TJB Specials Available?

[AlongCameMary]

OK, so I know "The Beat of the Brass" is out there on VHS, since I just bought it on Ebay. What about the other two '60s TJB specials (the first one, "Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass," and the third one, "The Brass Are Comin'") -- are they out there as well?

I swear I have an audio tape recording of the original airing of "The Brass Are Comin'" -- I think I made my parents buy me a tape recorder just so I could tape it! It's possible I still have it boxed away somewhere. I remember Petula Clark was the guest and sang a rather lovely song from her movie "Goodbye, Mr. Chips." (Wow -- audio-taping TV shows! Who knew, back in '69, that we'd someday have a way to record entire TV shows, audio AND video??)

And how about the special Herb did in -- what, the '70s? -- where he had the Muppets as special guests? How about the "Midnight Special" he hosted? Gosh, I would love to somehow see those again.

Anyhow -- pardon my enthusiasm! I'll curb my questions for now. Just trying to catch up and see what's available out there for us TJB addicts! Mary

 

[Captain Bacardi]

OK, so I know "The Beat of the Brass" is out there on VHS, since I just bought it on Ebay. What about the other two '60s TJB specials (the first one, "Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass," and the third one, "The Brass Are Comin'") -- are they out there as well?

All of the TJB TV specials have been on eBay for quite some time. The video quality is usually pretty poor at best, with the exception of the '74 special. I've even seen them at record shows. The Midnight Special is the only one that hasn't popped up, with the exception of the medley they played on that show. These videos used to go for hundreds of dollars, but they've become somewhat common now that prices have dropped.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

My copy of the Beat Of The Brass special was only about $25, bought from a video collector. The copy he sent me was a bit grungy (the tape doesn't track quite correctly), and the colors were faded, but the interesting thing was that his copy didn't have commercials...instead, it had the "insert commercial here" footage between the program portions (some of which he edited out). I may contact him again to see if he found any of the others.

-= N =-

 

[AlongCameMary]

Yeah, I must have gotten that same copy of "Beat of the Brass." Not so much a problem with the audio, but I was sad to see the colors have faded so much, almost to sepia-tone. Probably a lot of old TV shows are now like that -- I don't think the tape stock they're kept on was ever meant to last 30 years.

I'm just amazed the seller had the show at all -- I wonder where he got it? It's obviously from a master tape, as you point out, since the "Insert Commercial" bumpers are still intact. Herb's specials were one of those things I thought I'd either never see again, or might possibly luck out and find at the Museum of TV and Radio either in L.A. or New York (but never quite got around to going there). Ebay has certainly become a forum for collectors of just about EVERYTHING to find their heart's desires! Mary

 

[Captain Bacardi]

but the interesting thing was that his copy didn't have commercials...instead, it had the "insert commercial here" footage between the program portions (some of which he edited out).

I have something similar with the '74 TV special, which in the US was called The Sentry Collection Presents..., but the version I have is from England, and none of the Sentry commercials are present. Instead it has this clock which "ticks" around to the 12:00 position, then the show comes back on. That was back in the days when commercials only lasted one minute. I sure miss those days...


Capt. Bacardi