JazzboCR' s fave discs--an ongoing compendium

[jazzboCR]

Herb Alpert My Abstract Heart "Too carefully crafted" and "soulless--programmatic to an extreme" or "a Big Dog's artistic indulgence"--I've heard them all...and say "So what? It works." Bottom line: I like'm. Mr. Alpert got his start pandering cynically to the masses--those watered-down quasi-Mexican pieces. Took that money and clout, got together with a very sharp cookie (in only the positive sense), Jerry Moss, and started A&M Records. No schlock-meisters they, they gave a start to or a leg up to some serious artists: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26M_Records His late-90's-to-date work has been stunning (dip your cup in the well anywhere--you'll be pleased); he always issued discs sporadically (keeping his hand in the game and his chops fresh) but he caught some late fire, late--sold the company and shed executive responsibilities. This is the least of his modern output...and it's still fun.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAlZ-cerL4s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKHnyBkh91U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_wPxJMKz6E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XNLAtaFLng
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFBpCklWuTI

From this era, you should probably choose '87's Keep Your Eye on Me: http://www.allmusic.com/album/keep-your-...0000188950 << sure could do without his singing--put that breath through your trumpet, Bro.