The Herb Alpert/Tijuana Brass Discography


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Discographies:   TJB Pg: 1 2 3 4 5  •  Solo Herb Alpert Pg: 1 2 3 4 5

Herb Alpert Solo Discography • Page 2

Herb Alpert: Magic Man Magic Man
A&M Records CD-3728

Produced by Herb Alpert and Michael Stokes
Released 1981

Track listing:

  1. Magic Man (Herb Alpert, Michael Stokes, Melvin Ragin)
  2. Manhattan Melody (Herb Alpert, Michael Stokes, Michel Colombier)
  3. I Get It From You (Richard Page, Steven George, John Lang)
  4. Secret Garden (Herb Alpert)
  5. Besame Mucho (Consuelo Velazquez)
  6. This One's For Me (Richard Kerr)
  7. Fantasy Island (Herb Alpert)
  8. You Smile--The Song Begins (Herb Alpert)

Musicians: Herb Alpert (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals, keyboards), Michael Stokes (keyboards), Abraham Laboriel (bass, guitar on "Besame Mucho"), David Foster (keyboards on "I Get It From You"), Paulinho Da Costa (percussion), Steve Lukather (guitar), Steve Forman (percussion), Julius Wechter (vibes, marimba), John Robinson (drums), Steve Porcaro (synthesizer), Eddie "Bongo" Brown (bongo, conga), Freddie Washington (bass on "Magic Man"), Michel Colombier (keyboards), Jeremy Lubbock (keyboards on "This One's For Me"), Gayle Levant (harp), Richard Page and Steven George (background vocals on "I Get It From You"), James Gadson (drums), and Wah Wah Watson (guitar on "Magic Man").

Magic Man continues in the plesant vibe that Beyond introduced. There are a few standout tracks here, including the lightly funky title track, a mechanized "Besame Mucho", a remake of "You Smile--The Song Begins" and "Manhattan Melody". There's also the expected vocal contribution, "I Get It From You". Again, the musicians are another studio who's who, including members of the rock group Toto, pop music songsmith David Foster, and old friend Julius Wechter in his usual vibes and marimba seat.


Herb Alpert: Fandango Fandango
A&M Records CD-3731

Produced by Jose Quintana and Herb Alpert
Recorded in Mexico City
Released 1982

Track listing:

  1. Fandango (Juan Carlos Calderon)
  2. Margarita (Juan Carlos Calderon)
  3. Push And Pull (Juan Carlos Calderon)
  4. California Blues (Juan Carlos Calderon)
  5. Quiereme Tal Como Soy (Rafael Perez-Botija)
  6. Route 101 (Juan Carlos Calderon)
  7. Coco Loco (La Guajira) (Diego Verdaguer)
  8. Aria (Eduardo Magallanes)
  9. Angel (Juan Carlos Calderon)
  10. Sugarloaf (Erasmas Carlos, Roberto Carlos)
  11. Latin Medley: Frenesi, Bahia, Moliendo Cafe, Porompompero
    (Dominguez, Barroso, Manzo, Ochiata/Valerio/Solano)

Musicians: Herb Alpert (trumpets, vocals), Abraham Laboriel (guitar, bass), Carlos Vega (drums), Michel Colombier (keyboards), Bill Cuomo (keyboards), Miguel Peña (guitar), Paulinho Da Costa (percussion), "Ready" Freddie Washington (bass), Carlos Rios (guitar), Julius Wechter (marimba), Gayle Levant (harp), Herb Alpert, Mary Hylan, Darlene Kolden-Hoven, Marie Cain (background vocals).

Fandango is often cited as the favorite Herb Alpert solo album. And it is for good reason: Fandango is indeed one of his finest accomplishments. In one stroke, he not only makes an album that could only be made by Herb Alpert, he also creates an album that Tijuana Brass diehards can relate to. Recorded in Mexico City, and featuring producer José Quintana and the songs of composer Juan Carlos Calderon, this album is unabashedly Latin in character. It seems ready-made for the Latin Top 40! The songs are all engaging, well performed, and evoke a Spanish spirit that not even Tijuana Brass albums can touch.

The album opens with the title track, "Fandango", with more than a touch of Spanish flamenco rhythms. "Push And Pull" joins a funky beat with a Latin-drenched melody line laid down by Herb's smooth trumpet. "California Blues" is one of those "lonely" types of tunes that have a haunting melody and an attitude of sorrow. "Quiereme Tal Como Soy (Love Me The Way I Am)" is a love ballad of Latin proportions that features Herb on one of his finest vocal performances, in Spanish. "Route 101" is probably the best track on the album--a memorable melody, a propulsive rhythm, and again that "Latin pop" sound that gives it a distinctive edge. "Aria" is a dramatic piece that is as gentle as a lullaby one minute and forceful the next.

If there is any one album in all of Herb Alpert's catalog that pools all of his greatest talents in one place, Fandango does it in spades. It's an album worth tracking down if you don't have it, and it's also an album that will appeal to non-Alpert fans.


Herb Alpert: Blow Your Own Horn Blow Your Own Horn
A&M Records SP-4949

Produced by Herb Alpert and others
Released 1983

Track listing:

  1. Red Hot (remix) (Howard Massey)
  2. True Confessions (Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Harold Beatty)
  3. Blow Your Own Horn (Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland)
  4. Gently (Suavemente) (Sergio Gustavo Andrade Sanchez)
  5. The Midnight Tango (Andy Armer, Randy Badazz)
  6. Garden Party (Eythor Gunnarsson)
  7. Paradise Cove (Lee Ritenour)
  8. Latin Lady (Juan Carlos Calderon)
  9. Oriental Eyes (Juan Carlos Calderon)
  10. Sundown (Juan Carlos Calderon)

Musicians include: Herb Alpert (trumpets, vocals, percussion, keyboards), Lee Ritenour (guitar on "Paradise Cove"), Nathan East (bass), Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar), Bill Cuomo (keyboards), Ernie Watts (tenor sax), and others.

After the excellent Fandango, Blow Your Own Horn finds Alpert treading water. The album appears to be a project comprised of odds and ends. The first is a remix of a track from Beyond, "Red Hot". Two tracks, "True Confessions" and the title track, were a project Alpert did with Motown legends Holland-Dozier-Holland...but ultimately it comes off more as pleasant soul rather than having that early Motown "magic" to it. A couple of leftovers from Armer and Badazz are evident in "The Midnight Tango" and "Red Hot". And there are three remnants of Fandango here in the Jose Quintana produced "Latin Lady", "Oriental Eyes" and "Sundown". All in all, it still is a pleasant album with Alpert touch, but really breaks no new musical ground. After this album, Herb would reunite the Tijuana Brass for an album (Bullish) and a tour featuring various TJB alumni.


Herb Alpert: Wild Romance Wild Romance
A&M Records CD-5082

Produced by Herb Alpert and Romeo J. Williams, except "African Flame" produced by Herb Alpert.
Released 1985

Track listing:

  1. "8" Ball
  2. Wild Romance
  3. You Are The One
  4. Lady Love
  5. It's All For You
  6. Catch Me
  7. African Flame
  8. Dancing In The Light
  9. No Time For Time

Musicians: Herb Alpert (trumpet, vocals), Romeo Williams (bass), John Barnes (keyboards), Paulinho Da Costa (percussion), Quentin Dennard (fat snare drum), Brenda Russell (vocals), David Lasley (background vocals), Carlos Rios (guitar), Frank Hamilton (keyboards), Charles Fearing (guitar), Fred Johnson (snare drum), Michel Colombier (keyboards), Steve Forman (percussion), Lani Hall (background vocals), Marva King (background vocals), Petsye Powell (background vocals).

This would be one of Herb Alpert's "producer" albums. Unfortunately, it's not one of his better ones, being rather atypical for his style. To describe it: lightweight R&B tunes set to a mild funk beat. Except for a few of the better tracks, the songwriting is nothing spectacular. The track ""8" Ball" is probably the funkiest thing on this disc, with a stuttering dance groove, and notable for its 12" single that actually looked like a giant 8-ball. Unfortunately, that's about the only notable about this recording.


Herb Alpert: A&M Classics Vol. 20 A&M Classics Vol. 20
A&M Records CD-2518

Released 1987

Track listing:

  1. Route 101 (from Fandango)
  2. Rise (from Rise)
  3. Red Hot (remix, from Blow Your Own Horn)
  4. You Are The One (from Wild Romance)
  5. Fandango (from Fandango)
  6. Garden Party (from Blow Your Own Horn)
  7. It's All For You (from Wild Romance)
  8. Magic Man (from Magic Man)
  9. Rotation (from Rise)
  10. "8" Ball (from Wild Romance)
  11. Street Life (from Rise)
  12. Maniac (from Bullish)
  13. Bullish (from Bullish)
  14. Beyond (from Beyond)

So far, this is A&M's only domestic compilation of Herb Alpert's solo tracks. Unfortunately, there's only one track each from Beyond and Magic Man, and Just You and Me and the Alpert/Masekela projects are ignored, but there are three from Wild Romance. Since this appeared before Keep Your Eye On Me, this compilation only covers his first few solo recordings. Hopes are for a more complete compilation of his A&M solo tracks in the coming years.


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Discographies:   TJB Pg: 1 2 3 4 5  •  Solo Herb Alpert Pg: 1 2 3 4 5


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