Herb Alpert

Rewhipped amounts to a pseudo-addition to the original Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass catalog. This album of remixes by late-'90s and 2000-era DJs features new trumpet solos by Herb Alpert on seven tracks. All the cuts here appeared on the original 1965 release, Whipped Cream & Other Delights, though not in the same order. Before rolling your eyes, consider this: the music on this set was regarded not only as hip, but as progressive jazz by many back in the day. Producer Anthony Marinelli supervised all the remixes on the project and contributes six of his own -- including the title track with the aid of the band Ozomatli performing with Alpert. Marinelli is also a composer and keyboard player who has composed soundtracks (Man from Elysian Fields, Time Code) and done session work with everyone from Michael Jackson and James Brown to Giorgio Moroder, Lionel Richie, and Supertramp. Other remixes were done by Thievery Corporation, Mocean Worker, John King, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Camara Kambon, and DJ Foosh. Whatever trepidations one might have about Alpert participating in the project, some of the best cuts on the set work best because he's on them -- the title cut (Marinelli) "El Garbanzo" (M,M&W), and "Peanuts" (Marinelli) -- in part because Alpert's gotten a lot funkier in his old age. Other standouts include the ambient dub that is "Lemon Tree" by Thievery Corporation, John King's dub-jazz-exotica redo of "A Taste of Honey" (the original album's smash single), and Mocean Worker's fine rework of "Bittersweet Samba" with killer berimbau samples grafted on. The only cut that really doesn't work is "Butterball," Although Alpert's solo is hip-cool, the song's added beats don't leave enough of the original to appreciate it -- this is a drag, since all the other tracks keep the basic cut to achieve historic continuity. It's a small complaint since it's the final selection here. Certainly the music on Rewhipped has a somewhat limited appeal, and it's hard to think of the folks who bought Whipped Cream when it was released being interested in it now, but who knows? Hardcore dance music fans will find this a curiosity piece at best, but that doesn't mean it's without musical merit. In fact, ReWhipped has as much aesthetic appeal as its predecessor because the music Alpert and his band made in '65 has aged so well. Judging by his contribution here, Alpert certainly has, too -- at 71, the cat is still swingin'. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide