All, I watched a fascinating documentary about a person I'd never heard of, but turns out I'd heard quite a bit: Tom Dowd. Here's a brief summary:

"A long-time engineer and producer for Atlantic Records, Tom Dowd was responsible for some of the most important R&B, rock, and jazz records ever made. In his own words, Tom Dowd relates how he went from working on the Manhattan Project---while still high school age---to recording some of the greatest music ever made over the last half of the 20th Century. Historical footage, vintage photographs, and interviews with a who's who of musical giants from the worlds of jazz, soul, and classic rock shine a spotlight on the brilliance of Tom Dowd, whose creative spirit and passion for innovative technology helped shape the course of modern music.

Tom Dowd produced and engineered timeless records for artists including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonius Monk, Cream, The Allman Brothers Band, and countless other celebrated musicians. Dowd also formed both strong professional and personal relationships with many of these artists---including Eric Clapton, starting with Cream and leading to their working partnership on Layla and Other Assorted Loves Songs and collaborations on several of Clapton's finest solo albums."

The film, on DVD, is called "Tom Dowd and the Language of Music." Amazing, interesting man. Highly recommended DVD.

I knew of him decades ago, from his Memphis work mostly, and the Allman Brothers. If there's a title for the best recording engineer in history, there are only two possible choices: Tom Dowd and George Martin. Tom has the tech edge, George, possibly, the creative edge. Together, they made a great deal of the best music of the late twentieth century. The Tom Dowd DVD is in the same "must have" category as "Standing in the Shadow of Motown" and "Buena Vista Social Club". And Ken Burn's series on jazz and blues. A BA in music in your living room. Technology is often overrated, but this stuff is magic, and enriching. tom

As a recording engineer myself, I think of Tom Dowd as one of the gods of the industry. On the very shortest of lists of the most influential people in the music business.

I think that DVD is extraordinary. Of course, they had a great story to tell, but the content puts him in the right (i.e. the accurate) light. People who aren't particularly interested in the business still love the DVD and have little trouble appreciating his legacy. It was a sad day at our studio when he died.

I'm sure this will sound funny to you, but my yardstick of the advances in multi-track recording was based solely on what I knew from my intense years of Beatles fandom, decades ago. So I was surprised that 8-track recording (apart from Les Paul) had been used by Tom Dowd for years prior---probably almost as surprised as he was when he met George Martin and found out how those Beatles records were made. (I knew that not even Sgt. Pepper was on 8-track machines!)

The moving part of that DVD was sensing what a generous and genuine person he was---much more than a talented engineer.

Amazing things happen around great music. Sgt. Pepper on a four track. Get outa town. And Tom Dowd was just as nice as he was smart, and he may have been one of the few humans ever with a four digit IQ (DaVinci was pretty smart. Plato. Ben Franklin. Thos Jefferson.) Creative people are so..... interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by sonoman:
...Creative people are so..... interesting.

I also find they are generally insane to a degree. Something to be said for not being normal.

quote:

Originally posted by Gazza:

quote:

Originally posted by sonoman:
...Creative people are so..... interesting.

I also find they are generally insane to a degree.

Not necessarily insane, but oddly different. Which could be perceived as insane when you expect a person to act normal.

quote:

Originally posted by sonoman:
...and he may have been one of the few humans ever with a four digit IQ (DaVinci was pretty smart. Plato. Ben Franklin. Thos Jefferson.)

Four digits? Good god. I believe even Einstein's IQ was estimated at only around 200. I think Newton might be the all-time record holder here, and I doubt it would have been above 250. Current high of any person living is around 230.

OK, I know, it's not the point. What's most amazing to me about Dowd is the fact that he could operate at such a high level in mathematics, then travel just as deeply into the other hemisphere of his brain for that kind of creativity. That's diversity.

I guess hyperbole with a side of sarcasm doesn't translate in text. IQ is a deeply flawed measure of genius, which makes its own formulae. And normalcy is vastly, profoundly overrated. a person with one foot in the oven and one in the freezer is, on the average, comfortable. tom

Tom made a trip or 2 to Muscle Shoals in Sweet Home Alabama! I thought it was really a shame that he got the credits that he so richly deserved only years after his death. IMHO Tom is right up there with Les Paul and Sir George Martin. There are still some folks that don't know Mr. Pauls work, believe it or not. Great thread.Phil