Odd TJB compilation

[Harry]

I recently found a TJB compilation on eBay that I'd not seen before. It's called THE VERY BEST: 16 GREATEST HITS. It looks like it was released on A&M in Germany back in 1986.

The track listing includes most of the usual suspects:

A Taste Of Honey
Tijuana Taxi
Zorba The Greek
What Now My Love
This Guy's In Love With You
Casino Royale
Cabaret
A Banda
The Lonely Bull
Spanish Flea
Whipped Cream
South Of The Border
The Girl From Ipanema
A Walk In The Black Forest
Hello Dolly
Acapulco 1922

I find it odd that it includes three tracks from SOUTH OF THE BORDER, and none of them are "Mexican Shuffle." And I suppose that "A Walk In The Black Forest" would be more of a natural on a German compilation.

Catalog number is A&M 396 906 2 and there are no liner notes at all. The inside part of the insert just has an anlarged picture of the group at the picnic table from the front cover. The back has a track listing.

The truly oddest thing about this compilation has to do with "The Lonely Bull." Not just that it's not track 1, but the fact that it starts with several of the first notes of the fanfare cut off. I don't know if it was intentional or a mistake, but it sure sounds weird.

Harry
NP: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, THE VERY BEST: 16 GREATEST HITS

 

[Rudy]

I saw that compilation also. It's interesting to see different hit compilations around the world. (Although I don't see an immediate need to catalog them in the TJB discography...unless there's enough interest.) Is the entire fanfare gone, or just part of it? That's weird. I would only guess it was accidental.

-= N =-

 

[Harry]

No, most of the fanfare is there, but it starts late. The song, as we know it, starts with a few trumpet notes on the fifth of the scale leading to the eighth of the scale sustained. It is on that first sustain that this track begins. It's got to be a mistake.

There were many different TJB comps around the world on vinyl -- too many for me to attempt to collect. But CD comps have been a little rarer, which is why I went after this one. Didn't do too bad on the price either!

Harry
NP: radio at work

 

[Rudy]

The oddest TJB item I have is an album from Europe (either UK or Germany...more likely UK) that has a title something like "The Ameriachi Sounds of Herb A..."...etc. The photo on the cover is a blonde woman in a typical 60's era blouse, sitting on the hearth of a fireplace. Inside is the complete (not Pickwicked, IOW) !!Going Places!! album, with a black London record label. The vinyl is B.T.S., and I only bought it for a buck...it's just a curiosity that I found amusing. For comparison to US vinyl, I would have liked to have heard this London pressing when it was new...they were known as a good-quality label, especially their classical "FFRR" (Full Frequency Range Recording) releases.

I've decided to hook my SCSI card and scanner back up to my old Gateway, since I can't get anywhere with my newer computer and WinXP. (I'm thinking I may need to get a different SCSI card for the new computer.) I'll have to scan this London curiosity and post it here.

-= N =-