own projects.

To some extent, that's true...my gut feeling is that newer artists can't really bankroll it themselves (and hence need backing), but veteran artists are doing otherwise. The problem with veteran artists is that, unless they have the business foresight that Herb Alpert had, they often don't have control over their own masters, whereupon they're at the mercy of their current and past record labels. Of course, the labels want total control, and since they often have the upper hand (no deal = no record), the artists have to cave in.

I have a slight advantage in being familiar with some of the jazz artists and what they're doing these days, and I know that many have been very poorly treated by their labels. The one I'm most familiar with is Yellowjackets, who found themselves w/o a major label deal and an industry attitude that was negative at best (which is the untold part of the story below). Russ writes the following:

In late 1999, after a twenty year career marked by numerous awards including eleven Grammy nominations, two Grammy awards and a busy touring schedule that took us around the world, we found ourselves at a crossroads. The Internet and new technologies like Napster and MP3 among others, were radically transforming and unsettling the way we all lived and conducted business. It seemed that suddenly the old models were no longer working. It was at this point, for the first time since our inception, that we found ourselves without a recording contract. After considering our options, we felt that we wanted to take firmer control of our careers and decided to finance and produce a recording ourselves.

It is relevant to note that when one records for a major label, the record company, not the recording artist, owns the music. If the label chooses to discontinue manufacturing your CD, as has been done with some of our recordings, the artist has no input whatsoever in the matter. In fact in most cases we have not been accorded the courtesy of being notified that our CDs were being ground up and turned into PVC! It was on the heels of the last such disappointing incident that we resolved to take matters into our own hands. The result is Mint Jam, a double CD recorded live at The Mint in Los Angeles July 24th and 25th, 2001.

What happened here was that, through sales of their CDs and merchandise on the road as well as through their website, they have been able to pay all of the costs of their Mint Jam recording themselves. They've produced the music, they own the masters, and they are in complete control. Sales aren't too bad, although most of it is word of mouth. For the U.S., sales are handled at concerts and via the website, and may also be available on other online sites (CD Baby, Amazon, etc.). For the rest of the world, they've made a distribution deal with Heads Up Int'l, since postage direct from the U.S. to Europe and Japan was astronomical. They do somewhat admit that the arrangement isn't quite ideal but they are moving in the right direction.

Could it be it's because they have all their money tied up in investments and really don't have millions of bucks in ready cash lying around?

It doesn't take too much money to put together a recording and sell it (it'd be a mere drop in the bucket for some)...however, many of these artists barely have enough money to keep themselves going (which doesn't reflect all that well on the recording industry as a whole, and how it treats artists). Word of mouth still has some amazing powers!

Then there is the problem of distribution. Chicago is a good example...they had their own company, Chicago Records, but they had no distribution, even though the albums were supposed to be available from the usual sources.

Unless they have a system in place to hawk their wares directly, lack of distribution is a sure way to kill off the sales of a product.

-= N =-[/quote]