Aimee Mann (w/Jon Brion) - 1996-08-24 - Largo, L.A., CA

Aimee Mann
(with Jon Brion and Dan McCarroll)
1996-08-24
Largo, Los Angeles, CA
"A Blonde and Two Grays"
Audience recording, average sound quality
mps @ 256 kbps

OK, so now we've heard what became of Jason Falkner after his brief stints with Jellyfish and The Grays, but what about Jon Brion, another very talented singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist who also was a part of both Jellyfish and The Grays? Well, after The Grays, Jon returned to doing some session work, and also started producing other artists, starting with his good friend Aimee Mann (whom he'd known since their 'Til Tuesday days, producing her first 3 albums, Whatever, I'm with Stupid, and Bachelor No.2), and then an ever-expanding list of artists (including Rufus Wainwright, Robyn Hitchcock, Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple, Rhett Miller, The Crystal Method, and in recent years, Spoon, Keane, Dido, Of Montreal, and even Kanye West). In the late '90's, he also began doing film scores and soundtracks, first for Paul Thomas Anderson (Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love), and then many others (including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and I Heart Huckabees), and most recently ParaNorman and Judd Apatow's This is 40 (2012). As for performing, in 1996, he started a sort of residency at Largo, a club in L.A., performing every Friday night. His shows soon became legendary and sold-out every week, as he performed a mix of his own songs and a remarkable array of covers, usually from audience requests. He displays an encyclopedic knowledge of pop tunes (and standards and TV themes, etc.) and an uncanny ability to play and sing virtually any song called out. But more about Jon and his amazing solo shows and career later. As part of his regular shows at Largo, he began bringing by his musical friends and contacts as surprise guests, and also several of his friends began playing their own shows there. And that is what I have here today, A show from Aimee Mann at the Largo, in which she is ably backed-up by Jon Brion (on bass, guitar, piano, and backing vocals, as needed) and Dan McCarroll (also from The Grays) on drums. Thus, this show has been dubbed, A Blonde and Two Grays. Jon starts the show with one of his own songs, then Aimee takes over from there, featuring selections from her early albums, and even a preview of a couple that would not be released for a few more years ('Deathly', 'How Am I Different', on Bachelor). As I mentioned, I will have some more from Jon's solo shows coming up, but for now, here is Aimee Mann with a substantial portion of The Grays. The recording is not that great, but certainly listenable and worth checking out.    

Tracklist
1. You Can Still Ruin My Day (Jon Brion)
2. Banter
3. Time For You To Go
4. The Other End (of the Telescope)
5. Amateur
6. You’re With Stupid Now
7. Deathly
8. Jon’s Ragtime Bit
9. It’s Not Safe
10. Fourth of July
11. I Don’t Even Know You
12. You Could Make A Killing
13. I’ve Had It
14. Old Guys (Mr. Harris)
15. That’s Just What You Are
16. Choice In The Matter
17. How Am I Different

Aimee_Mann_1996-Largo_blonde_and_2_grays.rar
Link updated 08/03/23