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Note: Herb Alpert is co-founder of A&M Records - the Carpenters' label in Hollywood, CA.
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Press Release Source: Herb Alpert

Compiled by Alpert Himself, Shout! Factory's 'Lost Treasures' Mines Previously Undiscovered Riches From Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
Tuesday February 8, 6:01 am ET
The Rarities Disc, Set for Release Today, February 8, Introduces the 'Herb Alpert Signature Series'
Shout! Factory Celebrate's the Release of the Herb Alpert Signature Series
February 22, 2005 - Vibrato Restaurant
Los Angeles, California United States

-with Jerry Moss (on right) - of A&M & actor James Caan (middle)


LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- At the close of the 1960s, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass -- behind only Elvis, The Beatles and Sinatra -- were the fourth top-selling album act of that decade. From 1962-1969, they had the nation swingin' to their sound with fourteen Top 40 Billboard singles, and achieved the since-unmatched feats of having four albums in the Top 10 one week, and five in the Top 20 another. Celebrating this phenomenal heyday, the 22-track 'Lost Treasures' -- also featuring new liner notes and a personal intro from Herb -- is the premiere release in Shout! Factory's 'Herb Alpert Signature Series.' The disc mines previously unreleased gems and rarities spanning 1963-1974, and will be available February 8.
The compilation evolved after Alpert, much to his surprise, found many unreleased master tapes, and immersed himself in listening to them. "I didn't realize I was going to be affected the way I was," Alpert recalled. "When I heard some of the tracks, I got old-time goose bumps, the kind I used to get when I did the original Brass recordings. So I knew I was on the right track."

Several tracks, including "Happy Hour," were missing trumpet parts, so Alpert hit the studio and played along with them, literally re-performing them. The new lines Alpert laid down blend seamlessly into the vintage takes, and he says, "I had a good time doing that. I wanted to keep the tracks in the genre that I had recorded them in during that period. It's actually the same trumpet I've used for years."

A funky down-tempo riff on James Taylor's "Fire And Rain" -- which L.A.-based music journalist, U.C. Riverside professor and 'Lost Treasures' liner notes writer Josh Kun predicts is, "bound to find its way into DJ chill sets" -- is another previously unissued discovery. Kun, whose book 'Strangers Among Sounds: Music, Race, And America' will be published this year, also writes that "Killing Me Softly" "imagines Roberta Flack on a Mexican vacation, napping in a hammock."

Alpert's said that in interpreting famous popular songs, one of his goals is, "to express the song through the trumpet as if I were singing the lyric," an inspired approach evident throughout 'Lost Treasures.' Other renditions include Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)," Cat Stevens' "The Whistle Star," the early '70s favorite "Popcorn," and two Bacharach/David standards, including "(They Long To Be) Close To You." Featuring Alpert on vocals, it was originally intended to be the follow-up to his 1968 #1 smash "This Guy's In Love With You." Alpert remembers, "recording engineer Larry Levine said he didn't think the song was right for me. I ... gave the song to Richard and Karen Carpenter. The rest is music history. Lucky for them and lucky for A&M records."
And lucky for music lovers, the effortless cool of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass is revisited for past, present and future fans with 'Lost Treasures.' Today, Shout! Factory will also release remasters of the classic TJB albums 'The Lonely Bull' and 'South Of The Border' in its launch of the 'Herb Alpert Signature Series,' which will eventually include all of the Brass' and Herb Alpert's solo albums.
For more information, visit www.herbalpert.com or www.shoutfactory.com

Fascinating release from Alpert ....his companion of rarities ....as with Carpenters As Time Goes By ....

Will be interesting to hear Alpert's takes on Close To You & I'll Never Fall in Love Again ...never sure if Alpert had actually recorded CTY ...as we know he passed on releasing this Bacharach & David song ....allowing Richard's arrangement , Karen's sublime lead vocal & those great Carpenters harmonies to become an instant classic ....

Will wait to obtain Alpert's CD's until over in LA next month ...should be better prices & that exchange rate keeps improving ....thank goodness

Peter

When I talked about Herb's mustache(?) last year, I guessed I like him without mustache better.
When I posted songlist for this album last month, I still thought so.
But I changed my mind after I saw February photos. I like Herb last autumn better.
Herb was talking about Karen. Karen's solo and what she said when she came to see him last time. He looked so sad, but was better looking at that time.

I think I read that "Whipped Cream...." would be releaed next April as one of Signature Series. Does it have bonus track?

Sakura

Has anyone heard of or own an album that Herb Alpert released after Karen passed away. One of the tracks was called Song For Karen or something like that.

I've tried various places, online and elsewhere, but no luck. I know it's deleted now but I'd love to track it down


Love Ellie xxx

Yea!!!! Herb Albert is on the loose again!!!

thestripedtomato, on Feb 24 2005, 05:40 PM, said:

I have not heard Herb Alpert's "Song for Karen".

But Herb played the flugelhorn on "When Time Was All We Had" for Richard's "Time" album.
"When Time Was All We Had" has sub title(?) "Tribute to Karen Carpenter" or "Tribute to Karen".

I have read another "Song for Karen" by Sonic Youth several times before. "Song for Karen" might also be sub title. Marie (? Sorry, I don't remember well) posted the liyric to the song and letter or article last year, I think.

Ellie, when you find Herb's song, please let us know.

Sakura

Thanks Sakura ~ I'll keep you posted on my search. I'm not holding out much hope though, I've been searching for a number of years and have had no luck at all

But I'll keep trying!.



Love Ellie xxx

I just searched for Herb's on the net. I found that he released LP "Blow Your Own Horn" in 1983 on several sites. They mention that it was dedicated to Karen. But the songlist didn't have "Song for Karen".

As for Herb's recording "Close To You", he recorded this song but decided it was not for him and then gave it to Carpenters.
I have read that Herb didn't feel good about "sprinkled moondust in your hair of gold." A Herb Alpert fan said his wife is (wives are?) not blonde.

Sakura

Thanks for the info Sakura


Love Ellie xxx

I guess this is pretty sad to say but the only time I've ever heard Herb Alpert
is on an episode of the Simpsons with Homer making up words to "Spanish Flea "

!!


Love Ellie xxx

"Blow Your Own Horn" has 2 other names, and there are at least 2 different songlists.

"Song for Karen" might be bonus track like Barry's "Shadow Man", "I Don't Wanna Know", "The Walking Wounded", "They Dance! (Extended Version)" and "Life Has Its Ups And Downs" on "Here at the Mayflower".

Sakura

Sakura ~ I've never heard of those songs by Barry. Apart from the ones on "Here At The Mayflower" album. Where can I track them down ??


Love Ellie xxx

There was Carpenters/Barry Manilow website which has Carpenters Special, remix and Barry's bonus track. But webmaster had to close the site.
Die hard fans ordered different CD's on overseas websites.

Sakura

Barry performed "Dancing in the Street" on 23rd and 24th.
I am familiar with lyrics 'Dancing in the Street' in a song but I don't know if I have heard song "Dancing in the Street". Is this song as same as Carpenters'? Which album contains this song?

I found lyrics for Barry's new song for Vegas but where can I hear the song?

Sakura