Released in conjunction with director John Scheinfeld's documentary film of the same name, the 2020 box set Herb Alpert Is... takes a career-spanning look at the iconic trumpeter, pop singer/songwriter, and music industry executive's celebrated career. Bringing together jazz, mariachi brass band traditions, and easy listening pop, Herb Alpert helped define the sound of instrumental popular music in the 1960s and remained a staple of the pop landscape for 60 years, recording five number one albums, taking home nine Grammy Awards, and co-founding the legendary A&M Records label. Culled from Alpert's extensive catalog, Herb Alpert Is... covers his entire career, moving from his innovative 1962 breakthrough The Lonely Bull to 1965's classic Whipped Cream & Other Delights to 1968's The Beat of the Brass, 1974's You Smile -- The Song Begins, 1979's disco-influenced Rise, and beyond. Along the way, we get such classic hits as "Spanish Flea," "Taste of Honey," "This Guy's in Love with You," "Diamonds," and many more. Also featured are such beloved recordings as "Brasilia," "Skokiaan" with Hugh Masekela, "Second Wind," "Magic Man," and "Fandango." In addition, the box set makes room for a few tracks from Alpert's more recent activity, including "Puttin' On the Ritz" off 2013's Grammy-winning Steppin' Out with his wife, vocalist Lani Hall, and his cover of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" off 2016's Grammy-nominated Human Nature. As a collector's piece, the box set is also notable, offered as both a three-disc version and a five-LP vinyl collection. Included with both versions is a book featuring liner notes, photos, and an essay by Bud Scoppa. While there have been essential single- and double-disc Alpert compilations in the past, few have brought together both his early work with the Tijuana Brass and his later solo albums. That alone makes this box set a worthy addition to his catalog. Admittedly, this collection leaves some room for a more complete box set, especially one that includes more of Alpert's work in the '70s and '80s. Nonetheless, as a fitting Alpert retrospective and as a soundtrack to the documentary, Herb Alpert Is... works quite well, taking the listener though his long career and detailing the myriad ways he both pushed pop music forward and found creative ways to reinvent his sound as tastes changed over the decades.