Monday, February 25, 2008

RIP Teo Macero


I only found out this morning. This man has been essential to my musical education.







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6 comments:

steenbeck said...

I like to hear people talk about the creative process. He reminds me of my Grandpa, in looks and in his gruff/sweet manner. How did he affect your musical education, if I may ask?

February 25, 2008 at 6:46 PM
ejaydee said...

Not sure if education was was the right word, but his work with Miles Davis has shaped a lot of my tastes. When I was in danger of becoming too conservative in my musical tastes, his production techniques, combined with MD's obsession with change and progress, made me less of a musical snob I would say. In A Silent Way is one of my favourite albums (I'm talking top 2 or 3 here), and not too far behind is A Tribute To Jack Johnson.
Was your Grandpa a musician too?

February 25, 2008 at 6:55 PM
steenbeck said...

No. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd never heard of Miles Davis. He was a travelling salesman of car parts. He was from Detroit, like J Dilla, coincidentally. I love the Nothing Like This video. I've been reading/hearing so much about J Dilla lately. The Dave Chappelle Block Party film I saw last week was dedicated to him; and Talib Kweli, who I've been semi-obsessed with lately, worked with him/talks about him. I'm fascinated by that whole soulquarian/native tongue movements world. It makes me happy to know these people are collaborating, creating...it must be so wonderful to be part of that. Dangerous for me financially, though, as one amazing artist leads to another and I can't afford to like all this music. If only my lucrative recording career would take off.

February 25, 2008 at 7:33 PM
nilpferd said...

The peak of his career work would have to be the cut-and-pasting of "In a silent way", especially Shhh/Peaceful, and the reverb + sound engineering on Bitches Brew. But he also had a great ear for takes, and a wonderful feeling for music- what made him leave all the errors and backchat on "Miles Smiles"? It made a great album into a brilliant one. I think most of the Columbia reissues back up his impeccable taste- none of the outtakes were to my mind better than the ones he chose for the albums- although it's interesting to hear alternative material.
You also hear more of the love/hate relationship he must have had with MD. I think his true legacy will only now begin to be properly explored, now that the extensive rereleasing of his Columbia work is underway.
Another giant of music gone- so many in the last year.

February 25, 2008 at 10:17 PM
ejaydee said...

We're still waiting for those lyrics. Don't give up, and don't let the critics get to you...

February 26, 2008 at 2:42 PM
ejaydee said...

And now Buddy Miles is dead. He was the drummer in Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys album, which I think is my favourite album of his.

February 28, 2008 at 9:47 PM

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