First Listen: Herb Alpert takes us to a “Fantasy”

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    (September 16, 2019) While I was not the biggest fan of my parents’ big band collection, occasionally there were special pop gems in their library awaiting my ears to be pleased. One of those treats was Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass’s early and mid-60’s discography, including Whipped Cream and Other Delights. Now, over five and a half decades later, the producer/songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for his business achievements with Jerry Moss at A&M Records still blows a confidently smooth, funky trumpet, while blending an irresistible mix of pop, Latin, jazz, disco and dashes of succulent soul. Alpert’s latest offering, Over The Rainbow, features several standards crossing over multiple genres.

    (September 16, 2019) While I was not the biggest fan of my parents’ big band collection, occasionally there were special pop gems in their library awaiting my ears to be pleased. One of those treats was Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass’s early and mid-60’s discography, including Whipped Cream and Other Delights. Now, over five and a half decades later, the producer/songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for his business achievements with Jerry Moss at A&M Records still blows a confidently smooth, funky trumpet, while blending an irresistible mix of pop, Latin, jazz, disco and dashes of succulent soul. Alpert’s latest offering, Over The Rainbow, features several standards crossing over multiple genres.

    For our latest installment of First Listen and the second single from Over The Rainbow, “Fantasy” undoubtedly proves Alpert has an effortless way of reshaping this R&B Grammy winner by Earth, Wind & Fire.  Thanks to Alpert’s impeccable trumpet flowing through a samba-grooved orchestration courtesy of “Fantasy’s” co-writer Eduardo del Barrio, this is no ordinary cover arrangement.  Alpert seems to easily navigate any musical landscape to accommodate his appreciation of feel-good melodies, and his stylish improvisations that have attracted international audiences throughout all musical communities for all these years. Check this one out.

    By Peggy Oliver

    Herb Alpert – “Fantasy”