Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights at the Hollywood Bowl, July 5th, 2026
I was not very long out of my mother’s womb when noted trumpeter, composer, band leader, and co-founder of A & M Records Herb Alpert began his string of 1960s hits. Even so, I remember his music being everywhere a listener could prick up their ears: radio, television, movie soundtracks, etc. More importantly, I remember liking it. Quite a lot. And though I was unaware at the time, the sound of Herb Alpert helped pave the way toward my love for that elusive genre that came to be called world music. Sure, there are those who dismissed (and continue to dismiss) his tunes as uncool, overly commercial, unauthentic or kitschy. And while Alpert’s music may have lacked the cultural impact of the rock and roll that shared the same heyday and airwaves, it had its own sense of understated power and glory.
Herb Alpert is now 91 years old and completely retains the ability to make his horn convey moods that mix jazz, Latin and pop sensibilities to the best advantage of all. The capacity crowd at the Hollywood Bowl wholeheartedly agreed even before a single note was blown, cheering at full volume as Alpert half-danced, half-strutted his way onstage with trumpet in hand, took a center seat among the current lineup of the Tijuana Brass and kicked the evening off with the familiar majestic tones of his first chart hit, 1962’s “The Lonely Bull.”
And the hits kept coming, including such iconic selections as “A Taste of Honey,” “Spanish Flea,” “Tijuana Taxi,” “Casino Royale” and the singalong-primed “This Guy’s in Love With You.” Most retained their original radio friendly airs, but a few, notably “Love Potion No. 9” and Alpert’s 1979 comeback hit “Rise,” were jammed out to higher heights. All the while, the band, comprised of a second trumpeter, trombonist, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and keyboardist who doubled on marimba, displayed top-notch chops in response to Alpert’s every precise cue as leader. An unexpected but very fine mid-set drum solo, straight out of the arena rock playbook, further shattered any prospect of predictability.
Although there were video screens showing old clips and related images in addition to views of what was happening in front of us, the music spoke perfectly well for itself. Alpert and his crew played with fire and finesse throughout a generous set complete with encores, leaving the audience (a very diverse one in terms of age and ethnicity) in a collectively thrilled state that was unmistakable.
It’s anyone’s guess as to how much longer Herb Alpert can keep doing what he still does so well. But however long that is, he should stick with it and all interested parties should go and see him do it.
Author: Tom Orr
Tom Orr is a California-based writer whose talent and mental stability are of an equally questionable nature. His hobbies include ignoring trends, striking dramatic poses in front of his ever-tolerant wife and watching helplessly as his kids surpass him in all desirable traits.