Herb Alpert - Music Vol. 1 (2017) [Official Digital Download 24-bit/96kHz]

Joyful, romantic sounds that stir the soul: that’s the overarching theme of Herb Alpert's ‘Music Vol. 1’, the trumpeter and composers’ new work. Alpert's passion for timeless melodies takes the listener on a voyage that spans genres and generations with surprising twists and turns. Always exploring and bursting with creativity, he teamed with GRAMMY-winning producer Jochem van der Saag (whose credits include Andrea Bocelli and Destiny's Child) for the first time, crafting ‘Music Vol. 1’ at Van Der Saag's home studio over the past year.

‘Music Vol. 1’ arrives with a brand new song written by Alpert, the infectiously funky “Sugarfoot.” The euphoric album unfurls with tasteful twists on iconic songs, such as turntable scratches and electronic flourishes on “Unforgettable” and “Cheek to Cheek.” The inclusion of both "Michelle" and "Imagine" point to the near-endless inspiration that Alpert draws from the music of John Lennon and The Beatles. In his hands, “Michelle” starts with lush strings and effortlessly shifts into a swinging, Parisian-inspired jazz motif. Alpert’s lifelong love of Django Reinhardt led him to the classic "C'est Si Bon” and further takes the listener on a trip straight to France, the smell of tulips in the air, lovers walking hand in hand. Herb also puts a fresh, breezy spin on “Flamingo,” a song he first recorded for 1966’s chart-topper ‘SRO.’

Having enjoyed a career resurgence since returning to regular touring and recording in 2007, trumpeter and pop icon Herb Alpert celebrates his ten-year run with 2017's vibrant Music, Vol. 1. As with his more recent releases, Music, Vol. 1 finds him reworking a set of well-curated standards and 20th century pop classics in an electronic-tinged, often dance-oriented style. Included are songs by Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, the Beatles, and others. The difference this time out is that rather than working with any of his longtime collaborators, here Alpert recorded with veteran Dutch producer Jochem van der Saag (Andrea Bocelli, Barbra Streisand, Michael Bublé). The result is an album of kinetic, highly animated arrangements reminiscent of the trumpeter's classic '60s easy listening tracks, but with a modern twist. For fans of Alpert's albums since 2009's comeback Anything Goes, there is plenty to enjoy here, including his Parisian-chanson-meets-midtempo-ska rendition of the Beatles' "Michelle" and his similarly genre-bending swing-meets-electro-reggae take on the standard "Strike Up the Band." We also get similarly effective transmutations like the hip-hop-infused "Unforgettable" (which also features Alpert's boyish vocals), a '90s-style new jack swing version of "You Stepped Out of a Dream," and a jaunty, lounge-ready version of "C'est Si Bon." While the album has a generally lighter emotional tone than Alpert's Grammy-nominated 2016 effort Human Nature, we do get his lovingly rendered, orchestral-synth accented take on John Lennon's "Imagine." Ultimately, with Alpert having entered his octogenarian decade, it's life-affirming to hear him continue to deliver such buoyant and creatively engaged albums as this.

Tracklist:

01 - Flamingo
02 - Unforgettable
03 - Michelle
04 - C'est Si Bon
05 - I'm Yours
06 - Cheek To Cheek
07 - Just A Gigolo
08 - Witchcraft
09 - Sugarfoot
10 - Strike Up The Band
11 - You Stepped Out Of A Dream
12 - Imagine


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