Julius Wechter – Baja Marimba Band
Julius Wechter (May 10, 1935 – February 1, 1999) Primary Instrument: marimba, vibraphone Band: Baja Marimba Band How about a little musical analogy —— The Rolling Stones are to The Beatles as ______________ are to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass! If you said The Baja Marimba Band!! You would be correct and probably old!! On this date in 1935 the leader of the Band Julius Wechter was born!! To explain the analogy The Beatles we re the clean-cut good guys and the Stones the bad boys. And Jules says this about the Baja Marimba Band’s relationship to Herb and the Brass! They were…. “… like the Tijuana Brass’ bad little brothers. Herb [Alpert] and his group would dress in tuxedos and put on a tight, professional presentation. And we’d flop on stage in big sombreros and old clothes with big pasted-on mustaches, smoking cigars and drinking beer.” Wechter was born in Chicago in 1935 and grew up in Hollywood. He played vibes and percussion for the Martin Denny group in the 1950s. In the early 1960s, he moved on to movie soundtracks and television, as well as session work for the likes of the Beach Boys, Sonny and Cher and various Phil Spector productions. In 1962 he received a call….. …. to take his marimba to Herb Alpert’s garage, where “The Lonely Bull,” the first hit for what became the Tijuana Brass, was being recorded. Wechter continued to work with Alpert, an old acquaintance from high school days,…
