Dave Whitney and Jeff Hughes, trumpet and flugelhorn, Dan Gabel trombone/vocals, Steve Dale piano, Jon Wheatley guitar, Dave LeBleu electric string bass, Reid Jorgensen drums

Dave Whitney brought together seven of New England’s finest Jazz musicians and promised some mid-60’s Herb Alpert Tijuana Brass, and maybe a few surprises.

Dave was fortunate to pick up some old Herb Alpert band music at a music store (for $2.95). He kicked this tribute off with Lonely Bull, released in 1962, the debut album from Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.  It was also the first album ever released by A&M Records, founded by Alpert and Jerry Moss.  They played  many tunes from the “Whipped Cream Album”, starting with Green Peppers.

The first surprise was Dan Gabel whistling Acapulco, backed by Jeff Hughes elegant trumpet and Reid’s rim tapping drums, from the first album.  Dan is a brilliant light on the future of our local music scene, whistling  as well as Ted Weems on a full chorus of What’s New?    He does impersonations, singing Gus Kahn-Isham Jones’ It Had To Be You, like a resurrected Bing Crosby, complete with “ba ba boo”.  He even used marimbas to accent the Spanish beat on What Now My Love?  He went wild on trombone for Tijuana Taxi, a bossa nova.

Dan Gabel whistles the whole melody

Dan crooning Bing Crosby

In November 1966, Alpert released “SRO”, his fourth album to place in the Top 10 in 1966, ultimately reaching the #2 spot.  From SRO, I Will Wait For You, two trumpets complemented each other.  Also from SRO Dave almost stumped the band playing Wall St. Rag in Dixieland style, ending in a touching fadeout.

 

Dave moved back to his Jazz roots with some ‘good ol’ good ones’, calling all dancers up with one of his favorites, Whipped Cream.  John and Gisela Brunaccini were up in a flash.

They danced all night, fox trot, bossa nova, a jazz waltz from the “Whipped Cream” album, A Taste of Honey.  They celebrated their 65^th wedding anniversary two days later.

 

“Going Places” was Herb’s fifth album and one of his most popular releases.  Steve Dale was featured on piano with A Walk in The Black Forest.

Dave Whitney’s trumpet is immediately recognizable. He was influenced by Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Bobby Hackett and many other great trumpeters of the pre-bop era.  Dave has been called “Premier early style trumpeter” of this area and “Dean of swing trumpet”.  He confirmed it on trumpet and vocal with the rhythm section with I’m Confessing”.

They added more featured players.  Jeff doing Kurt Weill’s Speak Low, in a Latin beat on flugel horn, with nice solos from the members of the band. Always the gentleman, Jeff traded 4s with all the others, giving all a chance to shine.  LeBleu stretched it out on the electric bass.

Dave LeBleu on electic bass

Jon Wheatley, guitar

Dave usually has Eric Baldwin on guitar, but tonight we had the great Jon Wheatley with a sweet, moody Slow Burning by George Smith, a very well respected studio guitarist. Bert Bacharach’s 1968 This Guy’s In Love With You, let Jon stretch out, with Jeff’s soft flugelhorn behind Dave’s vocal.

 

 

A Portuguese tune, A Banda came from ”Herb Alpert’s Ninth” album; formidable drum solo by Reid Jorgensen.

 

 

 

Good Morning, Mr. Sunshine from their 1969  “The Brass Are Coming” album was a change of pace.  Dave and Jeff, masters of tone and phrasing, played it with flugelhorns, then trumpets trading 4s, with fabulous trombone by Gabel.  Both trumpets made Georgia Brown a Killer!

Lollipops and Roses was a beautiful arrangement, Herb recorded on the “Whipped Cream” album with his wife, Lany Hall.   More And More Amore had everyone reading the charts. For his special, Dan Gabel chose the 1932 Tommy Dorsey theme, I’m Getting Sentimental Over You from “Going Places”, two trumpets modulating, front line splitting one chorus.

Dave kept his promise.  They played some music of Louis, Bunny, Bix, but never lost track of Herb.   From The Tijuana Brass’s 3^rd album, “South of The Border”, he chose an appropriate Finale – Adios, mi Corazon.

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Herb Alpert, born March 31, 1935, was best known as leader of the Tijuana Brass, but was one of the few who also succeeded playing solo albums.   He is now 78 (that’s a great age!) and spends his time creating abstract expressionist paintings and sculpture which are on occasion publicly exhibited. Alpert and wife Lani Hall are substantial philanthropists through the operation of the Herb Alpert Foundation.