Report from Herb Alpert and Lani Hall's sold-out concert in Palm Springs

By: Mark Cerulli

Published:
2024-02-26

Herb Alpert, Lani Hall, Palm Springs, concert

There was more on display at Herb Alpert’s and Lani Hall’s sold-out Palm Springs concert than his obvious mastery of the trumpet or the sheer volume of his smile-inducing hits. Alpert’s love for his wife of 50 years was showcased as much as his iconic music. When they weren’t smiling at each other onstage, they were holding hands during their band’s instrumentals. In an industry that is notorious for breaking up marriages, their devotion was quite touching.

Throughout the 90-minute show, Herb Alpert maintained an easy banter with the audience, frequently asking, “Any thoughts or questions?” as he powered through 60 years’ worth of music. Unfortunately for this Bond fan, his chart-making theme to 1967’s Casino Royale was only a brief part of a medley of his 60s music and Lani Hall’s theme song for Never Say Never Again (1983) wasn’t on the setlist, but those are minor quibbles in a wonderful evening of music and history in the gorgeous 400 seat Annenberg Theater. A three-piece ensemble played songs like Tijuana Taxi, This Guy’s In Love With You and (yes!) The Look of Love with Alpert providing his trademark trumpet solos. Ms. Hall sang several Bossa Nova classics like One Note Samba and Oba Oba as a nod back to her reign as a lead singer for Sergio Mendez’ Brazil 66 as well as other classics like Puttin’ On the Ritz.

Lani Hall's theme song for Never Say Never Again

Along the way Alpert chatted about working with luminaries like Burt Bacharach, Louis Armstrong and his A&M Records partner, the late Jerry Moss who convinced him to call his horn band “The Tijuana Brass.” (Theirs was a very fruitful partnership – founding A&M in 1962 on a handshake and selling it in 1990 to PolyGram for $500 million!)

Alpert and his wife closed out their show with a rousing version of Copacabana, insisting that the audience sing along. After first jokingly assuring the crowd he was just 64, the maestro somewhat wistfully admitted, “I can’t believe I’m turning 89… I don’t feel it at all.” He also paid tribute to his faithful companion of six decades – his trumpet, saying “It’s been a great friend to me.”

Herb Alpert, Lani Hall, Annenberg Theater, Palm Springs, 2024

Herb Alpert, Lani Hall, Annenberg Theater, Palm Springs, 2024

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Report from Herb Alpert and Lani Hall's sold-out concert in Palm Springs

Lani Hall's theme song for Never Say Never Again

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