Your Herb Reissue Pecking Order

@badazz could probably verify, but I think as originally written, "Rise" was a faster tempo, but someone (Herb?) decided it sounded good at a slower tempo, as more of a late-night chill-out dance track.

Yep, I've read that in several places. Originally it was meant to be 120bpm, but Herb slowed it down to about 100. I've thought about revving it up to 120 with software but haven't ever gotten around to it.
 
That album is definitely an acquired taste for some. For me, it was sort of in line with other music I listen to (where much of it was later remixed in various versions), so it was not that out of the ordinary.

I didn't get rid of the whole album. I still enjoy several tracks from it, most notably "Jump Street", "It's The Last Dance", "City Terrace" and "Where's Tommy?" I actually preferred the SECOND WIND version of "Can't Stop Thinking About You", but the NORTH ON SOUTH ST version is still listenable.
I just can't get into the "North on South St." track itself. It's off-the-wall weird, with no melody to speak of, and just goes nowhere. I hate to be critical of my favorite recording artist of all time, but that track is by far the worst recording Herb Alpert ever released. Sorry. And on that note, I'll let it go.
 
I still have my Cd Of North on south street and i thought it was a bit unusual at first but there are a few standouts such as "City Terrace"and " I cant Stop Thinking About You" among others. And i also Like the second wind version of the latter track equally as well. So Everyone Has Their tastes and personal preferences " No Harm No Foul".
 
Rudy said:
@badazz could probably verify, but I think as originally written, "Rise" was a faster tempo, but someone (Herb?) decided it sounded good at a slower tempo, as more of a late-night chill-out dance track.
Yep, I've read that in several places. Originally it was meant to be 120bpm, but Herb slowed it down to about 100.
If you believe the Wikipedia entry, it was the drummer, Steve Schaefer, who strongly suggested that Herb and Randy try slowing the tempo down to 100bpm.
 
I wouldn't trust Wikipedia...that paragraph doesn't even have a source. (It should be flagged, actually, for being unsourced information.)

IMHO, Wikipedia is total crap...
 
No kidding! On the BBC documentary Randy himself said that Herb had the idea to slow it down. I've also read that bassist Abe Laboriel said they rehearsed several tempos before deciding on the definitive one.

And, of course, the clubs in England played "Rise" at 45 rpm, since the 12" singles there were all at 45 rpm. I tried that myself but it didn't sound that good.
 
I wouldn't trust Wikipedia...that paragraph doesn't even have a source. (It should be flagged, actually, for being unsourced information.)

IMHO, Wikipedia is total crap...
And it's a total pain in the butt to work with. Not worth the hassle.
 
Howdy again all! I am after your views regarding these 2015 'Herb Alpert Presents' remasters. I already have 6 of these 'Herb Alpert Presents' CDs and am strongly considering filling in the gaps in my collection. My query lies with the fact that I already have many (all?) of the 2005 Shout Factory 'Signature Series' albums. Am I doing myself a significant disservice if I do not replace those 'Signature Series' albums with the remastered 'Herb Alpert Presents' releases?

I highlight the word "significant" because I appreciate that the audiophiles amongst you will likely say that there is "No contest, replace them all!" But, as with many things in life, that would be a fairly significant outlay. I should make clear that I do not have a fancy hi-fi system in the home (in fact my old multi-piece Aiwa system is packed away in it's boxes ...) and I now only play my CDs on a laptop, or in the car, or MP3 rips of said CDs on mobile devices (I can almost hear the howls of derision from here - "Luddite!" "Sacrilege!" "Heretic!" - yeah, I know, sorry!). But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate listening to good, clean recordings, I do.

My fondness for Herb and TJB music is notable but I do have to consider the cost of purchasing the rest of the 'Herb Alpert Presents' series. I also have to keep my Domestic Adjutant (the beloved wife!) happy and prevent her from throwing out many of the CDs I already have, ha ha! I realise that I undermine my own case by admitting this, but I had no hesitation in purchasing the 2009 Beatles remaster sets, because I am an utter Beatles nut, and the 2009 Beatles remasters sound abso-bloody-lutely amazing! I like much of the Alpert & TJB catalogue ....... perhaps just not as much as I do the Beatles ...... and the Beach Boys? :wink:

I hope no-one objects, but I have listed my entire Alpert & TJB collection below, all of them CDs, so that you can see precisely what I have and where the gaps are. So, again, my question is - am I musically short-changing myself by not replacing many of my existing CDs with the remaining 2015 'Herb Alpert Presents' remasters? Will I have regrets later if I don't 'just do it'? Will my wife hate me if I do? :-0

Thank you. :thumbsup:

(For info, I have read the this thread about Remastering.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CD Albums
The Lonely Bull Shout Factory Signature Series DK 32771 (2005)
Volume 2 Herb Alpert Presents HRB 023 (2015)
South of the Border Shout Factory Signature Series DK 32772 (2005)
Whipped Cream & Other Delights Shout Factory Signature Series DK 32868 (2005)
Going Places Shout Factory Signature Series DK 30763 (2005)
What Now My Love Shout Factory Signature Series DK 30849 (2005)
S.R.O. Shout Factory Signature Series DK 30858 (2005)
Sounds Like Shout Factory Signature Series DK 32995 (2005)
Herb Alpert’s Ninth Shout Factory Signature Series DK 33466 (2005)
The Beat of the Brass Shout Factory Signature Series DK 33723 (2005)
The Christmas Album Shout Factory Signature Series DK 34411 (2005)
Warm Herb Alpert Presents HRB 051 (2015)
The Brass are Comin’ Herb Alpert Presents HRB 055 (2015)
Summertime Herb Alpert Presents HRB 059 (2015)
You Smile - The Song Begins Herb Alpert Presents HRB 063 (2015)

Coney Island - yet to acquire
Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela - yet to acquire
Main Event Live (with Hugh Masekela) - yet to acquire

Rise
A&M CD-3274 (1979)
Shout Factory Signature Series 826663-10484 (2007)
Beyond Herb Alpert Presents HRB 079 (2015)
(Also, a counterfeit A&M [Canyon Records, Japan] D32Y3041 (1980)
I started a thread here about my embarrassment at being duped on Ebay!)


Magic Man - yet to acquire
Fandango - yet to acquire
Blow Your Own Horn - yet to acquire
Bullish - yet to acquire

Keep Your Eye On Me
A&M [Canyon Records, Japan] D32Y3075 (1987)
Under A Spanish Moon A&M 395 209-2 (1988)
My Abstract Heart A&M 395 273-2 (1989)

North on South St. - yet to acquire

Midnight Sun
A&M 395 391-2 (1992)
Lost Treasures Shout Factory Signature Series DK 32867 (2005)
Whipped Cream & Other Delights Re-whipped Shout Factory DK 97641 (2006)

CD Singles & Promos
Keep Your Eye On Me [Single - 2 tracks] A&M USACD 602 (1987)
Jump Street [Maxi Single - 4 Mixes] A&M INT: 390 750-2/UK: AMCD 750 (1991)
North On South St. [Promotional - 7 Mixes] A&M 75021 7500 2 (1991)
 
Last edited:
I think the logical advice would be to first fill in the holes - make sure you have at least one CD copy of every title that's available.

Next I would recommend that if you care at all about SOUTH OF THE BORDER, that you pick up the HAP version of that title. It's a very different listening experience than the Shout! Factory issue, more in line with the A&M CD release from the late 80s.

Then I would prioritize the remaining HAP titles that you don't have by how much they mean to you - buy your favorites, even if you already have the Shout issues.

I also wouldn't take too much time to act. CDs are falling quickly out of favor, more and more each day. At some point, these HAP discs will sell out and become more and more desirable to collectors, and you'll be kicking yourself for not buying them when they were $9.99.
 
I would recommend that if you care at all about SOUTH OF THE BORDER, that you pick up the HAP version of that title. It's a very different listening experience than the Shout! Factory issue, more in line with the A&M CD release from the late 80s.

"A very different listening experience..." In what way?
 
I agree with Harry about South of the Border, but out of all the Shout! CDs you have, the one I would consider the most replacing with the HAP version is S.R.O. At least to my ears, the Shout version has a very subtle high-pitched whine throughout -- some with older ears may not hear it, but my 61 year old ears can still pick it up. The HAP version does away with this, and also has more solid bass in my opinion.

I believe somebody (Harry, maybe?) said in an older thread that Lonely Bull has improved sound on the HAP version as well, but since it's my least favorite of all of the TJB albums I haven't compared the two.

Of your "yet to acquire" list, I would single out these three:

Coney Island - yet to acquire
Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela - yet to acquire
Main Event Live (with Hugh Masekela) - yet to acquire


... if you are AT ALL a fan of Herb's current jazzier style, you should pick these up. Coney is a lot more free-spirited than You Smile was, and although this results in it being kind of uneven, it features several excellent tunes like "Vento Bravo" and "Catfish," and a lot of unexpected styles and surprises. It also includes "I Belong," which I think is Herb's best vocal performance outside of "This Guy's In Love With You."

If I had to pick just two of the three, I'd pick the first two. The opening track on Herb/Hugh ("Skokkian") alone is worth the price of admission for that one.
 
I picked up the whole set, filling in the gaps first, then gradually picking up the rest. I did it not so much because I'm going to hear the improved sound on my current sound system, but because at some point I'm planning to have a better one, and I've learned from experience to buy releases like this while they're still available. I've never regretted doing that, especially later on when I see others scrambling for something I had no trouble acquiring. I've been on the other side, and if you think it's expensive buying them now... just wait for when they're no longer being produced.

Plus, not that Herb needs the money, I want to show my support for the amount of time and effort that was put into this. Partially as a "thank you", but also in the hopes we may see the remainder of his catalog similarly reissued.

But for Heaven's sakes... at least pick up the two Herb/Hugh CDs. :phones:
 
I picked up the whole set, filling in the gaps first, then gradually picking up the rest. I did it not so much because I'm going to hear the improved sound on my current sound system, but because at some point I'm planning to have a better one, and I've learned from experience to buy releases like this while they're still available. I've never regretted doing that, especially later on when I see others scrambling for something I had no trouble acquiring. I've been on the other side, and if you think it's expensive buying them now... just wait for when they're no longer being produced.

Plus, not that Herb needs the money, I want to show my support for the amount of time and effort that was put into this. Partially as a "thank you", but also in the hopes we may see the remainder of his catalog similarly reissued.

But for Heaven's sakes... at least pick up the two Herb/Hugh CDs. :phones:
Very Well Put Nathan I totally agree and I would add Yes Get those two Herb and Hugh CDs I remember for years they have been on everyone's wish lists ( including mine) and we were concerned about rumors about one of them being lost until we got the official word they are very well worth the price and more
 
If I had to pick just two of the three, I'd pick the first two. The opening track on Herb/Hugh ("Skokkian") alone is worth the price of admission for that one.
Mike, thanks for your input, and I must admit that your recommendation above has to be pushed high on my list. I am African born and bred (though now living in the UK), and I grew up listening to my parents playing Bert Kaempfert's 'A Swingin' Safari' (1962?) album on the stereogram (made by Bush electronics, with a glowing 'green eye'!). The album features Bert's version of 'Skokiaan', which I have always enjoyed. When 'A Swingin' Safari' was released on CD in the late 90s, it was into my collection in a flash!

...... and I've learned from experience to buy releases like this while they're still available. I've never regretted doing that, especially later on when I see others scrambling for something I had no trouble acquiring. I've been on the other side, and if you think it's expensive buying them now... just wait for when they're no longer being produced.
Good point, well made, Nathan, and more about that later in this post - I am already finding it more difficult to locate the HAP releases here in the UK! :shock:

...... I would add Yes Get those two Herb and Hugh CDs I remember for years they have been on everyone's wish lists ( including mine) and we were concerned about rumors about one of them being lost until we got the official word they are very well worth the price and more
You have convinced me, folks, the Masekela CDs are a must!

Right, on to hunting around and gathering these HAP CDs. As already mentioned, I have been thoroughly unimpressed with the UK Amazon site. There is plenty of doubt about the provenance of many of their CDs, forwarned as I am about counterfeits and bootlegs etc. I acknowledge that the difficulties are my fault, as the HAP discs I currently have were all purchased in 2016 in one batch from Amazon UK, with no effort at all. Fool me for not getting the entire batch at that time, but following your advice I am doing my damnedest to rectify that now!

I am seeing lots of references to "import" and apparent label names that just don't seem right for the releases - for example, I see CD images for 'Fandango, which have a vertical strip down the left side of the image showing the Signature Series logo. I am no expert, but I don't think 'Fandango' was ever part of that series? I have also seen plenty of ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Numbers), EAN (European Article Number) and UPC (Universal Product Code) numbers being bandied about in product descriptions but none of these help in truly identifying whether they are the HAP releases I seek. Even dedicated music online shops don't always supply the release catalogue numbers, which is just nonsensical!

Anyway, I am sticking to advice about the 2015 masters here and being pedantic about seeking out "...... albums or tracks only if the record label is listed as 'Herb Alpert Presents'.” But that is making it somewhat difficult here in the UK. Things look much better on Amazon in the USA, but our HM Revenue & Customs wallahs are being so much more picky about stuff coming in by post to the UK now. I recently got hammered on import duty for a handful of old WW1 aviation photos, from a dealer in New England. For goodness sake, the photos were in the same envelope that they had been mailed to the USA, from England, in the 1970s! The photos belonged to the WW1 pilot who mailed them to the USA, but HMRC said tough, they are imports! Idiots. The duties charged were criminal! :rolleyes: Additionally, shipping & handling to Europe so often negates many of the benefits of purchasing elsehwere.

To assist with my quest, I have been trying to find all the HRB catalogue numbers for the 2015 HAP masters, so that I can ask specific questions of online vendors, but I am surprised how hard it has been to locate them all!! Thankfully, a couple of useful photos amongst the posts on this very thread have really helped, but there are four 'Herb Alpert Presents' HRB catalogue numbers that I cannot trace - can anyone here help with these, please, pretty please?:

Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela HRB ???
Main Event Live (w/Masekela) HRB ???
Blow Your Own Horn HRB ???
Bullish HRB ???

I have now located one UK website that appears promising, with what are seemingly the HAP releases, and many of them for a good price, but I need those four HRB catalogue numbers to help with ensuring I don't get duff CDs. Any and all help greatly appreciated, folks! :)

PS: Merely by way of interest, my fallback position, should I need it to help complete the collection, will be sourcing in the USA, but not by mail to Europe. I am fortunate to business travel a lot, and I do have a trip scheduled to the States in late August. I have very occasionally purchased stuff online in the States before a trip, and had it sent to hotels just days before I arrive, but some times the vendors need persuading to allow such an arrangement. It wouldn't work with Amazon, I suspect, because of account addresses and such ....... but I'll see how far I get scooping these CDs up in the UK. :sad:
 
Last edited:
Whoops, it turns out I missed one of the HAP catalogue numbers that was within one of the images posted on this thread - Main Event Live (w/Masekela) is HRB 071. Sometimes I just cannot see the wood for the trees, eh?

So that just now leaves these three:

Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela HRB ???
Blow Your Own Horn HRB ???
Bullish HRB ???

Is there a good online resource where this stuff can be found? Am I just being a dunce? Really looking forward to when the www.tijuanabrass.com discography finally returns. :edthumbs:
 
Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela HRB ??? 168
Blow Your Own Horn HRB ??? 160
Bullish HRB ??? 164
 
Harry, thanks very much for those, they'll be usefull in my quest. The HRB catalogue numbers are in a higher range than I was expecting but, no matter, they are what they are and will help hugely in tracking these discs down! :thumbsup:
 
Okay, phew, after a real root around on the web, and having given my Paypal account a darn good 'hurting', I have all those remaining Herb Alpert Presents CDs on the way. I just jumped in right at the deep end, and purchased replacements for all the Shout Factory discs as well. :sweating:

It appears that the USA travel fallback position will not be required - fingers crossed!

You're all invited to my funeral ...... because when my wife finds out, I am a dead man! :wink:
 
Back
Top Bottom