In 1991 I was on sabbatical leave at the University of Maryland and
along with my wife Beryl and brother-in-law, Robert, was lucky enough
to attend an AMICA meeting at the home of Dick and Cheryl (I think I've
got that right) Hack.  It was a fascinating afternoon and Beryl, Robert
and I were amongst the last to leave.  I seem to remember that I
realized we were about to outstay our welcome when I strayed into the
kitchen and there was Cheryl cooking the evening meal for her children.

Anyway during the afternoon I was approached by a young man who said
"Hi; I'm Durward Center and we've produced this Orchestrion CD that we
are selling for $10."

Being a total drongo (Oz bird of low intelligence) I didn't realize
that Durward also meant "And would you like to buy one right now?"
So I just said "That's really interesting!" and that was that.

Except that it wasn't, because as we headed for our car, Robert said
to me "John, I bought you one of those CDs that chap was selling."
Crikey, I felt an idiot.

However, I have been grateful to Robert ever since.  I think I play it
more often than any other Mechanical Music LP or CD I own.  As Rob
DeLand said in MMD a few days ago it is a delight.  I am regularly
impressed by the skill of the Welte roll arrangers, who really do make
the orchestral arrangements  sound just right.  One of those arrangers
is still with us by the way, he happens to be called Art Reblitz.

One word of warning.  Don't have your amplifier volume level turned up
too high when you listen for the first time.  The first chord of track
1 will blow you out of the room.

John Phillips in  Hobart, Tasmania.