Collecting Music: LP or CD. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Part THREE: Foreigners

September 21, 2018

#278

Gentle reader,

This is the third and final chapter about the legendary trumpeter, Herb Alpert and his decades long journey through the often difficult world of popular music. Did you know that he and his wife Lani are STILL touring and performing? Well, they are. And he is 83!

Here are links to the two previous chapters in case you missed them:

Collecting Music: LP or CD. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Part ONE.  

and:

Collecting Music: LP or CD. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Part TWO.

This final chapter deals with a number of Herb Alpert records that were created and offered for sale around the world. Music by American artists has and still does, interest many folks around the world. Herb Alpert's unique genre was no exception.

Let's start off with this one. A German release of their first LP: THE LONELY BULL. No date that I can find, but no doubt soon after it's domestic release in 1962. This is on the A&M label: 212 017 NOTE: I have seen blogger has a glitch. It is this, If I use "&" when I look at it later, it reads "&". So, it's not me.

The same cover, front and rear, is this Canadian release on Quality Records Limited. VOLUME 2. Based upon the three later albums shown on the back, this is newer than 1963. 

Another German release, another different cover than here. VOLUME 2 again. Also on A&M 212 050 Being slightly OCD, I shall put it next to it's mate when I re-shelve them.

Above, take a look at the covers. After this one, they use the standard US covers. Failed experiment or A&M stepping in?

Another German release, this time on Karussell GOLD-SERIE, it seems to be a compilation as I see tunes from more than one record listed. No date on this one either. 535010

A United Kingdom release on PYE INTERNATIONAL under label number NPL 28077. Both covers are identical to the US release.

Interesting, it has LONDON on the front which is a label that England's Decca uses for their American releases. But on the back it has "royal sound STEREO" and at the bottom in tiny writing is MADE IN GERMANY TELDEC & Telefunken-Decca and the address in Hamburg. All of that is also on the record's label. SHA 204

Covers are the same as US issues, it even has an A&M sleeve.

I have a son-in-law who is Colombian and showed this to him. He had no idea who the group was. Kids these days. THE BEAT OF THE BRASS. Anyway, yes, it was made in Columbia on CODISCOS INTERNATIONAL under license to A&M. Same cover photos as the US release. CI-20

Like some Asian records I have found (and you will see) they managed to completely encase the sleeve in plastic. Perhaps as a safeguard against equatorial heat and humidity? 

Another Colombian release, this one is SUMMERTIME. Same label, in fact, I found them together. CI-67

Also fully encased in plastic, even the insides of the cover.

This 1976 release intrigues me. This is a UK release. There is no mention of it in Wikipedia nor on Herb Alpert's own website. Yet it is a genuine release on A&M. Just You and Me. I should have a US copy of this, but never pursued it. 

He wrote, performed and dedicated it to his father, who had recently passed. The consumer reviews are disappointed by his playing. How well could you do something if you were grieving? Sheesh, cut the guy some slack!

This is one of two Asian release which I also found together. They call it volume 4, but it has the photo from WHAT NOW MY LOVE. Yet, the tunes are not from that album.

The brown  edge stripes are from ancient repair tape. Which I had to replace. The opening is at the top, rather than the western standard of the right side edge.

The record is transparent pink vinyl. Label is yellow. No English writing as to the record company that made it. 

The sleeve is thick paper rather than cardboard. It is not plastic sleeved like the one below. 

Completely different is this Hua Sheng release. No title, just a list of the tunes. The photo is from the back of THE BEAT OF THE BRASS and the list of tunes is the same.

The label confirms that it is in fact, THE BEAT OF THE BRASS. Nothing in English as to the country it was made in.

My only connection to Australia is automotive. I had, for six years, a sporty Ford convertible made there and sold here as a Mercury. The Capri XR2 model. That and there are some from GM's Australian branch called Holden. Sold here as Pontiacs, and Chevrolets. They started with the 2004 Pontiac GTO. The last model sold being the Chevy SS. All fine high performance cars. Ford and Holden continued making rear wheel drive coupes, sedans and Utes (think El Camino and Ranchero). You know, American cars. Sadly as of last year, both ceased making cars in Australia, citing costs. But I digress.

But this record is also from "...the land down under, the land of sunshine and sharks." That was from a Monty Python skit. Anyway, no photo of Herb or any band member.  On the Universal Record Club label and titled  VIVA MEXICO! It appears to be a mix of the first two records.

This one too has no photo of anyone who played on it. This one is from England on, oddly, STATESIDE Records. SOUNDS OF TIJUANA, it too seems to be a combination of the first two records. E.M.I. is the parent company, so it seems. SSL 10193

If "stateside" means nothing to you, it was and may still be, a phrase Americans in places other than here say when they are returning, "We're going stateside."

I spied this at an outdoor flea market. I dropped to my knees, it was the first foreign release Herb Alpert record I had ever seen. A BANDA is the title on AMIGA Records. I suspect that is not Herb Alpert OR his wife in that photo!

A German pressing made in Berlin. I forget if DDR was East or West Germany. As you can see, IM TIJUANA TAXI was another release. 8 55 228

Last of my foreign release is another from Australia. FIESTA I'm not going to go through my records to see which American one this might be. On UNIVERSAL SUMMIT Records under license from A&M. But it IS going next to VIVA MEXICO. SRA250 047.

Finally back in Trump land, is this boxed set from The Longines Symphonette Society. It is the first four Herb Alpert records and they reshuffled them so all of the tunes were spread throughout all four records. Fun to listen to since you don't know which is coming next.

Even back when I found it, which was long ago, I went through the list below and the records to mark where each tune originated. OCD, it's a good thing sometimes.

The Longines Symphonette Society was a record company that paired with music artists and did for them what they did here. Gather several records, mix them all up and press new records. Then add a booklet or at least a sheet like this and sell them to unsuspecting consumers.
They were not alone. Reader's Digest did the same thing and I suspect others. 

Well, that's it, I hope that you learned something. If there was a way to add music, without violating copyright laws, I'd do so. I see that I can add a video, but I don't do videos. I mean there are SO many videos out on the Internet, right?

Thank you once again for reading my humble blog. It is our continued support and kind comments that keeps me inspired to come up with new subject matter.

Scott
September 21, 2018
#278

Collecting Music: LP or CD. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Part TWO.

September 20, 2018

#277

Gentle reader,

I wrote part ONE of this article yesterday, it concerns the CD portion of my Herb Alpert collection:

Collecting Music: LP or CD. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Part ONE.  

Now, I focus on the LP records. Of which I have more and a number of foreign (to the USA) releases.

I think the LPs number 57, but it doesn't matter the actual count, it's the variety and of course the love I have for the music and the unique genre which he invented. It was copied by many musicians trying to gain popularity and income from this unique Latin America styled music.

THE LONELY BULL came out in 1962. Most people had not yet adopted stereo in their homes and radio was still mono, so naturally mono records were still being produced. It's hard to see, in the upper left, but this was A&M's first release, numbered 101.

This stereo release has the number in the lower left: 101S.

I seem to feel driven that I MUST buy exceptional condition Herb Alpert records when I find them. Maybe one of these is a first pressing, but as you can see, I have three of their first album.

VOLUME 2 initially did not sell well, so it is harder to find. This is a mono version: LP 103 It came out in 1963.

To entice or perhaps to warn buyers (some cheap mono turntables and record players, there is a difference, could not play stereo records) STEREO*STEREO*STEREO is emblazoned across the top. LP/SP 103 in the new numbering system.

Here is a pristine mono version still in the shrink wrap. If I'd been thinking in the long run, I would have kept the plastic on all my LPs. But I was only thinking of getting the record out of there and listening to it.

When A&M re-released their entire Herb Alpert line, they changed the numbering to four digits with 4 being the first. Note that the label photo is crooked on this one and it too is pristine. SP 4103

Lots of STEREO across the top of SOUTH OF THE BORDER. I believe that woman may be his first wife, Sharon. You will see a photo of them from this day further down affixed to another album cover. This one came out in 1964.

One of his most famous covers and one of his best works: WHIPPED CREAM AND OTHER DELIGHTS. It was actually shaving cream, I wonder who got the job of covering her strapless gown with it, and how many cans it took? It came out in 1965, the year my wife was born. I was nine. Yep, I robbed the cradle, but she was 30 when we wed.

From Shout Factory, whom he hired to re-release all (except Volume 2, see previous article as to why) ten (nine) of their original albums on CD. They are in Digipack covers and have extensive liner notes and in the case of this album,  a poster too.

This is, of course a Picture Disc. One of few that I have in the collection. I have not played it. Some say they don't sound as good and that the carbon black is needed. I have no comment.

GOING PLACES! Cleverly posed to look like they are flying. A re-release as by the four digit number. It came out in 1965 as well, originally.

WHAT NOW MY LOVE Also a re-release as by the four digit number. See, same clothes, same location as on SOUTH OF THE BORDER. Still in it's shrink wrap. It came out in 1966.

S.R.O which means Standing Room Only. Also re-released. Still in it's shrink wrap. It too came out in 1966.

...SOUNDS LIKE... was their 8th release. Four digit number and still in it's shrink wrap as well. To learn more about this one see the previous article on CDs. It came out in 1967.

ninth is in lower case on the cover, so I typed it as such, even though it messes with my sense of write and wrong. ;-) Four digit number. Something tells me most of the original three digit albums are in other collectors hands as I almost never see them. BTW, that is Beethoven "wearing" a Herb Alpert shirt. It too came out in 1967.

THE BEAT OF THE BRASS accompanied a television special in 1968. It was the last to be released in mono as well as stereo. This is a four digit release. It came out in 1968. For more on this and the TV show, see: The Beat of the Brass - Wikipedia

I admit that I have not played this one, or the one below. I expect that it is fine music, but most Christmas albums do not interest me no matter how much I like the artist. It came out in 1968 also.

This is a later re-release under # SP 3113. Otherwise, the same record.

WARM came out in 1969. First of their LPs (after Christmas) that seemed a departure from their original charter, if you will.

THE BRASS ARE COMIN' was another release from 1969. It was their last album as a group and was also a TV special.

GREATEST HITS came out in 1970. I have not played it or the CD since I have all the records (and CDs) that these hits were pulled from.

The band got back together with a few new members and came out with Summertime in 1971.

SOLID BRASS was a compilation album from 1972.

FOURSIDER another compilation, this one from 1973. 

You Smile-The Song Begins marks the first release from his new band: Herb Alpert and the T.J.B. It came out in 1974, the year I graduated high school.

coney island is pretty far from Tijuana, to say the least. Released in 1975, it is pretty hard to find. Well, at least it was before the worldwide phenomenon called eBay.

Note, this GREATEST HITS VOL.2 from 1977 is "THE T.J.B." and not the original band.

Titled with only their names, Herd banded with another trumpet legend, Hugh Masakela. It and the live version, below, came out in 1978.

Next are the albums Herb made without any of the members of his "Latin" band.

RISE came out in 1979 to critical and sales success. He was now making Jazzy and dance-able music. The title cut traveled across musical genres and sold over a million albums. Below is a 12" single with various remix versions as well. 

Beyond came out in 1980 and, to be honest, I haven't played most of what follows in so long, I will not attempt to comment on the style or music.

Magic Man followed the next year, 1981.

Fandango, a title shared with a Z.Z. Top album came out in 1982.

BLOW YOUR OWN HORN came out in 1983 and shows Herb au naturel. 

Oddly, although none of the member of his original band were involved, he credited them since the tunes were some of their originals redone funk-style. BULLISH came out in 1984 and was re-released in 2017.

Wild ROMANCE came out in 1985. The first of the years in which CDs are out and gaining popularity.

"Keep Your Eye on Me is a pop/R&B/dance album by Herb Alpert, released in 1987." Line is courtesy of Wikipedia.com. It has various singers including Janet Jackson, sister of Michael on Diamonds. Below is the 12 inch single from it and I have not played it.

Under a Spanish Moon is a superb album. One I really enjoy. It came out in 1988. This and the one below are NOT shown on Herb Alpert's own website.

my abstract heart is to my knowledge, the last new release from Herb to come out on LP. It is from 1989.

This ends Part TWO of this series. Next up will be the release from countries other than the United States of America.

Thank you SO much for taking the time to read my humble blog. I put a lot of time and effort into creating these articles and you are one of many that warm my heart with your kind words and encouragement.

Scott
September 20, 2018
#277