Herb's Singing

[Mike]

If you ask the average person on the street if they’ve heard of Herb Alpert, the likely response would be “yeah, he was a trumpet player wasn’t he?” and an unlikely response would be “yeah, wasn’t he a singer in a band?” The point being his singing with the exception of songs like “This Guy’s in Love with You” always seemed to me like an after thought. So… I’ve always been very curious about how he personally felt about singing on his recordings. The questions that come to my mind are:

1. Was he timid about singing or did he thoroughly enjoy it?
2. Did he do the singing because he was the leader of the band, and felt it was his responsibility?
3. Did he sing because no one else in the TJB could or would?
4. Was any thought given to bringing in a professional singer?

I hope nobody thinks I’m being disrespectful or critical of Herb’s vocalizing; he sounds fine to me. I’m just curious and thought some of the contributors may have some insight on this subject.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Well actually, Herb released records as a singer BEFORE he ever got a trumpet record released. He did an album under the name "Dore Alpert" for RCA Records, typical '50s pop-type stuff. He even had a minor-selling single, "Tell It To The Birds." Then he recorded "Lonely Bull," and the rest is history.

It has been documented that the idea of him singing "This Guy's In Love With You" came from the director of a TV special. The idea was to have him sing the song to his wife. I think I remember reading somewhere that he was nervous about it, but decided to give it a try. I doubt if they ever considered any other band member to sing -- Herb was the star of the act, and the focus would be on him.

I personally like his singing, but I think "This Guy" was his best-sounding vocal and he never sounded quite as good after that. I blame the production and arrangements more than anything. "This Guy" had a very simple arrangement (except for the bombast on the choruses, of course) and he sang in such a relaxed, casual way that he was appealing.

Then THE BRASS ARE COMIN' came out, and he did "You Are My Life" with this gigantic orchestra that sounded like something from the 1940s and with his smallish voice against this huge orchestra arrangement, he came off like a leaf blowing in the wind. He found his range better on the WARM album.

His best post-"This Guy" vocal, for my money, is "I Belong" from the CONEY ISLAND album, or maybe "To Wait For Love" on WARM. I also quite enjoy "Love Is" on the RISE album. A lot of his other records just have too much orchestration and other "stuff" which Herb's voice isn't strong enough to overcome (unlike his wife, who could probably sing over anything!)

As for the TJB bringing in a professional singer -- I would doubt it was ever discussed. But, Herb did bring in a professional later on -- Janet Jackson, for "Diamonds."

(Edited to put the title "Love Is," which is what I meant in the first place, in for "Rotation")

 

[Rudy]

I like Herb's vocal on "Pillow"--nice duet with Lani on that one.

 

[runner]

I have never been particularly enamored with Herbs vocals although I do agree he has sounded good on "Pillow" and "This Guy." In all honesty I think he would have done better not singing on "Someone to Watch Over Me." To my ear he sounded off key and strained - a contrast to his beautiful trumpet playing on that song. When I heard him sing "This Guy" on stage (Bullish Tour) he actually sounded very good vocally.

 

[jfiedler17]

Then THE BRASS ARE COMIN' came out, and he did "You Are My Life" with this gigantic orchestra that sounded like something from the 1940s and with his smallish voice against this huge orchestra arrangement, he came off like a leaf blowing in the wind. He found his range better on the WARM album.

Agreed. He does sound better against simpler arrangements.
While Herb's admittedly not the most dazzling of male vocalists, I usually tend to like the vocal cuts on his albums. "This Guy's" the best in the batch, of course, but I agree that "Pillow"'s also a great one. Although it's horribly simplistic lyrically and melodically, "Love Is" is probably my third favorite cut on RISE next to "Rise" and "Rotation." And - while the arrangement is enough to make the record border on being just flat-out cheesy - "Quiereme ..." on FANDANGO really DOES have a gorgeous melody to it.

Jeff F.
NP: "Pillow" Herb & Lani

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Aside from favorite Alpert vocals I've mentioned elsewhere, I'd have to say that "Pillow" is also a favorite of mine. As for professional (background) singers, I've always liked "Dancing In The Light" for it's musical and vocal arrangements.

Jon

 

[Harry]

I like a lot of different Alpert vocals, but the one that always knocks me out is "Noche De Amor" from the album of the same name. Too bad it didn't get wider distribution.

Harry
...packing for a weekend getaway in Florida, online...

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I've never been a big fan of his vocals, either. "This Guy" just happened to work well. He seems to have a limited range. He's okay in the lower to mid range, but when he gets into the upper range he just doesn't have it. As for my personal favorites of his singing - and it's a short list - outside of "This Guy" I'd go for "Pillow", "I Get It From You", and there are parts of "No Time For Time" that sound okay.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captaindave]

OK, maybe I'm running the risk of the flames here , but...

I do not think that Herb Alpert is a good singer. I think he successfully "sings" and succeeds as a pop vocalist on songs that he chooses to use the voice rather than the trumpet, but as a good singer, no. I think he may have been encouraged with the success of This Guy's..., but that, IMO, was one of those right song at the right place at the right time situations. My opinion is that song would have been a hit regardless of who recorded it. Maybe as big, maybe not, but it was a special song at a special time. It just happened that Herb was the one who was there in the right place and time, and made it part of his "signature" of songs and sounds...

In an attempt to comment on the questions in the initial post, here I go:

1. I don't think anyone can really say whether Herb enjoyed singing, unless he has spoken publicly to this subject, and I don't think he has done so. I do not believe he was timid, however.

2 IMO, he was not only the leader of the band, but the "star of the show." Therefore, Herb would be the singer. He was the star - the other players were the sidemen/accompaniment. And, for the studio recordings, it was again Herb Alpert who was the star. It was all about him, so to speak...

Bottom line, IMO, is that I don't have any idea how Herb may have felt about singing. But, Herb Alpert has always been the star of the Herb Alpert "show" so to speak...the spotlight is and always has been on him. I think he did what he felt was the thing to do for the music he wanted to record/perform.

3. He sang because he was the leader of the group/star of the show. It would have been rather odd for someone else to take the spotlight away from the star, IMO...

4. I don't think that bringing in a professional singer would have allowed Herb to be showcased as the star/focal point of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, or simply Herb Alpert - solo artist.

I guess I'm not sure why we might speculate that, if there was to be singing on a Herb Alpert album, anyone other than Herb would be doing it, unless it might be his wife Lani Hall...

Sorry if I have missed something along the way here...

 

[DAN BOLTON]

Herb sang on the TV special because Jack Haley, the director, wanted something different from all the segments of his horn playing. As for his feelings about being a vocalist, Herb has stated that he didn't think in the beginning that he would ever be able to succeed as a trumpet player, and that if he ever wanted to "make it", it would have to be as a vocalist. If you listen to his early Dore Alpert vocals, it'
s plainly evident that he has a good voice, and can really sing when he wants to. DINA, TELL IT TO THE BIRDS, FALLOUT SHELTER, DREAMLAND all bear this out...the vocals are purposely "loose", I think; on his later vocals, to match the mood of the trumpet.

I've always suspicioned that Herb was singing background vocals on LIKE A LOVER with Sergio Mendes and B66...


Dan

 

[venturenut]

Since the subject has come up, I have a question:

On the BMB's Fresh Air, I would almost (yes, almost) bet money that it is Herb singing on "I Don't Want To Walk Without You." Am I nuts?

Whoever is singing, I like it...

To weigh in on his singing, I'm not overly fond of his voice or the arrangements he used on the vocals, but there are a couple that stand out for me:

No Time For Time and To Wait For Love. Both those fit his voice.

Dave

 

[Harry]

Since the subject has come up, I have a question:

On the BMB's Fresh Air, I would almost (yes, almost) bet money that it is Herb singing on "I Don't Want To Walk Without You." Am I nuts?

Whoever is singing, I like it...

Nope. That's Julius Wechter himself, with a voice and singing style amazingly similar to Herb's. You can find Herb guest-singing on the PISANO & RUFF album from around the same time.

Harry
...who loves Julius' vocal turn on "I Don't Want To Walk Without You", online...

 

[Mike Blakesley]

And Herb also sings on "Goin' Out the Side Door" from the RIDES AGAIN album.

 

[Rudy]

There are only a couple of his vocal tracks that don't "hit it" with me. I just think of them as a nice change of pace.

If I had to pick favorites, it would be "Pillow", "Quierme Tal Como Soy" and "This Guy".

 

[manifan]

Well, I've always liked "The Bell that Couldn't Jingle" myself...