artist info

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Herb Alpert’s legendary career includes five decades of unprecedented breakthroughs as an artist, record executive and philanthropist. In the past two years alone, he won his ninth GRAMMY® for 2013’s Steppin’ Out and received the National Medal of Arts from President Obama. As impressive as those accolades are, they may soon be overshadowed. Come Fly With Me, his latest studio album (released on September 25 via his own label, Herb Alpert Presents) is some of the best work of Herb Alpert’s career, rivaling his classic Tijuana Brass output. In the past year, Alpert composed seven original songs for the album, drawn from a diversity of musical influences, with inventive arrangements and lush orchestrations. His stirring new material is wonderfully complemented by fresh interpretations of some of the most indelible melodies of the 20th century.

The exciting original compositions on Come Fly With Me were inspired by everything from a Tito Puente rhythm Alpert fell in love with (the propulsive “Night Ride”) to jamming with his world class band in between shows on tour (the fun, reggae–infused “Cheeky” was born of these sessions). On “Walkin’ Tall,” another track with a punchy reggae beat, Alpert’s trumpet melody slinks and slides. Herb’s take on one of Frank Sinatra’s most famous recordings, “Come Fly With Me,” is set to a groovy bossa nova beat with the surprising addition of a steel drum. His sparse take on George Harrison’s “Something” includes the use of an electronic instrument known as an EVI, to play the signature guitar lick from the original recording.

Alpert was always fond of the infectious melody in “Something,” and of George Harrison as a person, who recorded on Alpert’s A&M Records in the seventies. Alpert co–founded A&M in 1962 and headed the label for thirty years. In that time he mentored generations of pop icons, from The Carpenters and Cat Stevens to Sting and Janet Jackson.

A 2006 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Alpert’s albums have sold over 72 million copies, and 29 of his records have reached the Billboard 200. Herb has also dedicated his life to philanthropy, funding music education programs across the country. Through his personal foundation, Herb has helped establish music programs at UCLA and the California Institute of Arts. Both schools have named their programs the Herb Alpert School of Music in his honor. Alpert has also established the Herb Alpert Scholarships for Emerging Young Artists, which help provide tuition to twenty young musicians each year.