Hits ‘Rewhipped’

A delightful 1960s album by Herb Alpert has been updated with new treats

It must be good to be Herb Alpert these days.

His series of pop instrumental records with the Tijuana Brass, indicative of the buoyant mood and spirit of the 1960s when they were first released, was well received a second time around when they were reissued on CD last year. And the trumpeter, along with his business partner, A&M Records co-founder Jerry Moss, will be honored with a lifetime achievement award at induction ceremonies at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame next Tuesday.

"Whipped Cream & Other Delights Rewhipped" Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass (Shout! Factory)

Alpert's most popular '60s album, "Whipped Cream & Other Delights" from 1965, has been remixed, re-imagined and "rewhipped," and is in stores this week. Also taking a cue from the teasing original cover shot, which featured a shaving cream-covered Dolores Erickson, "Rewhipped" features a couple of yummy photos of Guess? model Bree Condon in all her cream-bikinied splendor.

Once you can pry your gaze away from the comely Ms. Condon, the music contained is basically a dreamy, down-tempo selection of confections that uses the spry and bright original songs for inspiration. Speaking of inspiration, Alpert himself laid down some new trumpet solo tracks on most of "Rewhipped."

Half the album's selections feature the work of veteran studio musician and movie score composer Anthony Marinelli, with two of them collaborations with local favorites, the Los Angeles-based Latin-Mexican collective Ozomatli.

The title track is slowed to a hip-hop, head-bobbin' groove, a nice touch being the Mexican-flavored bridge, complete with "tres" and group vocals. Their contemporary take on "Love Potion No. 9" is the most aggressive rhythmically on the album, with band member Asdru Sierra singing the famous Lieber-and-Stoller lyrics.

Marinelli also arranges an appealingly funky feel to "Lollipops and Roses" that is very much in the spirit of the original, and brings out Alpert's best trumpet-playing on an engaging reworking of "Peanuts."

The rest of the crop is up to par, with only German DJ Foosh's remix of "Tangerine" coming off rather slack. "A Taste of Honey" (John King of the Dust Brothers) and "Ladyfingers" (Camara Kambon, another movie music composer) both have a sonically gauzy feel, the original recordings only distant memories. Eric Hilton and Rob Garza of the Thievery Corporation swathe "Lemon Tree" in an Indian fantasia.

My two favorites are Mocean Worker's Brazilian-beat workout on "Bittersweet Samba" and "El Garbanzo," from the always astute jazz-funk trio Medeski Martin & Wood. Those guys always do imaginative breakdowns in their own compositions, and this take with Alpert goes from choppy to smooth and back without a hiccup.

(Alpert and Ozomatli will perform "Love Potion No. 9" on "The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno" on Thursday.)