Fred Reiss
New Member
Saw Herb perform in Saratoga. He was clear having a good time. Besides his original sound, one thing that sets him apart from most jazz players is his sense of humor. Lani was also on fire, beautifully vocally. Herb was definitely stretching out within the tunes. And I have to say, their versions of the songs from "I Feel You" were so much better than the ones on the album, as well as "Anything Goes." I had never seen him perform in person before. His music was always such a big part of my parents parties, and I've always associated that music with the happiness of that period in my parents lives and the great childhood I had in Freehold, New Jersey.
I had a chance to meet him, have my picture taken with him, and then tell him that I put his music on an iPod and through earphones placed them on my dying Dad as I showed him pictures of our family while he drifted away from us on morphine. I said, "I wanted him to leave this world thinking he was dancing with our Mom to your music." I gave him a bottle of wine I made in memory of my Dad, I work part-time at Skov Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, as well as a proof of my novel "Blind Guys Break 80," where Herb's music represents the poetical link that binds the family to all the things they love. The book is coming out this September (2011).
During the show he took questions. I asked Herb why no TJB live album, he said they recorded at the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall, but because the sound of the TJB was him in the studio overdubbing the horns, he didn't like the sound and destroyed the tapes. Amazing. I also said mariachi is so strident, how did he tone down the sound to create the TJB--he was blown away by the question and said,"I never listened to mariachi music, I mainly just like the the trumpet intro to the bull fight. That's what I got caught up in."
I have to say the next day I was completely emotionally exhausted. I had never seen him, and I wanted to tell him how much his music has been a part of my family's life and how much happiness it has brought and continues to bring. Some of it was part of closure since both my wonderful parents are on the other side. Like Herb says, stay honest. But the night was everything I hoped it would be. The thing I like most is I feel in our picture he has a warm look. He is a true gentleman, gracious, a polite. And Lani is the same. She told me his solo work is going to go digital soon (Fandango on CD, nice, as well as the hugely under rated work he did with Hugh Masakela).
I just wanted to share.
I had a chance to meet him, have my picture taken with him, and then tell him that I put his music on an iPod and through earphones placed them on my dying Dad as I showed him pictures of our family while he drifted away from us on morphine. I said, "I wanted him to leave this world thinking he was dancing with our Mom to your music." I gave him a bottle of wine I made in memory of my Dad, I work part-time at Skov Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, as well as a proof of my novel "Blind Guys Break 80," where Herb's music represents the poetical link that binds the family to all the things they love. The book is coming out this September (2011).
During the show he took questions. I asked Herb why no TJB live album, he said they recorded at the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall, but because the sound of the TJB was him in the studio overdubbing the horns, he didn't like the sound and destroyed the tapes. Amazing. I also said mariachi is so strident, how did he tone down the sound to create the TJB--he was blown away by the question and said,"I never listened to mariachi music, I mainly just like the the trumpet intro to the bull fight. That's what I got caught up in."
I have to say the next day I was completely emotionally exhausted. I had never seen him, and I wanted to tell him how much his music has been a part of my family's life and how much happiness it has brought and continues to bring. Some of it was part of closure since both my wonderful parents are on the other side. Like Herb says, stay honest. But the night was everything I hoped it would be. The thing I like most is I feel in our picture he has a warm look. He is a true gentleman, gracious, a polite. And Lani is the same. She told me his solo work is going to go digital soon (Fandango on CD, nice, as well as the hugely under rated work he did with Hugh Masakela).
I just wanted to share.
The Herb/Hugh album will probably be reissued...but I'd be even more ecstatic if the Main Event Live album would see light of day. Good playing on that one!
(And remember, Herb recorded "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring" on his Christmas album!)
