Our countdown of Local Spins’ most-buzzed-about stories of the year continues with a review of the trumpeter’s May tour stop at DeVos Performance Hall that drew robust standing ovations.
Belying His Age, Embracing His Hits: Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass on stage at DeVos Performance Hall. (Photo/Ross Boissoneau)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Local Spins today continues its Top 10 countdown of its most popular stories of the year with a look back at writer Ross Boissoneau’s review of trumpeter Herb Alpert’s May 11 concert in Grand Rapids.
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Grand Rapids’ DeVos Performance Hall turned into a time machine on a Sunday in mid-May, courtesy of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.
From the black and white video of Alpert and the band as mystery guests on “What’s My Line?” which opened the show, to new renditions of favorites from the days when Alpert outsold the Beatles, the evening was both a trip back in time and a reminder of the joy that music can bring.
The 90-year-old trumpeter still has the verve and charisma he displayed then, tempered by a sense of gratefulness and wonder that he’s still doing what he loves and what audiences love to hear. Not many performers get a standing ovation just by walking on stage. That was just the first of several that visibly touched Alpert, whose playing belied his age.
The hits were plenty: “Spanish Flea,” “Whipped Cream,” a mournful “Smile” with clips of departed friends Burt Bacharach, Jerry Moss, Karen Carpenter. Many tunes were accompanied by video.
There were band performances and scripted shorts (predating MTV), Alpert and company on TV shows like “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In,” or their music on “The Dating Game” and commercials for Clark gum (the Teaberry Shuffle). Alpert’s music was truly ubiquitous.
From ‘Spanish Flea” to
“A Taste of Honey”: Alpert and band. (Photo/Ross Boissoneau)
His interaction with the crowd was casual. He asked for questions or comments. He took suggestions from the audience, though there’s no doubt “Rise” and “This Guy’s In Love With You” were already on the set list.
Alpert’s wife, Lani Hall, sang a medley of tunes, including “One Note Samba” and “The Fool On The Hill” from her time with Sergio Mendes. Like much of the rest of the show, her performance was accompanied by photos and videos, of both Brasil 66 and with Alpert.
“A Taste of Honey” generated another standing ovation, and the frenetic pace of “Zorba The Greek” was enlivened by trombonist Ryan Dragon’s bass trumpet. Throughout the show, the stellar band supported Alpert at every turn, from Bill Cantos on piano, keyboards and marimba and guitarist Kerry Marx to the stellar rhythm section of Hussain Jiffry on bass and Ray Brinker on drums. Kris Bergh joined Alpert on trumpet.
Alpert’s playing actually grew stronger throughout the show. While it likely wouldn’t have mattered to the crowd if he only played a little and let the band do the heavy lifting, that wasn’t the case. He played throughout the night, and the performances of tunes like “Rise” and “A Taste Of Honey” demonstrate he remains a musical force.
Perhaps surprisingly, the full house was not exclusively comprised of those who remember “The Lonely Bull” and “Ladyfingers” from when they topped the charts some six decades ago. While the majority were likely AARP members, there were a number of 30- and 40-somethings and even younger among the crowd.
The evening was proof that good music knows no bounds.
Check out the Local Spins interview with Herb Alpert.
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