As the lights dimmed and the Tijuana Brass took to the stage and sat in their places on the band stand, a camera roll counted down on the screen behind them to play footage of Herb Alpert's guest appearance on an episode of What's My Line before cutting to an introductory clip by none other than Louis Armstrong. As the band kicked in, the infamous opening notes from the legendary hit "The Lonely Bull" rang out and Herb Alpert, on his 90th birthday no less, strutted on stage with unbelievable swagger, grooving to his ultimate tune as he joined the band and began to unleash the greatest hits from his triumphant career that dates back over six decades. For the first time in forty years, Alpert has revived his renowned backing band the Tijuana Brass and with a new line-up in tow, he brought the hits with him as well. As stellar footage from Alpert's '60s hey day played in the background, he led the band through perfectly played renditions of his biggest numbers from throughout his career and told some stellar along the way. Early on, reflected on his breakthrough album Whipped Cream and told the tale of how the woman on the cover was three months pregnant and they had to actually use shaving cream for the photo. "Spanish Flea" was another gem of the night and naturally he was sure to play clips from The Dating Game in the background before admitting that he also thinks of that show every time he hears the song. In great spirits and a delightful mood all night, his stories would often carry on at great length and he regularly asked the crowd if they had any questions they'd like him to answer, but this mostly turned into song requests and many happy birthday wishes, for which he bashfully accepted. Hitting on notes of mariachi, flamenco, jazz, and classical, his range was just as impressive today as it's been for over half a century and his ability to make these sounds come alive continues to be an incredible achievement that no one should pass up seeing. He told stories in a time line and when he got to 1966, he talked about touring with Sergio Mendes and recording his bossa nova style which was totally groundbreaking at the time. As they went on tour together, Alpert told the band that there was to be no dating any of the singers on the road which was a secret ploy to clear the way for him to make his move on Mendes' vocalist Loni Hall to whom he has been married to ever since. Hall then made a guest appearance to play a few songs from Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 and hearing the original vocalist sing the famous cover of The Beatles' "Fool on the Hill" as well as the all-time "Mas Que Nada" was a surreal and special moment. Fro there, Alpert hit the funk with his disco-laden tune "Rise" and really turned things out with that number, getting the crowd to find a new kind of groove. "A Taste of Honey" was another brilliant moment and it was sensational just how loud, tight, and crisp the band sounded, everyone hitting their notes and allowing Alpert to lead the way with his undeniable flare. However, it was when Herb put down the trumpet and led the group through a stunning take of "This Guy's in Love with You" which had the crowd reeling and resulted in powerful standing ovation that left Alpert choked up with gratitude. Paying tribute to some of his lost colleagues, "Smile" brought the house down before he resurrected the night with "Tijuana Taxi." Heading into the night, things already felt important with the significance of the show occurring on such a monumental birthday, but for the performance to be as mesmerizing really put things over to the next level. To see such a talent was always going to be special, but this somehow surpassed all expectations.
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