If you love Mexican Mariachi music you have probably heard of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Herb Alpert has become a staple at garage sales and if there isn't a worn-out copy of Whipped Cream and Other Delights, then it isn't really a garage sale. It's interesting to look back now on what a phenomenon he really was. Prior to the arrival of the Beatles in North America, Herb Alpert ruled the charts. A little known fact about Herb Alpert is that he is the "A" in "A&M" records. That's a a tidbit of trivia for you to impress, or bore, your friends with.
Herb Alpert was born March 31, 1935, in the incredible city of Los Angeles California. He began playing the trumpet at the age of eight and the world of pop music was never the same. He could even be considered as a forefather of what is now known as world music with his groundbreaking fusion of pop and Mexican Mariachi. Even though he was not born in Mexico, Herb Alpert's music came to personify Mexican culture and definitely piqued many people's interest in Mexico. He had 28 albums on the Billboard charts, sold 72 million copies and has 15 gold records, 14 platinum records and 5 number one hits.
Herb Alpert's first album, Lonely Bull is an all time classic. The opening notes of the title track, with its fake bull fighting sounds, instantly sends one to an idealized Mexico. Sure, a bullfight may never have been as good as the song, but at the same time you can't help but feel surrounded by the crowd as the matador enters the ring. The cover of the album is also a classic. We find Herb sitting sideways on an old chair, looking a little lubricated, with his right arm triumphantly raising a shot of tequila. At his side his trusty horn, a leather bota (probably full of Sangria for when the tequila runs out), an almost empty bottle of tequila, salt, lemon and a knife. What more could anyone want? Well, perhaps, if you are a man, the Senorita who adorns the cover of Whipped Cream and Other Delights would be a welcomed addition.
Whipped Cream and Other Delights is really Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass's masterpiece. It is a pop gem containing 12 songs, yet the entire album only clocks in at just over 28 minutes. Perhaps it is its brevity that has added to its enduring legacy. Simple, concise pop songs that you just can't grow tired of. What really sets this album apart though is it cover. The beautiful Dolores Erickson, with her alluring "come hither " expression, adorns the cover wearing only some strategically placed whipped cream. It truly is a must have record that seamlessly incorporates the best of pop with Mexican Mariachi music. With a garage sale price tag of probably a dollar or less, you really can't go wrong.
People have criticized Herb Alpert for diluting Mexican music, even referring to his work as , "Ameriachi." This is an unfair monicker for his music as he has definitely captured a mood and feeling that is unmistakably Mexican. So if you can't make it to somewhere like Cancun in the near future, a Herb Alpert record is the next best thing.
Herb Alpert was born March 31, 1935, in the incredible city of Los Angeles California. He began playing the trumpet at the age of eight and the world of pop music was never the same. He could even be considered as a forefather of what is now known as world music with his groundbreaking fusion of pop and Mexican Mariachi. Even though he was not born in Mexico, Herb Alpert's music came to personify Mexican culture and definitely piqued many people's interest in Mexico. He had 28 albums on the Billboard charts, sold 72 million copies and has 15 gold records, 14 platinum records and 5 number one hits.
Herb Alpert's first album, Lonely Bull is an all time classic. The opening notes of the title track, with its fake bull fighting sounds, instantly sends one to an idealized Mexico. Sure, a bullfight may never have been as good as the song, but at the same time you can't help but feel surrounded by the crowd as the matador enters the ring. The cover of the album is also a classic. We find Herb sitting sideways on an old chair, looking a little lubricated, with his right arm triumphantly raising a shot of tequila. At his side his trusty horn, a leather bota (probably full of Sangria for when the tequila runs out), an almost empty bottle of tequila, salt, lemon and a knife. What more could anyone want? Well, perhaps, if you are a man, the Senorita who adorns the cover of Whipped Cream and Other Delights would be a welcomed addition.
Whipped Cream and Other Delights is really Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass's masterpiece. It is a pop gem containing 12 songs, yet the entire album only clocks in at just over 28 minutes. Perhaps it is its brevity that has added to its enduring legacy. Simple, concise pop songs that you just can't grow tired of. What really sets this album apart though is it cover. The beautiful Dolores Erickson, with her alluring "come hither " expression, adorns the cover wearing only some strategically placed whipped cream. It truly is a must have record that seamlessly incorporates the best of pop with Mexican Mariachi music. With a garage sale price tag of probably a dollar or less, you really can't go wrong.
People have criticized Herb Alpert for diluting Mexican music, even referring to his work as , "Ameriachi." This is an unfair monicker for his music as he has definitely captured a mood and feeling that is unmistakably Mexican. So if you can't make it to somewhere like Cancun in the near future, a Herb Alpert record is the next best thing.
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