TJB releases in 2006 and beyond - Speculations
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AudiophilePhil
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Steve Sidoruk said:
Whipped Cream Remixes?? WOW!!
Is this really going to happen?
This album needs to be remixed to sound better. The current reissue sounds fine but I noticed that Whipped Cream's sound quality always sound thin compared to the other albums. I look forward to buy this.
How about an SACD or Gold release with the cooperation of MoFi or Steve Hoffman? Another excellent idea is a 200 gram vinyl release of Whipped Cream with the help of Classic Rec. or Steve Hoffman.
I'm looking forward to the 2006 Shout! digipak releases of the following:
Vol. 2
Warm
The Brass Are Comin'
Summertime
You Smile-The Song Begins
Coney Island
I'm tellin 'ya...y'all can shut me up and shut me down, but I still think the Christmas album will be it for the TJB releases. Sales are fine, I'm sure.
But a quick check of All Music Guide shows that, "Warm was the first non-seasonal TJB album in some time that couldn't crack the Top 20, for the Brass's cross-generational appeal was fading fast." And as for The Brass Are Comin': "the old sales magic was gone." ...
I know what has been promised: that they'll all be released. But I am a marketing guy, and even though Warm is my favorite TJB album, my instinct tells me I'll have to make do with my CD-R. ... May I be proven completely wrong.
OK, Mike. You can cut me off now. "This has all been discussed before."
But a quick check of All Music Guide shows that, "Warm was the first non-seasonal TJB album in some time that couldn't crack the Top 20, for the Brass's cross-generational appeal was fading fast." And as for The Brass Are Comin': "the old sales magic was gone." ...
I know what has been promised: that they'll all be released. But I am a marketing guy, and even though Warm is my favorite TJB album, my instinct tells me I'll have to make do with my CD-R. ... May I be proven completely wrong.
OK, Mike. You can cut me off now. "This has all been discussed before."
I'm not tossing out my CD-R's of WARM, BRASS ARE COMIN', SUMMERTIME, YOU SMILE - THE SONG BEGINS, or CONEY ISLAND any time soon, either.
My old creedo that I've lived by comes into play here - "Hope for the best, and expect the worst. That way you're never disappointed."
Harry
...happy that NINTH and SOUNDS LIKE made it through, online...
My old creedo that I've lived by comes into play here - "Hope for the best, and expect the worst. That way you're never disappointed."
Harry
...happy that NINTH and SOUNDS LIKE made it through, online...
Richard - given recent behind the scenes events, I can tell you that you don't need to lose hope yet. Since Herb referred to the post-Christmas records as "disappointing albums," it does seem unlikely they'd get a big reissue treatment. But Herb and Shout! will decide what, and when, to reissue.
Things we know are on the horizon are:
- The Christmas Album, as we all know
- The Box Set (probably, but not this year)
- The remix project (rumored to be a rejiggered WHIPPED CREAM, but I feel confident it'll have other tracks on it as well - early next year
The Herb Alpert reissue story is definitely NOT finished, but we don't know exactly what future chapters will hold yet.
Personally I'd like to see two box sets:
1. The traditional career-spanning set
2. "Undiscovered Brass," a set featuring all the post-Christmas Album music plus any unreleased goodies from that era.
Things we know are on the horizon are:
- The Christmas Album, as we all know
- The Box Set (probably, but not this year)
- The remix project (rumored to be a rejiggered WHIPPED CREAM, but I feel confident it'll have other tracks on it as well - early next year
The Herb Alpert reissue story is definitely NOT finished, but we don't know exactly what future chapters will hold yet.
Personally I'd like to see two box sets:
1. The traditional career-spanning set
2. "Undiscovered Brass," a set featuring all the post-Christmas Album music plus any unreleased goodies from that era.
Numero Cinco
New Member
Steve Sidoruk said:
Steve: If you have not only contact but also suasion with our good friends at Shout!, I hope that you might offer a case for the re-release of the post-Christmas albums. Among other factors to consider:
1. Those albums—in my book, preeminently Warm, but the others as well—were the clearest indications that Mr. Alpert was exploring new terrain. He has become in his own right an artist of such stature that those years in his musical evolution deserve to be reclaimed.
2. Precisely their deviance from the earlier TJB sound might make them attractive to many jazz listeners today, on their own merits. The nostaligists now have Whipped Cream; those who love 60s West Coast and South American jazz may appreciate the later albums to a degree that the artist's core audience may have been unable to reach, 35 years ago.
3. For the core of TJB fans—the Collector's Choice market, for example—the later albums should sell to the completists.
Of course, none of these arguments will prevail if (a) Mr. Alpert doesn't want them back in print, or if (b) the sales of their predecessors has disappointed a small company that now wants to cut its losses at a critical point. But I remain hopeful that neither of these possibilities will finally prove true.
Thanks—
Sales rule. A quick check of Amazon rankings, which are probably representative of the marketplace, shows that there was pent up demand for the titles, particularly "Whipped Cream." It cracked the top 100 for a while.
Other titles did fairly well initially, and then dropped into the 300s after release, finally below the 1,000 mark a couple of months later. It's pretty respectible for 40 year old music and probably gives the record company and Herb an idea of how well Warm, Brass are Comin' and Summertime would sell.
Which is probably not nearly as strong as the core 11 titles. Maybe a reissue label like Collector's Choice or Wounded Bird are candidates, if he would go for it, but I'll bet he wouldn't. He probably compares those modern day reissue houses to Pickwick Records! He only does things first class.
And as for "You Smile," most of the tunes were released on "Lost Treasures." I certainly don't see that memorable LP seeing the light of day on its own. One man's opinion.
--- Oh, hey, and Mike: your idea of "Undiscovered Brass" is just top notch. One CD with some of the later TJB stuff. From Warm and the rest...
Other titles did fairly well initially, and then dropped into the 300s after release, finally below the 1,000 mark a couple of months later. It's pretty respectible for 40 year old music and probably gives the record company and Herb an idea of how well Warm, Brass are Comin' and Summertime would sell.
Which is probably not nearly as strong as the core 11 titles. Maybe a reissue label like Collector's Choice or Wounded Bird are candidates, if he would go for it, but I'll bet he wouldn't. He probably compares those modern day reissue houses to Pickwick Records! He only does things first class.
And as for "You Smile," most of the tunes were released on "Lost Treasures." I certainly don't see that memorable LP seeing the light of day on its own. One man's opinion.
--- Oh, hey, and Mike: your idea of "Undiscovered Brass" is just top notch. One CD with some of the later TJB stuff. From Warm and the rest...
There are a few tunes on there that I really want to see digitized. "Fox Hunt" was a top 40 single, and I also really liked "Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor" and "Save the Sunlight." I thought sure that "StS" would put Herb back on the charts when it was released as a single.
The fact that Herb held back "Fox Hunt," which was a hit single, from LOST TREASURES is what really tells me that some of this post-1970 music will still see the light of day at some point. Maybe not the complete albums, but we'll see.
Captain Bacardi
Well-Known Member
Mike Blakesley said:
Sorry Mike, but "Fox Hunt" peaked at #84 on the Top 100 in '74, although it reached #14 on the EZ charts. "Last Tango In Paris" did better, peaking at #77 on the Top 100 and #22 on the EZ chart. "Save The Sunlight" didn't make the Top 100 but did peak at #13 on the EZ chart.
Capt. Bacardi
...still believing that these albums will be reissued online...
I guess I got my charts mixed up. I remember reading somewhere that Herb "got back into the top 40" with "Fox Hunt." That must have been referring to the EZ chart.
Either way -- it WAS a chart single, and was even written by Herb! So I have to think he plans to get it back out there in some way or another.
Either way -- it WAS a chart single, and was even written by Herb! So I have to think he plans to get it back out there in some way or another.
Captaindave
Well-Known Member
Well, if I end up with Lonely Bull through Beat of the Brass, I'll be a very happy man and feel that my earlier desire to have these original 1960s TJB albums on CD has been met.
The Christmas Album would be a bonus and I will add it when it comes. Same with Volume 2.
Warm was not among my personal TJB favorites, so I'll see what happens there. Similar with Brass Are Comin' and Summertime.
When I get my latest three which should be here in a couple days - Sounds Like, Ninth, BOTB - I will now wait and see what else happens...
The Christmas Album would be a bonus and I will add it when it comes. Same with Volume 2.
Warm was not among my personal TJB favorites, so I'll see what happens there. Similar with Brass Are Comin' and Summertime.
When I get my latest three which should be here in a couple days - Sounds Like, Ninth, BOTB - I will now wait and see what else happens...
AudiophilePhil
Member
[email protected] said:
I'm positive that all the remaining post-Christmas albums will be released individually in digipak in 2006. The same guy, Bernie Grundman will do the remastering.
There are lots of great songs in those remaining albums such as "The Sea Is My Soil." "Without Her," "Jerusalem," "Good Morning Mr. Sunshine." "The Maltese Melody," "Last Tango In Paris," "Fox Hunt," "I Belong," and many more. They are too essential to be ignored.
lswilson99
Well-Known Member
I agree with you and not Richard.
It appears to me that if sales were of the utmost importance then effort would have been put into devising a strong advertising campaign. After all, HA does not even advertise these albums on his own website! There is nothing in the UK and the HMV megastore in Oxford Street is the only place where you can walk into a store and buy the Signature Series.
I believe that HA needs to have these historic albums digitally remastered to protect the legacy and whilst going through that process, releasing them in a low-key way to fans suggest to me that sales performance is not critical.
I am confident that Captain Bacardi's original announcement will hold true.
Len
It appears to me that if sales were of the utmost importance then effort would have been put into devising a strong advertising campaign. After all, HA does not even advertise these albums on his own website! There is nothing in the UK and the HMV megastore in Oxford Street is the only place where you can walk into a store and buy the Signature Series.
I believe that HA needs to have these historic albums digitally remastered to protect the legacy and whilst going through that process, releasing them in a low-key way to fans suggest to me that sales performance is not critical.
I am confident that Captain Bacardi's original announcement will hold true.
Len
FWIW, Herb's website is probably owned by Universal Music, and not by Herb. Otherwise you'd see "herbalpert.com" on the new CDs.
Why Herb's people haven't contacted Rudy here at the Corner about making "tijuanabrass.com" the Official Website of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass is a complete mystery to me. It would be perfect for marketing the music and future releases.
Why Herb's people haven't contacted Rudy here at the Corner about making "tijuanabrass.com" the Official Website of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass is a complete mystery to me. It would be perfect for marketing the music and future releases.
Mike
Active Member
Web startegy... very interesting. From my observations, the last thing Herb would want to do is get involved with a web strategy... and he would do best to stay away from opinionated, web sites (like this one), least he isolate a person who is just out there listening and enjoying... and who dares to listen to Kenny-G or Donny Osmund.
In my uneducated opinion... Herb knows what he's doing.
In my uneducated opinion... Herb knows what he's doing.
I think what he means is, Herb should have a "strategy" for promoting the new releases on the web. I do think Shout dropped the ball here. Sure they're promoting them in their own site, but how many people in the US are aware of shoutfactory.com? But, a casual netsurfer might just decide to type in "tijuanabrass.com" out of curiosity. If that was the official TJB site, it would be all the better for promotion and could steer buyers to the music.
Stephen Vakil
Well-Known Member
[email protected] said:
One good thing is that all the online retails are selling all of the reissues, and Amazon had Whipped Cream featured for a few weeks. So there is some buzz out there. I don't know if the trade publications had any ads (Billboard, etc.). I've tried to keep the "TJB page" up to date, but unfortunately my "free" sites have to take a back seat to paying work.
Web strategy basics. Let's see.
Google is the #1 search engine. Type in "Herb Alpert" or "Tijuana Brass" and you see nothing in the sponsored links about the reissues (this is a low cost web strategy that you don't pay for unless someone clicks on the key word)...and nothing much on the first page of Google's main listings about the reissues. No one submitted it for search and there's really no web page to focus on.
What comes up first on Google when you're looking for Herb Alpert or Tijuana Brass?
herbalpert.com, with no mention of the new releases...and tijuanabrass.com courtesy of our good friend, Rudy. (I'm curious, Rudy...hasn't some record company suit contacted you about the Web address? Did traffic on the site jump when the releases came out?)
There should be Tijuana Taxi and Whipped Cream ringtones; a banner graphic in the Jazz section of iTunes; Herb should answer the top 10 questions as submitted from this site and then e-mail the results to places like people.com and VH1.com; there should be TJB wallpaper for PCs (like I made doodling in my spare time).
Heck, that's what I mean by Web strategy. Buzz! Creativity! Fun! Spread the word!
And those are just ideas I came up with sitting here bleary-eyed at midnight after finishing an RFP. Imagine what really smart people could come up with in a day!
Google is the #1 search engine. Type in "Herb Alpert" or "Tijuana Brass" and you see nothing in the sponsored links about the reissues (this is a low cost web strategy that you don't pay for unless someone clicks on the key word)...and nothing much on the first page of Google's main listings about the reissues. No one submitted it for search and there's really no web page to focus on.
What comes up first on Google when you're looking for Herb Alpert or Tijuana Brass?
herbalpert.com, with no mention of the new releases...and tijuanabrass.com courtesy of our good friend, Rudy. (I'm curious, Rudy...hasn't some record company suit contacted you about the Web address? Did traffic on the site jump when the releases came out?)
There should be Tijuana Taxi and Whipped Cream ringtones; a banner graphic in the Jazz section of iTunes; Herb should answer the top 10 questions as submitted from this site and then e-mail the results to places like people.com and VH1.com; there should be TJB wallpaper for PCs (like I made doodling in my spare time).
Heck, that's what I mean by Web strategy. Buzz! Creativity! Fun! Spread the word!
And those are just ideas I came up with sitting here bleary-eyed at midnight after finishing an RFP. Imagine what really smart people could come up with in a day!
[email protected] said:
If you look at the main index to this Forum, and glance at the number of views for each thread, you'll see some rather insane number of views for the "official" threads in the GP, WNML, SRO batch of titles - and the older ones as well.
It appears that after the WHIPPED CREAM release, more and more people became aware of the Shout! releases and have logged in here and viewed our threads for information. That indicates increasing interest out there, and that they're finding us through Google or other search engines.
Don't discount the power of Amazon.com either. Rudy's lists often appear whenever you stumble on a TjB page, and we should ALL be writing reviews for each of the albums. I've done one or two, but need to submit more.
Harry
I've been writing reviews for CD Universe - they're right next door in Wallingford, CT. Which BTW, is the home of the Oakdale Music Theatre (now the Chevrolet Theatre) where Herb & the re-formed TJB recorded a concert in August '74. Where in the world is this master tape??? C'mon Herb! It was a great show and we need at least one live TJB album in the collection.
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