Hal David RIP

[Ted O'Reilly]

Don't know who it actually was, but a buddy of mine tells the story of getting hired to play a Bacharach "Pops" concert, and Bacharach cajoling him to get the right sound by saying, "Play wispy, like fog, like smoke, like...Herb Alpert".

Now which came first, I don't know. But my buddy was thrown for a BIG loop, because Herb alpert is not exactly "respected" as a "trumpet player", if you know what I mean. But it's interesting to me that Bacharach either found his trumpet muse in Alpert, or Alpert his in Bacharach.

That's who I always 'heard', though it wouldn't be Alpert himself, of course.

That's one of the things I've heard fun-loving trumpet players do backstage: sort of copying each others' sounds. One of the best around Toronto is Guido Basso. Everyone from Harry James to muted Miles to, well, almost anyone. Everyone must have seen the trumpet duel of Al Hirt and Guido by now. Interesting to see the wrong guesses made in the comments section, as to who the Black Hat guy is...

That Johnny Cash show version is actually a remake -- it was done originally in Canada. Here's what Guido told me about that clip: "That is a fun clip and it was really a fun gig hanging with Al Hirt. The original version was done for a television series called "Mallets & Brass", which I co-hosted with Peter Appleyard for the CBC. Arnie (Chycoski -- great Boss Brass lead trumpet) played the bad guy and I was the good guy dressed in white. I won because I was able to play the highest note. Mind you, Arnie could have played my highest note an octave higher, but it was my show and I enjoyed the fixed victory."

[marcello]

Thanks Ted. That was pretty funny.

I wonder how Jon Faddis would do?

[fasstrack]

One of the definers of 20th Century American Pop Music, to be sure.

From the sublime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75WRBvFyh8s

To the scary-as-hell..."Walk Little Dolly" (if you can find it somewhere...)

To...whatever this is...hated it as a kid, love it now. I get it.

Sure, it was Bacharach-David, and Bacharach's production/arranging was genius unto itself, but one could well make the case that without those lyrics, those would never be POP songs, especially not successful ones.

And one could also make the case that not until or after Elvis Costello did Bacharach ever work with a lyricist who got the best out of him.

Did he do Close to You? I usually play that coupled with This Guy's in Love with You. Today I was in such a good mood I sang it on the street! C'mon, everybody: 'That is why...all the boys in town...follow you...' (;