Two Of A Kind: TJB vs. BMB -- "More"

[JOv2]

• The Tijuana Brass and the Baja Marimba Bans have at least eight recorded songs in common.
• Vote for your favourite version and tell us a bit about why you made your selection. (The selections are listed in release order.)

 

[TjbBmb]

Herb’s one note solo on the fade is stellar!

 

[Harry]

Gotta go with the TjB version on this one, and I prefer the bright version on the original A&M CD of VOLUME 2. The Baja's version is nice, but a little underwhelming.

Trivia: Herb's "More" only ever appeared on one compilation other than the regular VOLUME 2 album: FOURSIDER.
Julius's "More" also appeared on just one compilation, many years later: the Japanese DIGITALLY REMASTERED BEST and it's later reincarnation as the Collector's Choice BEST OF CD.

 

[bob knack]

BMB, but frankly neither grabs me. Was that Laurindo Almeida's guitar?

 

[DAN BOLTON]

This is a real Sophie's Choice for me...each version is stellar to my ears. The TJB version is the most colorful and dynamic version of the song I've ever heard, and puts me in mind of a block party on a hot Saturday night in LA, with a couple dancing together for the first time, doing a mambo. The BMB version reminds me of their wedding day and their first dance as a married couple. Each arrangement has it's virtues, each paints a vivid picture...they're almost like different songs, the takes are so different. It speaks to the genius of both artists.


In the end, I went with Herb, because I heard his version first.

 

[JOv2]

The apples and oranges aspect to the arrangements made it hard for me, too. Herb's was memorable because he triple-tracked his horn for a three-part harmony stack (tonic, 3rd, 5th) -- a true oddity for TJB arrangements (I'm 99% sure he never did that again -- at least during the TJB era). I selected the BMB because Julius' version is the only one I've heard slow and methodically sensitive -- and he does a fine job.

 

[Bobberman]

This was hard for me to decide too but based on the first time I heard Herb's version in 1984 shortly before The BMB version later that year I chose Herb's version the arrangement was very stellar the one note solo at the end was a great way to fade off I do Like the BMB version for a little slower mellower change of pace and Julius made it his own in a way and the extra percussion and the Bells at the beginning and end give it a "Romantic Wedding day Feel". ( in my opinion) both are to be savored for their differences however Herb's version came first for me.

 

[Mr Bill]

Hmmm. Tough choice... Both are superior arrangements. Herb's trumpet tracking and the bedeepbeeeeep trumpet on the last notes during the fade are truly haunting. Julius makes interesting use of percussion (bongos and chimes). I flipped a coin and Julius won this one...

--Mr Bill