By Dave Babbitt – Special to the Sydenham Current
The moment someone launches into a discussion about their “bucket list” with me, I immediately start to wonder if there is something I am unaware of and if they plan on “checking-out” soon.
I have an aversion to those terms so to protect myself from considering my own eventual demise, I like to think in terms of “things I’d like to eventually do or see”.
As this is an arts column, I won’t discuss the places I’d like to visit and keep my discussion to the art experiences I would like to take-in.
In thinking about the things I’d like to do or see, I must first reflect on some of my greatest experiences to date.
I’ve likely taken-in several hundred concert experiences, some of which were amateur productions, but most of which I chose to use my hard-earned money to purchase tickets for.
The very fact that I was willing to shell out money for tickets should be an indication that I knew what I was in for and enjoyed them. After all, who buys tickets to a show to see or hear an artist they know nothing about?
There is an endless stream of artists that come and go but over time, some stand out and earn more of a legendary status.
Legendary performers I’ve had the good fortune to see in-person would include Johnny Cash, Tony Bennett, the original Beach Boys line-up of Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson along with Al Jardine and Mike Love, the original versions of the Eagles and Chicago, the great drummer Buddy Rich, trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, Count Basie, the Statler Brothers, Andy Williams, Paul McCartney, Gordon Lightfoot, and Wynton Marsalis.
I try not to think in terms of “regrets” but the one performer I had the opportunity to see but failed to buy the tickets for was Frank Sinatra. Frank was playing at the Premier Centre in Sterling Heights in March of 1984 and I still kick myself.
Being a kid in the 60’s, I wasn’t yet of concert going age but there were a few legendary performers I would often see on the great variety shows of the day and wished I was old enough to attend one of their concerts.
Those artists would include Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Mills Brothers.
But back to my list of “things I’d eventually like to see”.
While music is of course my main interest, there are many artistic venues and performers I’ve yet to take-in.
I haven’t made it to the Louvre, Carnegie Hall, the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, Stratford-upon-Avon, Basin Street, The Met, the Smithsonian, or Royal Albert Hall.
A few of the music performers I wish that I had taken-in but are beyond their “best before date” would include Willie Nelson, the Rolling Stones, and Doc Severinson.
Long on my list of “things I’d like to eventually see”, but never seemed possible, would be to see my trumpet hero and inspiration for taking up the trumpet in 1967, Herb Alpert.
As I began writing this column, a feed on my phone alerted me to the fact that Herb Alpert was turning 90 today!
Herb Alpert became outrageously popular in the 1960’s and it was largely a fluke.
While a very good trumpet player, Herb was not a “screamer” like most of the lead trumpet artists are today, but he possessed a beautiful timbre and his release of the notes was incredibly unique.
After attending a bullfight in Tijuana, Mexico, he became inspired by the excitement of the crowd, the mariachi music, and the playing of the trumpet to signal the start of the fight.
He then composed the song “The Lonely Bull”, financed the recording of his first album himself, hired members of the famous “Wrecking Crew” to back him up naming the group the Tijuana Brass, overdubbed his own trumpet playing, and the rest is history.
The Lonely Bull became a Top 10 hit and suddenly, there was demand for his music, but there was no such thing as the Tijuana Brass as they were all just session players.
With a hit record on his hands, Herb was pressured to tour and was forced to quickly put together a crack band that he could tour with and in doing so, made history.
Album after album sold in unheard of numbers, especially for an instrumental group.
Neither before nor since has an instrumental group become such a “pop” hit that they sell-out giant arenas like Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass did.
As an indication of his popularity, the album Whipped Cream and Other Delights outsold the Beatles in 1966!
Then, at the height of fame and popularity however, Herb Alpert quit touring and disbanded the Tijuana Brass, rarely ever re-visiting the music that made him so famous.
Herb is a multi-talented man and since his recording fame, has also become renowned for his painting and sculpting atop his musical prowess.
Last year, I heard that Herb Alpert was coming to Canada and was playing in Toronto in August.
I was all excited to go see my trumpet hero but being summer, I lost track of time and sadly, missed the concert.
However, after receiving notification of Herb’s 90th birthday today, it made me visit his website and I noticed that he is touring again and even more exciting is the fact that he is now embracing the Tijuana Brass music once again!
I’m excited to say that I’ve just purchased my tickets and am going to see and hear my trumpet hero and inspiration on May 11th in Grand Rapids, Michigan!
I was far too young to see Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass at the height of their popularity and while Herb has toured through the intervening years, he hadn’t really acknowledged the music of the Tijuana Brass.
This will undoubtedly be my only opportunity to ever see Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, and this is beyond exciting for me!
On May 11th, unexpectedly I’ll be able to cross Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass off my “things I’d like to eventually do or see” list.
And I’m hoping this doesn’t mean that I’m checking out soon!
