Legendary singer/songwriter James Taylor recorded two tracks for his 19th studio album “American Standard” at United Recording earlier this year. Produced, recorded and mixed by Dave O’Donnell, the album features timeless and influential American popular songs and jazz standards from the early 20th century.
“We had great sessions at United Recording,” said O’Donnell. “The wide selection of vintage microphones, mic pre-amps and compressors help enhance voices of our background singers, allowing us to work much faster. I always look forward to sessions at United Recording.”
“American Standard” is Taylor’s first release since scoring his first-ever No. 1 album, “Before This World” in 2015. Alongside O’Donnell, Taylor and master guitarist John Pizzarelli served as co-producers. The album features 14 interpretations of musical classics such as, “My Blue Heaven,” “Almost Like Being In Love,” and “The Nearness of You,” as well as legendary background singers Arnold McCuller, Kate Markowitz, and Dorian Holley.
“I’ve always had songs I grew up with that I remember really well, that were part of the family record collection and that I had a sense of how to approach, so it was a natural to put American Standard together,” Taylor said in a statement. “I know most of these songs from the original cast recordings of the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, including My Fair Lady, Oklahoma, Carousel, Showboat and others.”
Taylor and O’Donnell working out vocal parts in preparation for the recording.
The album follows Taylor’s audio-only memoir, “Break Shot”, a deeply personal storytelling experience and his first Audible Original for Audilble.com. Produced by MTV/VH1 veteran Bill Flanagan, it takes listeners through the triumphs and traumas of his life and illustrates Taylor’s deep connection with the songs on “American Standard.”
To learn more, visit: https://www.jamestaylor.com
Pictured L-R in United Recording’s Studio A are engineer/mixer Dave O’Donnell, Arnold McCuller, Kate Markowitz, Dorian Holley, and James Taylor.
Photo by David Goggin.