Have you seen this Fab Music Doc? Tom Dowd + The Language of Music

[bettyellen]

What an interesting life. He's just this amazing sweet nerdy guy who worked with the so many great artists. Before him sound recording was basically setting up one mike in a studio. Really neat old footage and pics, too. Loved it!

snip

At a young age he excelled in mathematics and physics, leading to his work from the ages of 16 to 20 on the Manhattan Project at Columbia University. In 1946, as a sergeant in the Army Corps of Engineers, he oversaw a team of radiation detection specialists at the atomic bomb tests in Bikini Atoll. After his discharge from Army, he soon began applying his science background to help revolutionize the process of recording music. While working for Atlantic Records, his pioneering work in binaural stereo recording, and later his design of the eight-track console, modernized the recording industry.

Tom Dowd produced and engineered timeless records for artists including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonius Monk, Cream, Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Dusty Springfield and countless other celebrated musicians\
snip

http://www.thelanguageofmusic.com/

[Zomby Woof]

1. Tom Dowd was god!

The members of Skynyrd used to call him "Father Dowd" because of their immense respect for him. Dowd perfected live-in-the-studio recording techniques, minimalizing overdubs or eliminating the need outright.

He also produced my 2 favorite live albums - Skynyrd's "One More From The Road" and The Allman Brothers "Live At The Fillmore East".

Produced Derek & The Dominoes "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs", and engineered Coltrane's "Giant Steps"... so many more.

He was amazing. :-)

[bettyellen]

2. have you seen it? he's an absolute sweetheart...

just a bit techno nerd and just a bit of a hipster. just the range of music he embraced and his attitude. what a cool guy.
a must see. and i am not a huge music fiend.

[Zomby Woof]

3. I want to see it!

I do appreciate your write-up! :-)

[bettyellen]

4. your welcome... my friend said they were showing it on IFC a while back

but not this month. Some of the old footage is awesome.

[MrScorpio]

5. I heard of this guy a while back

He was a freaking genius

[bettyellen]

6. and you have to love him, that's the great part

all these legends and he seems cooler than anybody because he's a regular guy but so focused and passionate about what he does.