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James Taylor

Received my copy of the new JT CD, American Standard, earlier today.  

Played it thru my JBL L100 Classic set-up (large room, Luxman D05u CD/SACD player, Lyric Ti 140 KT150-driven integrated), and fell in love with it, the songs, the sounds, the singer, all of it.   Especially Moon River.  

Especially that one.  
rpeluso

Showing 4 responses by bdp24

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bdp24
9,509 posts
 
@rpeluso, in 2008 my bassist partner and I drove from L.A. to Austin to look into the housing market, and after checking into a motel stopped into a small bar/restaurant downtown. There was a small bandstand, with a drumset and coupla amps set up. No band, though. Right about when we were finishing our first Shiner Bock, the band climbed up on stage. To our surprise, on guitar was Redd Volkaert! Turns out he lived in Austin, and when not on the road with Merle was doing casuals around town. Only in Austin!
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,509 posts
 

rpeluso, it was Merle's praise of Iris in an interview that lead me to her. Thank you Merle!

Early 60's Gretsch? Are they in the oh-so-collectible Cadillac Green finish?! Early 60's, so the drums are adorned with the "round" Gretsch badge? The round badge Gretsch were made with either a 3-ply shell, or a 6-ply. The 3-ply were made for the calfskin heads of the time, before plastic ones were widely available. Those shells are notorious for being hard to fit plastic heads on. By the time Gretsch switched to 6-ply shells, plastic heads were common, and the shells were made slightly smaller in diameter to fit them.

Both my Gretsch sets have "stop sign" badges (first version, more rectangular than square), from the late-60's/early 70's (with 6-ply shells). One set has lacquered Brazilian walnut-veneered shells, the other shells wrapped in Black Diamond Pearl (from whence the bdp in my Audiogon handle comes from. The 24 is for my preferred bass drum size.). Great drums, played by many Jazz drummers in the 50's and 60's. Tony Williams played a bright yellow set of Gretsch up until he died. Gretsch was about the only U.S. drum company to survive the Japanese take-over of the drum business in the 70's and 80's. 

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,509 posts
 
Mancini's version brings me to tears. Speaking of which, I made the mistake of bringing Iris Dement's My Life album to CES Vegas one year, and had Jerry Crosby (the QUAD ESL modifier) play "No Time To Cry" on his 63's. Ironically, I found the time to cry during the song, not finding the strength to hold back the tears. I don't know what Jerry thought of me, but he sold me a pair of his ESL 57 screens anyway.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,509 posts
 
"The" Moon River? Henry Mancini's recording of that fantastic song is a longtime favorite of mine. I bought it on a 7" 45 RPM single when it was initially released.
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