Great Record Labels: A&M Records

Ojai Sam

Ojai Sam

Staff member
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - The Lonely Bull (A&M 101, 1962)

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Vinyl Spin of the Day.

Most of my musical upbringing came from my mom and grandmother, with whom I lived. The only two artists I can thank my dad for are Frankie Yankovic & His Yanks and Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. He used to take me shopping at Fedco on Saturdays (for him, not for me) and bought every TJB album when it came out, in stereo no less. Those were the only records I can recall him ever buying. :meh:

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George McCurn - Country Boy Goes To Town!!!!! (A&M 102, 1963)

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Vinyl Rip of the Day.

This was the second album released by A&M Records, the first by anyone who didn't blow a trumpet. George McCurn's rich bass voice since the late 40's had graced gospel groups from The Kings Of Harmony to The Gospel Harps to The Fairfield Four to The Pilgrim Travelers (where he worked beside Lou Rawls). This hard-to-find album features a dozen songs ranging in style from country soul ala Ray Charles to socially conscious folk like Oscar Brown to straight ahead pop reminiscent of his old mate Lou Rawls. The orchestral arrangements by Shorty Rogers and Herb Alpert keep things interesting without getting in the way. George's cover of "I'm Just A Country Boy" (a long forgotten Harry Belafonte single later made a hit by Don Williams) charted but he would never make another album. Why? Perhaps he tried to cover too many bases. It's too bad because this is a really outstanding record that deserved a much bigger audience.

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Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass - Volume 2 (A&M 103, 1963)

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Vinyl Spin of the Day.

Herb apparently wasn't enamored of his sophomore effort. For years he blocked its release on CD, allegedly because he felt it was technically inferior. To my ears 60 years later, it sounds great. :banana:
 
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Zeeba Neighba said:
Were you spying on me? :nunja: I listened to Herb Alpert & TTB much of the afternoon
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Zeeb, I think you and I are Herb's two biggest fans here at MG. He's still going strong at age 89 on the road with wife Lani Hall, former vocalist with Sergio Mendes. :heart:

www.arkansasonline.com

Herb Alpert still performing, finds his songs in pop culture | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Herb Alpert is still making waves even in his 80s. The iconic trumpeter -- who's scored nine Grammy Awards, 15 Gold albums, 14 Platinum albums, sold more than 72 million records and co-founded A&M records, one of the most successful independent record labels of all time -- is now reaching Gen Z...
www.arkansasonline.com www.arkansasonline.com

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Dave Lewis - Little Green Thing (A&M 105, 1964)

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Vinyl Spin of the Day.

Here is another obscurity from the very early days of A&M Records that deserves to be revisited. His small recorded output belies the significance of Dave Lewis (1938-1998) both artistically and historically. His fascinating life story is recounted in some detail here:
www.historylink.org

Lewis, Dave (1938-1998)

Dave Lewis was the most significant figure on the Pacific Northwest's rhythm & blues scene in the 1950s and 1960s. By 1955 he'd helped found Seattle's first notable teenage doo-wop vocal group (t
www.historylink.org www.historylink.org

The upshot is that Dave's family moved from his birthplace in Texas to Washington State where one of their neighbors was young Quincy Jones. Quincy took music lessons from Dave's father who played guitar. Dave started performing on piano in a doo wop group and soon moved on to a sax-powered R&B combo. In 1963 he took up the Hammond B-3 organ and rose quickly to success in the Seattle area, backed by drummer Dickey Enfield and guitarist Joe Johansen. Along the way, Dave played a major role in desegregating the Seattle music scene by causing the merger of the separate Black musicians' union into the white union.

Jerry Dennon was the top promoter in the Northwest. He founded Jerden Records, a local powerhouse label that launched the careers of Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Kingsmen and many others.

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Jerry Dennon

Dennon produced this highly enjoyable session in Seattle with the aforementioned trio and placed it on A&M Records which had greater national distribution than Jerden. The sound is jazz with a strong R&B influence. Dave splits the difference between Booker T. Jones and Jimmy Smith, but is very much his own man with a fresh, creative style that reflects his many years playing for crowded dances. Unfortunately, Dave would go on to record only two more albums on Jerden and its affiliate Panorama Records before a drug bust and other related legal issues brought his career to a close.

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Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (A&M 116 1966)

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Vinyl Spin of the Day.

I bought this when it came out immediately after hearing "Mais Que Nada" on the radio. It was both the first contemporary jazz record and the first one from South America in my collection. I was and still am overwhelmed by the brilliant blend of solid jazz with Brazilian rhythms, over which the vocals of Lani Hall and Bibi Vogel soar like two angels of harmony. The choice of material starts in Brazil but ranges as far afield as NYC with a sambafied cover of Little Anthony's "Going Out Of My Head" and Liverpool with a bouncy take on "Ticket To Ride".

Herb Alpert signed Sergio and produced this record himself, another instance of his unerring nose for new talent that would flower in the days to come. Lani Hall became Herb's second wife in 1973 and they remain partners both in marriage and on stage to this day.

Way back when, I bought the mono album at Fedco on La Cienega for $2.69 rather than popping for stereo at $3.39. Bad move. After a lot of comparison shopping, I found a stereo copy of the first pressing graded at NM. However, the visible scratches on the disc translated to so much auditory debris that I donated that disc and tried again. This time, I hit the jackpot with shiny pristine vinyl that played brilliantly without a hint of background noise. According to the government's CPI Inflation Calculator, $3.39 in 1966 equates to $32.92 today. Darned if that isn't about what I paid for the second new copy.

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We Five - You Were On My Mind (A&M 111 - 1966)

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For its 11th album release, A&M expanded its reach to contemporary folk music and thereby gained its first Top 30 rock hit. We Five were based in the Bay Area. It was founded by Michael Stewart (1945-2002), brother of John Stewart who was a member of The Kingston Trio during the mid-60's. This album was produced by Frank Werber, the guy who discovered, managed and produced The Kingston Trio.

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Frank Werber (1929-2007)

The album cover and record label both bear the logo of Werber's Trident Productions, and it even shows a separate catalog number.

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The familiar title hit is a bouncy jangle pop reworking of a song by Ian & Sylvia. The rest of the album contains a rather uneasy mix of John Stewart folk songs, Broadway show tunes and current MOR pop hits. "My Favorite Things" is a highlight, with its gorgeous harmony vocals backed by simple acoustic guitar. Elsewhere there are occasional touches of Mike's banjo and electric 9-string guitar. The stylistic blend works very well to keep things fresh, but must have puzzled the teeny boppers who bought the album expecting the sound of the single.

This original incarnation of We Five would go on to record one more album for A&M before lead singer Bev Bivens would leave. Ass the group's official website put it, "Beverly turned her back on stardom to marry, explore experimental music, and become a mom". Their third and final record for Herb and Jerry featured a new singer whom we will meet in due course.

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Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - !!Going Places!! (A&M 4112, 1965)

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Vinyl Spin of the Day.

I've always thought this was by far the best album by the TJB. For their fifth outing, Herb and the boys left behind the mariachi chic that propelled them to stardom in favor of an upbeat, even rocking style with lots of guitar and percussion. Their new musical passport took them from "A Walk In The Black Forest" to "Zorba The Greek" with a brisk ride on the "Tijuana Taxi" for good measure. No fewer than four songs on this album charted pop, with Zorba barely missing the top10 during the heyday of Beatlemania. Breezy liner notes by L.A. Times critic Chuck Champlin add to the fun: "Herb Alpert found [his new sound] by turning to what is probably (rain dances excepted) the oldest organized sound southwest of Dodge City, the strolling Mexican mariachi band."
 
Ojai Sam said:
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - !!Going Places!! (A&M 4112, 1965)

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Vinyl Spin of the Day.

I've always thought this was by far the best album by the TJB. For their fifth outing, Herb and the boys left behind the mariachi chic that propelled them to stardom in favor of an upbeat, even rocking style with lots of guitar and percussion. Their new musical passport took them from "A Walk In The Black Forest" to "Zorba The Greek" with a brisk ride on the "Tijuana Taxi" for good measure. No fewer than four songs on this album charted pop, with Zorba barely missing the top10 during the heyday of Beatlemania. Breezy liner notes by L.A. Times critic Chuck Champlin add to the fun: "Herb Alpert found [his new sound] by turning to what is probably (rain dances excepted) the oldest organized sound southwest of Dodge City, the strolling Mexican mariachi band."
Click to expand...
Plus a fun cover of the Ventures “Walk Don’t Run”
 
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