Herb Alpert and the TJB

thumb|300px|right|Hoggie Marsh introduces the audience to "Piggy"
Herb Alpert and the TJB is a television variety special starring Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass band, which aired on ABC on October 13, 1974. Jim Henson's Muppets were featured as special guests, making several appearances throughout the program. The special was produced by ATV and distributed by ITC, who would partner with Henson to produce The Muppet Show less than two years later.
==Muppet segments==
Halfway through the concert, Brewster (the Guru) and Rufus mistake Bob Findley, one of the other brass players, for Herb. When Herb himself appears, the mute Rufus uses gestures to request his favorite song, "Spanish Flea." While the band performs, the Bossmen dance to the music. At the end of the number, Jim Henson and Frank Oz are seen sitting in the audience, performing Bert and Ernie.
A smooth-talking pig agent who calls himself Hoggie Marsh gives Herb the opportunity to work with the latest talent he just found: a shy, singing girl pig named Miss Piggy (performed here by Jerry Nelson). This is Piggy's second television appearance, and her name is mentioned for the first time. Her personality is a precursor to where she would later develop on The Muppet Show, with many traits intact, such as ogling men and vying for attention.
A Muppet man (previously seen on The Flip Wilson Show) introduces more Muppet performances with the music of Herb Alpert, and can't come up with the right abbreviation for Tijuana Brass. The acts consist of the Snerfs dancing to the song "In a Little Spanish Town" (which would later be performed on episode 113 of The Muppet Show) and a female version of Beautiful Day Monster singing "Five Minutes More" while chasing Gonzo. The song ends with the two creatures running past the band, and the monster remarking to Herb: "Hey, big boy! I'll check you out later!" This is Gonzo's first TV appearance apart from his part as Snarl, the Cigar Box Frackle, in the 1970 special The Great Santa Claus Switch.
==Muppet performers==
* Jim Henson as Ernie (cameo, non-speaking), Hoggie Marsh, and Gonzo (non-speaking)
* Frank Oz as Rufus, Bert (cameo, non-speaking), and Beautiful Day Monster (puppet only)
* Jerry Nelson as Miss Piggy, Muppet Man, and Beautiful Day Monster (voice only)
* David Goelz as Brewster
* John Lovelady
==Credits==
* Directed by Dwight Hemion
* Written by Marty Farrell
* Additional material by Jon Stone
* Additional Muppet concepts by Frank Oz
HATB Brewster.jpg|Brewster
HATB Brewster1.jpg|Brewster asleep
HATB Five Minutes More.jpg|'Five Minutes More'
HATB Gazelle.jpg|'Gazelles'
HATB Gazelle1.jpg|'Gazelles'
HATB Gazelle2.jpg|'Gazelles' sketch
HATB Hoggy Marsh 1.jpg|"Piggy Lee and Hamilton Pigg"
HATB Hoggy Marsh.jpg|"Piggy Lee and Hamilton Pigg"
HATB Jims Pitch.jpg|Jim's "Cool Cat" Sketch
HATB Musician.jpg|Richard Hunt and "Musician type"
HATB Musician1.jpg|Richard Hunt and "Musician type"
HATB snerf.jpg|Snerf
HATB snerf1.jpg|Snerf
HATB Bossman.jpg|Bossman Sketch
HATB snerf2.jpg|Jim's "Snerf" sketch
==External links==
* "Jim Henson's Red Book," 10/13/1974 – 'Air – Herb Alpert Show – ABC'
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Herb Alpert and the TJB