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Category Archives: In The News
Originals: “Skokiaan”
“Skokiaan” took the world by storm several decades ago. While it wasn’t strictly a #1 hit, there were so many versions out there that it was hard not to hear the song on radio.
“Skokiaan” was written by Rhodesian (Zimbabwean) musician August Musarurwa in 1954, and was covered by such diverse artists as Louis Armstrong, Perez Prado, Ray Anthony, Spike Jones (as “Japanese Skokiaan” with lyrics by Freddie Morgan), Bill Haley, and yes…Herb Alpert, whose recording landed him on the R&B charts for the first time.
The original recording is by a Rhodesian band called The African Dance Band of the Cold Storage Commission of Southern Rhodesia. We have linked to this version of the track below for your enjoyment.
And…just what is “skokiaan?” It is a type of bootleg alcoholic beverage, usually brewed within a day by someone at home. So, take a few sips and give this a spin!
Originals: That’s The Way of The World
On Herb Alpert’s Beyond album you will find a cover version of the Earth Wind & Fire favorite “That’s The Way of The World.” In memory of leader Maurice White, who passed away yesterday morning (Feb. 4), we give you the EW&F version of that track. It is a song that Maurice closely identified with, despite the fact that it originated from the soundtrack of a barely-screened film that bombed at the box office! Here it is. Enjoy!
Enter our Herb Alpert Signed CD Giveaway!
Two lucky winners will win a copy of the latest Herb Alpert CD, Come Fly With Me, signed personally by Herb Alpert and Lani Hall! To enter the giveaway and read the details, visit our forum. Contest ends on Feb. 21, 2016, so don’t delay!
Click here to jump over to our forum and enter the giveaway.
January 19, 1991: Herb at #1?
On January 19, 1991, Janet Jackson’s hit single “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” reaches #1 on the Billboard singles chart. Making a guest appearance on trumpet is our main man, Herb Alpert. This would be Jackson’s fourth #1 hit, and was part of the Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis produced album Rhythm Nation: 1814. Jam and Lewis would also produce Alpert’s album Keep Your Eye On Me for release in 1990.
Official Reviews are in progress
We are preparing a set of “Official Reviews” of the entire Herb Alpert catalog in our forum. We will begin introducing these reviews over the coming weeks, starting with the brand-new-to-digital releases like Summertime, Coney Island and Main Event Live.
These will coincide with the rebuilding of our discography here on the tijuanabrass.com site. We have delayed our new discography due to the availability of the new remasters, so, we will have the latest information available as each new section launches. Check back often!
JazzTimes reissue article: clarification for our readers
Posted today on the JazzTimes site is an article regarding the reissue of, what, maybe 26 albums by Herb Alpert. The article is indeed confusing, as it seems to indicate that it will only be an iTunes project, and it gets the number of reissues wrong.
First of all, we are assured from Herb’s management that there are a total of 26 reissues, of which the Christmas Album and Whipped Cream are a part of.
The article mentions first “Whipped Cream plus 26 others,” then lists only 25 albums including Whipped Cream. The releases will not be only on iTunes–other digital downloads will be available (including high-resolution), and CD releases will follow in the future.
This is just a clarification for those who were confused by the article. We will always post only official information here at the site, so stop back often for the latest.
Composer/producer Allen Toussaint passes
The legendary composer and producer Allen Toussaint (77) passed away Monday, Nov. 9 while on tour in Europe. Tijuana Brass fans will remember him as the composer of the track “Whipped Cream” from the famous album of the same name (written under the pseudonym Naomi Neville, his mother’s maiden name). This tune was used as one of the themes for the popular game show The Dating Game in the 1960s.
Join our remembrances and read the press release at the A&M Corner Forums.
Beware: Pirated Herb Alpert CDs
An ongoing issue, further complicated by some countries’ copyright laws, has led to ongoing piracy of Herb Alpert’s recordings.
Just as a reminder, going forward, there is only one official label which produces Herb Alpert’s recordings: Herb Alpert Presents.
Aside from Definitive Hits, A&M no longer distributes Herb Alpert’s recordings. The deal with Shout!Factory has also expired, so all that remains are the few albums remaining in stock in the Signature Series.
Any other releases from countries outside the United States are unauthorized, unofficial, and not approved by Herb Alpert Presents. In other words, they are pirated recordings. Quality and sources are questionable–they might be recycled from existing CDs, or made from poorly-transferred needle drops.
For genuine product, buy from reputable sellers, or buy used products of known good quality from sites like Discogs, eBay, and other outlets.
If you own, or are thinking of purchasing, any item that you are uncertain is legitimate, please stop by our Herb Alpert Forum “piracy” thread to inquire as to whether or not your chosen release is indeed legitimate, or not. We are not only helping the artist protect his copyright, we are also helping prevent users from being burned by sub-par products.
Beware of new Herb Alpert CD releases!
We have had a few of our TJB Forum members point out a rash of CD releases showing up on eBay that claim to be “official” CDs. If you want to know what is officially and legally in print, check out our availability thread in the forum. From what our users are saying in this forum thread, these “official” CDs are made from needle drops. Just a reminder to everyone: Herb Alpert owns and controls his master tapes, so any official Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass products would not be released without his approval in any country. A&M Records is no longer involved in Alpert’s recordings.