SOUNDS LIKE: Comments and poll

[JOv2]

Hey, Mike -- Well, if a few words can encourage you go play a record then that's a good thing (happens to me out here all the time!) cuz records, like musical instruments, need to be played -- their cases are just temporary storage used during a resting state. Thanks for the Casino R quote, too!

Mr. Bill -- I was thinking about asking for a hatemail box, actually. (I may need it for the latter LPs!...I know I've already pissed off a few out here.) Yes the Rhodes/Boyce&Hart/Nichols thing always surprised me. I mean, it would seem like B&H and Herb would be an excellent match: Both parties were eternal showmen who seemed to love "the biz", and B&H -- more so than Emitt and unlike Roger -- were really tuned into being prolific "hit" songwriters. The combination of their addictive AM-friendly melodies with the TjB's appeal was a lost opportunity in my book. You're correct in that it would appear A&M didn't promote their LPs as much as they could have. For instance, I've yet to see any LP inner sleeves from '67-'69 that advertise B&H's 2nd and 3rd LPs!

Rickster -- You're about an LP ahead of me! I completely agree with your assessment as a good bit of conjecture. Obviously, Herb -- given his responsibilities -- would find it a difficult challenge to practice technical skills each day for an hour or so (something I mentioned on SRO; in addition, I wonder how often TjB rehearsals were held with only Tonni present due to Herb's non-trumpet commitments...of which there were probably too many to count...). And in deference to Cap'n D, I hear his technical skills beginning to deteriorate or otherwise undergo unfavourable impact immediately following GP. To me, it bottoms out on Herb Alpert's Ninth -- perhaps other Cornerite trumpet players will wish to offer detailed opinions. Understanding his tone change from GP to Ninth is a fascinating case study.

Cap'n B -- Agreed. SL is not a "great" LP per se; however, no one can deny that the TjB hit and held their peak from GP to SL -- and within this 4-LP context, these recordings are of excellent quality. Therefore, from within this 4-LP group, arguments could be made to support the hair-splitting differences of one over one other. Like you, I select SRO as the best "all-things-considered" TjB LP, but if we're emphasizing ensemble performance and/or progressive arrangments, I go with SL -- no contest.

-James

 

[nightcat]

"Casino Royale" and "Wade In The Water" are easily the best on this great lp. I voted for "Wade In The Water", as I feel it might be the best song the TJB ever did.

 

[Captaindave]

And in deference to Cap'n D, I hear his technical skills beginning to deteriorate or otherwise undergo unfavourable impact immediately following GP. To me, it bottoms out on Herb Alpert's Ninth -- perhaps other Cornerite trumpet players will wish to offer detailed opinions. Understanding his tone change from GP to Ninth is a fascinating case study.



-James

My opinion is that the trumpet sound is still pretty nice on WNML. Songs like Memories of Madrid, So What's New, Brasilia, and Cantina Blue still pretty much have the GP sonic signature, so to speak. Although the songs themselves are different, I think the playing remains strong, clear, and resonant.

I think there is a certain concept change on SRO - more like a sound you would hear if the ensemble went into the studio and recorded in real time without as much over-dub/multi-track processing. I have always suspected that albums from SOTB to WNML benefited from some studio processing to enlarge and enhance the sound, and tend to have some similar sonic properties. At least SOTB, GP, and WNML - WCAOD may be in a sonic category by itself, IMO. With SRO, it seems as if some of that "wall of sound" concept gave way to more of the "recorded ensemble in real time, what you would hear from the concert stage" kind of recorded presentation. Especially SRO. Having heard Abanda from 9th in concert, that is exactly what it sounded like from the concert stage.

I think Herb sounds very good on his solo on Don't Go Breaking My Heart on the SRO album. I have always admired the tone and styling there. His muted playing on I Will Wait For You on the same album is also very good, IMO.

But, these albums do "evolve," so to speak, and the overall sound changes with the passage of time.

I think Herb has very good control on Wade in The Water. The trumpet's quiet entrance and gradual build up as the songs changes key is very good. I have always admired the way Herb played that song.

 

[JOv2]

My opinion is that the trumpet sound is still pretty nice on WNML. Songs like Memories of Madrid, So What's New, Brasilia, and Cantina Blue still pretty much have the GP sonic signature, so to speak. Although the songs themselves are different, I think the playing remains strong, clear, and resonant...

Agreed. It's just an ever-so-slight amount of "slippage"; heck, it could even be a result of production... Still, I hear a little bit of fuzziness with The Shadow of your Smile and I always thought Cantina Blue was not as well supported... They're hair-splitting difference compared to the dismal sound on Ninth -- but after Herb set the 24K gold standard for trumpet tone on GP, the subtle difference are all the more obvious.

Cap'D, you've always championed that Herb is a stylist -- easily the #1 pop trumpeter stylist in the world. As Miles said...you hear just a couple notes and you know it's Herb. I like your idea that he may have altered the recording approach to just the core group with SRO...makes sense in light of the LB - GP era where he was more likely to build up the tracks session-by-session...

As for Wade In The Water -- could never say enough good things about this piece, the only disappointment is that he never really continued in this direction -- Panama, being the closest follow-up. The video is great too, yielding a public viewing of Tonni's calisthenics routine (now we know how Tonni lost all that weight!).