Herbal Remedies
Yesterday was the 88th birthday of Herb Alpert, one of my all-time musical heroes. I think, by now, the world has generally come around to understanding what a brilliant, generous and quietly visionary dude he’s always been — and anyone who still doubts any of that needs to check out the 2020 documentary Herb Alpert Is… But back in the 1980s, when I started digging his Tijuana Brass albums out of thrift shops, it was a much different story.
I remember pulling the Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide off the shelf at my college radio station and reading its massively condescending takedown of his discography, which (if I’m recalling correctly) dismissed his playing and tone as watered-down Miles Davis, and his music as jazz-lite for consumers who didn’t know any better. All of which seemed to me like a remarkably mean-spirited response to well-constructed instrumental pop music that was so consistently unpretentious, playful, and mood-lifting…
Herb Alpert is a serious musician, but he’s also never been afraid of a good pop melody — which of course has caused many critics over the years to doubt his seriousness. But his records, especially the ones from his mid-to-late-’60s commercial heyday, still manage to blow my mind whenever I listen to them; not only are they filled with wonderful arrangements and joyous playing (often by session musicians from the legendary Wrecking Crew, as well as brilliant TJB members like guitarist John Pisano and marimba player Julius Wechter), but they’re also imbued with the cosmic power to instantly transport you to a sunnier, gentler and happier world. When I moved into my new pad this past December, one of the first house-warming presents I bought for myself was a stack of TJB reel-to-reel tapes; I was heading solo into the holiday season for the first time in over a decade, and I knew I would need Herb’s golden trumpet to help me keep the psychic darkness at bay. And, for the most part, it did just that.
I thought about putting together a list of my ten favorite Herb Alpert songs in honor of his latest birthday, but then I figured that pretty much anyone who digs this kind of stuff is already quite familiar with his hits like “Casino Royale,” “Tijuana Taxi” and “Rise”. So I thought it might be more fun to dig into some lesser-known tracks, the kind of stuff you might have missed if you haven’t spent as much time in the company of Herb’s music as I have. Here then, in chronological order, are my 10 favorite Herb Alpert deep cuts…
Green Peppers
Iconic cover aside, 1965’s Whipped Cream & Other Delights isn’t even close to being one of my favorite Herb albums. I feel like the TJB wouldn’t really hit their stride until their next record, Going Places; this one is solid enough, but still feels a bit stodgy in terms of arrangements and song choices. One major exception is this slinky, mildly spicy Latin-tinged tune from the pen of Sol Lake (real name Solomon Lachoff), the man who was also responsible for “The Lonely Bull,” Herb’s first hit.
Walk, Don’t Run
This track from 1965’s Going Places was actually what turned me into a Herb Alpert fan — or at least made me think that maybe it would be a good idea to start bringing home those Tijuana Brass LPs I kept seeing at the thrift shop. One of my college pals had this album, and when he played me this cover of the Ventures classic (actually penned by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith), I was absolutely entranced by the dual trumpets and the skittering 12-string guitar. This is quite possibly my favorite under-two-minutes track that isn’t by The Ramones.
More and More Amor
Cocktail lounge reveries don’t come much sweeter or more languorous than this 1965 slow jam, which also happens to have been penned by Sol Lake. Back in the days when I had a house in Palm Springs, hearing this song poolside at sunset was practically a religious experience for me.
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Herb has covered Burt Bacharach and Hal David many times over the course of his career, most notably with 1968’s chart-topping “This Guy’s In Love With You”. But I also really love this peppy 1966 rendition of Bacharach-David’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” an underrated Dionne Warwick song originally recorded earlier in the year as the B-side to “Trains and Boats and Planes”.
Love So Fine
Originally written by Roger Nichols and former Brian Wilson collaborator Tony Asher for the Roger Nichols and a Small Circle of Friends LP — released in 1968 by Alpert and Jerry Moss’s A&M label — “Love So Fine” was also a perfect fit for the TJB sound, what with its jaunty melody and a couple of dynamic rhythmic shifts that take the band into almost Chicago soul territory.
The Sea is My Soil
Released in 1969, Warm was the first Herb Alpert LP without the Tijuana Brass, and his first to miss the Top 20 entirely. It is, on the other hand, also the best record he ever made — one that’s heavy on Brazilian-influenced rhythms and contemplative moods. The album-opening cover of Dory Caymmi and Nelson Mota’s “The Sea is My Soil” is particularly gorgeous and evocative; during the slower parts, you can practically see the sunlight glinting on the water.
Girl Talk
Co-written by Neil Hefti (he of the immortal “Theme from the Odd Couple”) and Bobby Troup (he of “Route 66” and Emergency! fame) for the 1965 film Harlow, the Grammy-nominated “Girl Talk” got a nicely moody makeover for Warm, complete with what sounds like a six-string bass carrying part of the verse melody.
Pretty World
Yeah, that’s right — I’m going with three cuts from Warm, and you can’t stop me. I first heard “Pretty World” via Sergio Mendes & Brasil ‘66; but whereas their version exudes optimism and conviction that we can indeed still make “a pretty world for you and for me,” Herb’s mournful instrumental version sounds like an elegy. Like, we could have had a pretty world, if not for mankind’s ingrained propensity to fuck everything up…
Darlin
Okay, back to the sunny side of the street with this lovely, lilting cover of one of The Beach Boys’ greatest post-Pet Sounds hits. Check out the unexpectedly spacey section that happens around the 2:30 mark; by 1971, even Herb was trying to get “out there”.
Street Life
Herb’s surprise turn to sun-baked lowrider funk earned him a massive hit in the fall of 1979 with “Rise,” and “Street Life” from Rise album was strapped to a similarly laidback groove. Much as I love the Crusaders’ original version, there’s something about Herb’s rendition that really resonates with me. Several years ago, in fact, I was playing this in the car when my wife turned to me and said, “This is what I think the inside of your head probably sounds like.” Which may have been the most perceptive thing anyone has ever said about me.
How ‘bout you? What are some of your Herb favorites, with the TJB or otherwise? Chime in below in the comments!
I've always liked 'Slick' from 1968's The Beat of the Brass.
My favorite is not one of the deep cuts...I have to go with “A Taste of Honey.” I love the whole mood and vibe of that song, and even before I knew who Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew were, I always got off on Blaine’s count in there at the start to bring in the group and set the tempo and rhythm for the song.