Many students often claim they need background noise playing to focus and study effectively; a TV show or movie, a YouTube video of cafe ambiance, or music. In a world of unlimited virtual media, this auditory stimulation is easy to access at any moment through a phone or computer. In fact, no Central Kitsap High School classroom is complete without at least one student tuning the cacophony of other students out with a set of headphones or Airpods. 

Each student has unique music tastes and preferences, but some prefer to study with non-lyrical music such as LoFi or classical as their background noise. I was a die hard classical fan for years before switching to LoFi which held my attention well until I also grew tired of it. 

And then, I was scrolling aimlessly one day and “Ladyfingers” was playing in the background of an Instagram reel.  The swaying trumpet melody caught my attention and I looked up the album on Spotify. I discovered a fun and funky album full of upbeat brass band music, perfect for blocking out other distractions while studying.

Whipped Cream and Other Delights, by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, is a beautiful collection of non-lyrical songs with fresh and captivating melodies that will keep any student focused and engaged.

Released in 1965, “Whipped Cream and Other Delights” is the fourth album produced by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. The album topped charts in 1965 and 1966, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Pop Albums, quickly gaining popularity. Over 6 million copies of the album were sold in the US alone.

The album resurfaced recently on social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok, through the use of “Ladyfingers” as background music on videos published on these apps.

My personal favorites, and recommended study session soundtracks, from this album are “A Taste of Honey,” “Tangerine,” “El Garbanzo,” and “Lollipops and Roses.”