I grew up seeing this album in my parents' music collection. I was completely fascinated by the lady covered in whipped cream (shaving cream, actually, as I later came to find out, due to whipped cream's tendency to melt underneath studio lights). What I really loved, though, was the music that came from this album. Who knew I would be touched at such an early age....by a trumpet.
At age five, I would sit for hours by the fire and the Christmas tree, pretending to play various musical instruments, while Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass played their festive, happy-making Christmas tunes:
My own children have grown up with Herb in the house...every December 1st, this cd is the first to be played in honor of the upcoming holiday season. My boys appreciate the genius of Herb (almost) as much as I do, which makes me love them even more.
Some will find this style of music dated and corny. Many may feel a trumpet can't exclusively carry a song, but Herb's trumpet stirred something in my little girl soul that I carried with me into adulthood. To this day, it makes me happy, makes me smile, and reminds me of the little girl who used to sit, completely mesmerized, on her parents' living room floor, drumming on every object around her, while Herb passionately trumpeted away.
Want to travel back in time with me, just for a few minutes? You won't regret it. This is a great song - and an amazing video (especially considering it was 1966):
Do you want to know why I wrote this post today?
I'm going to see Herb Alpert tonight - for the first time. He's playing live, in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, jazz singer, Lani Hall. He won't be with his earlier backup band, the Tijuana Brass, but I will be within a few feet of the man I have loved to listen to since I was five.
Picture me smiling.
Clearly that album has been a great influence on your life - your blog is color coordinated to it. Yes, I do remember it - it was in my parents' collection, too.
ReplyDeleteHave a great time tonight!
yes, Herb was part of our household, I didn't tell my parents, but I secretly wanted to be the girl wrapped in creme.
ReplyDeleteWow. Thats some album cover. Is this where your love of whipped cream came from? Snort.
ReplyDeleteYou are gonna have a super, fabulous time at the concert. So much fun. And think of all the new memories that you will be making with Herb.
And to think that I played the cornet(very similar to the trumpet)in band and never even knew about Herb till I met you. Sigh. I feel cheated.
wow thanks for this. My parents had that album. They had a big stero and I would play this on the record player to listen to it:)
ReplyDeleteA blast from the past. After listening and viewing the video it brings forth wonderful pre-teen memories! Have a wonderful time Danni and I see the tickets were reasonably priced not so easy to come by these days.
ReplyDeleteHave great fun!! Smile lots and dream of warm, sunny beaches.
ReplyDeleteAw man! I am so jealous. I too grew up listening to his albums. I may have bit the hook a bit harder than you, however. I joined band in the 5th grade and still play trumpet almost everyday - some 30 years later.
ReplyDeleteYou have great taste in music! Not only that, Herb, Lani & the band will absolutely knock yours socks off! I have seen them 7 times since Herb put this group together in the Spring of '07. Seeing and hearing them sing and play are definitely the high points of a lifetime. Keep fingers crossed for Herb to win a Grammy for "Besame Mucho."
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Lani Hall was his wife!! TWO good reasons to go to the show.
ReplyDeleteMy folks had both those albums. Even at12 years old, I wondered 'what the heck is Herb thinking' on that album cover?
Have fun! Tap your toes and swing to the music. And write about it so we know!
Well, you just have a great time and if anyone asked you to bring shaving lotion...,go for it.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to see this album, this is some of the first music I ever remember hearing as a child. I grew up in California so there was a lot of folk music coming out around the same time but my father also had this album in his collection and would play the song "A taste of Honey" on the guitar. Thanks for the fond memories, enjoy the show!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Herb Albert too, and I'm envious of your night out on the town tonight! Have a great time, as I know you will. I can't wait to hear all about it. . . and thanks for the video!
ReplyDeleteI remember that cover. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteGosh, that means you're there right now! I hope you are enjoying the concert!
ReplyDeleteI remember my parents had a lot of John Denver...not nearly so romantic.
ReplyDeleteAh, Herb Albert! Growing up in the 60's my Grandmother listened to him all the time. One of the greats! No reason to say have a good time tonight, because you will and are having a GREAT time! Looking forward to hearing about the concert.
ReplyDeleteI've always liked Herb's music. Great stuff.
ReplyDeletei was obsessed with herb alpert! i love his music. i can't wait to hear how the concert was. a little known fact is that llamas love herb's music too. so do donkeys!
ReplyDeleteWell, your evening is over by now, but I know you had an absolutely wonderful time. That video was really awesome!
ReplyDeleteWe had this album as well. I always liked the name of his band - it sounded so exotic back then. I hope you enjoyed the show. It's great to see someone that you liked when you were young. I saw Donny Osmond a couple of years ago - that was fun!
ReplyDeleteThat made me smile too. My Mom was the one who introduced me to a variety of music genres and Herb Albert was among them. I know this song very well. I may even have been influenced in some way by it to take up the trumpet in band class. I used to play this song...not as well, I admit. Memories....
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed the performance!
Ooooo. They should have tossed a few Peanuts on that girl. That would have been better. The goatmother used to have this album and so did the goatfather. The goatfather plays the trumpet. Who knows? That might be why she married him.
ReplyDeleteWow wonderful Dani!!! Have a great time!
ReplyDeleteSo, how was the concert? We are dying to har about it! Hope you had a great time!
ReplyDeleteI was old enough in the 60s to actually own that album. And what happy music it was! And Lani Hall is great -- you must have had a wonderful evening.
ReplyDeleteWow Marcee, my hubby played the cornet too!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up we were in a Streisand house. So all I can say is,
People..... people who like trumpets, are the luckiest people..
in...... the......world.
Hope you had fun!
So.......how was it???? Isn't it amazing how music just takes you back to a happy place and time? The one that does it for me is James Taylor. Hope you enjoyed the heck out of yourself.
ReplyDeleteWhere in the world did you find that video? Fabulous!
ReplyDeleteDo you remember me dancing around the house to these Herb sounds while you were drumming on everything? I really felt his music in my blood and simply could not sit or stand still whenever we played it. Just thinking about it makes my heart beat a little faster.
I am so glad you have these memories and that you get to see Herb in person! How cool is that?
I am so glad you posted this as I found this album the other night at my mom's (she was going to give it away!) and wanted my husband to hear it (he is Cuban and can appreciate a good horn), but the record player is loooooong gone. We had fun watching the video. Hope you had fun at the concert and thanks!
ReplyDeleteStill have that album, btw. Perhaps we have more in common than we knew! I'll have to touch base the next time we make it to your side.
ReplyDeletePeace!
I love you ALL. These comments on Herb made me so DANG happy, I can hardly stand it.
ReplyDeletethe7msn: Wow....ha, ha. How weird is that? You are right, I hadn't noticed this.
Joanna at BDW: This made me laugh out loud - it seems like everyone had an emotional reaction to the album cover, clearly yours was physical, too! LOL :-)
frugalmom: See? 7msn says my blog colors match the album and you KNOW how much I love whipped cream...did this guy have an even bigger impact on my life that I was aware of?! :-)
sadie - Thanks for your comment! Isn't it funny the things that leave a mark on us?
Dog Trot Farm: Music and smells - these are things that can propel me back to times in my life I thought I had long forgotten. Boy am I glad that your pre-teen memories were wonderful or I would've felt really badly!! LOL
CeeCee: Thanks! And I'm pretty much always dreaming of those. :-)
Cedar View Paint Horses: Maybe Herb & Lani will come to your neck of the woods? I am envious that your obsession took a more productive direction than mine did. While I was drumming on tables and boxes, you were actually learning to play the actual magical instrument! I'm impressed you're still playing!
Anonymous - you've made me SO curious...How have you seen them 7 times - do you live in the LA area? I have to tell you...Besame Mucho...it was AWESOME - I've watched/listened to some of Herb's other performances on YouTube and he really pulled out all the stops for Portland version - talk about incredible energy!!! (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that Grammy!!)
Brenda's Arizona - Hi!!! Thank you for commenting. Herb mentioned at the concert that he and Lani have been married for 36 (!!) years (and together for 41)...what incredible performers.
Farmlady - Nobody asked me to bring shaving lotion, but a number of people brought their original "Whipped Cream and Other Delights" albums and were waving them all over the place. :)
Hi Laura! Truly, I think this is some of the first music I remember hearing, too. It certainly impacted me the most. Those childhood memories last a lifetime, don't they?
CaliforniaGrammy: Somehow, I knew you'd be a fan, too! :-)
Goatgirl: Love it or hate it, I think everyone "of a certain age" remembers this album cover! lol
Leigh: We had SO much fun!
Carolyn: Ha, ha - this made me laugh. Especially since when I first read "John Denver", Bob Denver (Gilligan) came to mind. LOL
AJ-OAKS: Wow, he really spans the generations, doesn't he? Your grandmother, my parents, me, my kids...Herb is TIMELESS!!
Farmer Jen: I love that he's putting out new stuff!
ReplyDeleteJaz@octoberfarm: I have to get some Herb up to the barn, then...can't you just see the llamas, donkey and me all bouncing around to Herb? :-)
basicliving: We did - we had an amazing time!!
Linda: The best part is that my husband had an absolute ball, too. Herb really is a tremendous musician. He may not be for everybody, but nobody can deny that this man can really play the trumpet!!
Carolynn: You used to play "A Taste of Honey"??!! Gosh, I just continue to learn new things about you all the time. Do you still play?
Marigold: snort...somehow having this lady covered in peanuts just wouldn't have had the same effect, I'm thinking.... :-) And I'm jealous! You can actually lean your head out of the barn and hear live trumpet playing? sighhhhhh....
Eve: Thank you :-) - we did!!
Razzberry Corner: Awesome, simply awesome. I've blogged about it today....
Canyon girl: It is happy music, isn't it? I didn't know who Lani Hall was before this, but I am incredibly impressed now. What a voice!
sugarcreekstuff: funny, funny girl. :-)
Jane K: Hi!!! It really is amazing the power that music can have over our lives. The concert was magnificent - Portland really loves Herb Alpert - the mood was incredible.
Zitrone: I do not remember you dancing to Herb...I do remember your smooth moves to Manhattan Transfer, though. :-)
Stacia: Thank you for visiting my blog! What did your husband think?? Do we have a new Herb Alpert convert? :-)
Meadowlark: What? You didn't think we had a lot in common already? :-) Did I mention that my new farrier is also a part-time police officer? That would be fun to connect! :-)