(Courtesy of the Post-Star / Words by Marilyn Nason)

The first of a two-night stand by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass proved to be the first truly large crowd (15,000) in the two-year-old Saratoga Performing Arts Center‘s history.

Tijuana Brass Shines In Concert at SPAC

Crowd of 15,000

By Marilyn Nason for The Post-Star

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass achieved the two-year-old dream of SPAC leaders last night, with 15,000 jamming the amphitheatre and covering every stay section of lawn, even to the far side areas, and what a sight it was.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center has always advertised room for 15,000, but it took this fabulous modern brass group to bring it to fruition and an equally large crowd is expected for the second performance tonight.

Colorful, talented, humorous and versatile, handsome Mr. Alpert and his six bandsmen really come on with some of the most pleasant, varied music, all with the famed beat and Tijuana sound, now so famous around the world.

Last night they played without interruption and gave their fans a cross-section of all the songs and arrangements that have made them famous — everything from “Tijuana Taxi” to “Zorba, the Great” and “Taste of Honey,” which really brought the house down with applause.

Audience participation in singing, clapping, stamping feet (and that took some doing for those on the lawn) and even guessing which member of the group wrote a particular song, also produced applause.

Some very clever lighting and sound effects (the crowd roars at a bullfight, for example) added much to a thoroughly delightful performance. Many had questioned earlier in the season the wisdom of booking Alpert for a two-nighter. But after last night’s performance and the wildly enthusiastic 15,000 there, it is plain to see why Richard Leach, SPAC’s wily executive director, made it a two-night stand.

Last night’s audience got an added treat in Bill and Boyd, a young New Zealand singing, guitar-playing duo, Alpert has brought to this country. They perform well, work hard and are certain to have excellent careers here.

Yet another treat was the introduction in the audience by Alpert of his close friend, Bill Dana, known to millions on TV as Jose Jimenez.