Elliot Mazer (September 5, 1941 – February 7, 2021) was an American audio engineer and record producer. He was best known for his work with Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Band, and Janis Joplin.[1] In addition, he worked on film and television projects for ABC and various independent studios, and taught at University of North Carolina at Asheville and Elon University.

Early life

Mazer was born in New York City on September 5, 1941. His family moved to Teaneck, New Jersey, soon after he was born. Bob Weinstock, who was their neighbor and owner of Prestige Records, employed Mazer at the age of 21 to sort tapes and transport them to radio stations.[2] He soon worked his way into the production process, ultimately creating the album Standard Coltrane in 1962 from a series of outtakes he had identified.[2][3]

Career

Mazer subsequently worked for Cameo-Parkway Records.[2] There, he produced albums from artists such as Chubby Checker, Big Brother and the Holding Company (Cheap Thrills), and Linda Ronstadt (Silk Purse).[2][4] Mazer later moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and co-established Quadrafonic Sound Studios.[4] He was first introduced to Neil Young by the latter's manager, Elliot Roberts,[4] in January 1971.[5] Young was visiting the city to appear on The Johnny Cash Show and attended a dinner party hosted by Mazer, where the two conversed about artists and studios.[4] Mazer was somewhat acquainted with Young's music only because his girlfriend at the time played After the Gold Rush incessantly.[2][6] One month later, Mazer invited Young to the studio with the aim of persuading him to record a new album there.[7] Young soon asked Mazer to work on Harvest, which was released the following year and began a decades-long partnership between the two.[2][4] Mazer was responsible for assembling a band of Nashville session players to record with Young.[2][8] This consisted of Tim Drummond on bass, Kenny Buttrey on drums, John Harris on piano, and Ben Keith on pedal steel guitar.[2][7] This group would later be dubbed by Young as The Stray Gators;[6] Keith would end up recording with Young for almost four decades.[7] Most of Harvest was recorded at Mazer's studio, with some of it also recorded in Redwood City, California, at the Broken Arrow Ranch owned by Young.[2][8] It was in the latter setting that Mazer observed Young shout his memorable quote "More barn!" as he played the album for Graham Nash, who had overdubbed vocals on the record.[2] The album was ultimately honored in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.[6]

Mazer went on to produce Time Fades Away (1973), Homegrown (recorded in 1975 and released in 2020), Everybody's Rockin' (1983), and Old Ways (1985) for Young, whom he also familiarized with digital recording.[2] He also worked with Gordon Lightfoot on several albums, producing Back Here on Earth (1968) and the live album Sunday Concert (1969).[2] Another live album Mazer compiled was In Concert (1972) by Janis Joplin. He worked on The Last Waltz (1978) by The Band, which turned out to be their farewell performance.[4] That album went along with the documentary film of the same name by Martin Scorsese, on which Mazer worked as audio engineer.[9]

Aside from record producing, Mazer served as a consultant to Stanford University's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics from 1976 to 1984.[10] He designed the world's first all-digital recording studio and co-invented "D-zap", which was a device to detect possible shocking hazards in the studio. Mazer served as President of Artificial Intelligence Resources Inc. in the late 1980s. Here, he developed the AirCheck Monitoring system, which was utilized to recognize songs for radio and television. He and co-inventor Jon Birger subsequently sold the system to Radio Computing Services (RCS).[2] He subsequently became senior vice president of radio computing services at RCS.[11] Mazer also looked after the music on the Wide World of Sports program by ABC.[12]

Later life

Mazer taught a course on record production at the University of North Carolina at Asheville in the spring of 2010.[13] He went on to teach music business and production at Elon University from 2011 to 2012.[14] One of the last albums he worked on that got released before his death was Young's Homegrown, which had been recorded back in 1975.[15] At that time, Mazer visited the United Kingdom after completing some of the mixing. He played a recording of the album to the head of Chrysalis Records, who proceeded to inform Mo Ostin that he was certain that this would become "another five-million seller".[16] However, Young had a change of heart,[16] and Homegrown was not released until June 2020.[17]

Mazer died on February 7, 2021, at his home in San Francisco. He was 79, and suffered a heart attack and was afflicted with dementia in the years leading up to his death.[2] Young praised Mazer on his website, calling him "[a] master in the studio".[5][6] He went on to credit him for his work on Harvest, noting how the album "is one of my most recognized recordings and it all happened because of Elliot Mazer".[5][6]

Discography

Artist Title Label Year
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young CSNY 1974[15] Rhino 1974–2014
Bob Dylan The Basement Tapes (2013)[18] Columbia 2013
Bob Dylan & The Band Live At Isle of Wight (1969)[18] Columbia 2013
The Whybirds Cold Blue Sky[19][20] The Little Red Recording Company 2010
Bo Allen Scarecrow[21] Left Turn 2009
Neil Young Archives Volume 1[15] Reprise 2009
Jake Walker Confidence Man[15] Left Turn 2008
Soulfege Soulfege[22] Left Turn 2008
Chelsea On The Rocks[22] Feature Film Mix 2008
Scott McCurry[23] Left Turn 2007
Pegi Young (with Neil Young) Pegi Young[15] Warner Bros/Vapor 2005
Toshi Reagon (produced by Craig Street) Have You Heard (remix)[15] Righteous Babe 2005
Switchfoot The Beautiful Letdown (remix-Dual Disk)[15] Columbia 2004
Frank Sinatra and Jobim (remix-Dual Disk)[24] Reprise 2004
Frank Sinatra September Of My Years (remix-Dual Disk)[24] Reprise 2004
Santana Supernatural (remix-DVD-A)[18] Arista 2003
Santana Shaman (remix-DVD-A)[15] Arista 2003
The Who Tommy (remix consult-SACD & DVD-A)[15] Geffen 2003
The Rat Pack (Sinatra, Martin, Davis) Live & Swingin’ (remix-DVD-A)[15] Reprise 2003
Frank Sinatra At The Sands (remix-DVD-A)[15] Reprise 2003
Neil Young Harvest (remix-DVD-A)[15] Warner Brothers 2002
Janis Joplin Cheap Thrills (remix-SACD)[15] Columbia 2002
The Byrds Live At The Fillmore West[15] Sony 2000
Gordon Lightfoot Song Book (box)[15] Warner Bros. 1999
Janis Joplin Boxed Set[15] Sony 1994
Neil Young Lucky 13[15] Geffen 1992
Leonardo Music Journal[15] CD #1 Leonardo 1991
The Dream Syndicate Live at Raji's[15] Enigma 1989
The Dream Syndicate Ghost Stories[15] Enigma 1988
Jennifer Warnes/Rob Wasserman Duets[15] MCA 1988
William Ackerman Sampler '88[15] Windham Hill 1988
Dead Kennedys Give Me Convenience[15] Alt. Tent. 1987
William Ackerman Conferring With The Moon[15] Windham Hill 1987
Michael Hedges Santabears First XMAS[15] Windham Hill 1986
Phil Aaberg, M. Hedges The Shape of the Land[15] Windham Hill 1986
Scott Cossu Reunion[15] Windham Hill 1985
Malcom Dalglish Jogging The Memory[15] Windham Hill 1985
Neil Young (Home Video) Solo Trans[5] Pioneer 1985
Michael Hedges Watching My Life Go By[15] Windham Hill 1985
Uptones Uptones[15] 415 1984
Willie Nelson/Neil Young Real Cowboys[25][26] Columbia 1984
Neil Young Old Ways[15] Geffen 1984
Neil Young Everybody's Rockin'[15] Geffen 1983
Mazer, Rush, etc. Digital Domain[15] Elektra 1983
Tammy Comstock Reason To Believe[15] US/CBS 1982
Red Steagall Can't Hold A Workin' Man Down[15] US/CBS 1982
Janis Joplin Farewell Song[15] Columbia 1981
Tubes Sports Fans[15] Capitol 1980
Neil Young Hawks & Doves[15] Reprise 1980
Jo Allen & The Shapes Shimmy Shimmy[15] 415 1980
Dūrocs Dūrocs[15] Capitol 1979
Y & T Alcohol[15] London 1978
Valdy Hot Rocks[15] A&M 1978
Neil Young Decade[15] Reprise 1977
Neil Young American Stars & Bars[15] Reprise 1977
Juice Newton Come To Me[15] Capitol 1977
The Band The Last Waltz[15] Warner Bros. 1977
Dingoes Five Times The Sun[15] A & M 1977
Frankie Miller The Rock[15] Chrysalis 1976
Garfield Strange Streets[15] Mercury 1976
Dane Donohue I'm Easy, Restless Feeling (45)[27] Columbia 1976
David Soul David Soul[15] Priv. Stock 1976
Barclay James Harvest Time Honored Ghosts[15] Polydor 1975
Blue Life In The Navy[15] RSO 1975
Andy Fairweather-Lowe Spider Jiving[15] A & M 1975
Rab Noakes Never Too Late[15] Warner Bros. 1975
Mike D'Abo Broken Rainbows[15] A & M 1974
Leonard Bernstein Concert for Peace[15] Columbia 1974
Neil Young Tonight's The Night[15] Reprise 1974
Neil Young Time Fades Away[15] Reprise 1973
Janis Joplin Joplin In Concert[15] Columbia 1973
Rab Noakes Red Pump Special[15] Warner Bros. 1973
Jack Nitzsche St. Giles Cripplegate[28] Warner Bros. 1972
Jake Holmes How Much Time[15] Columbia 1972
Neil Young Journey Through The Past[15] Reprise 1972
It's A Beautiful Day @ Carnegie Hall[15] Columbia 1972
Neil Young Harvest[15] Reprise 1971
Tommy Live Charity Event LSO, Solo Artists[29] Rainbow Theatre 1971
Jake Holmes So Close[15] Polydor 1970
Area Code 615 Trip in the Country[15] Polydor 1970
Nick Gravenites My Labors[15] Columbia 1969
Michael Bloomfield Live at Fillmore West[15] Columbia 1969
Bob Dylan Isle of Wight[15] Columbia 1969
Area Code 615 Area Code 615[15] Polydor 1969
Jake Holmes How Are You? Polydor 1969
Gordon Lightfoot Sunday Concert[15] U. A. 1969
Linda Ronstadt Silk Purse[15] Capitol 1970
Big Brother and the Holding Company Cheap Thrills[15] Columbia 1968
Richie Havens 1983[15] Verve 1968
Ian & Sylvia Full Circle[15] MGM 1968
Paupers Ellis Island[15] Verve 1968
Gordon Lightfoot Back Here On Earth[15] U.A. 1968
Jerry Jeff Walker Five Years Gone[15] Atlantic 1968
Pozo Seco Singers Shades of Time[15] Columbia 1968
James Cotton Cotton In Your Ears[15] Verve 1968
Jake Holmes Letter to Katherine[15] Capitol 1967
Len Chandler Lovin' People[15] Columbia 1967
"ABC Wide World of Sports"[12] Music Supervisor 1966
"Death of a Salesman"[15] Music Supervisor 1966
"Shop on Main Street"[15] Music Supervisor 1966
"Juliet of the Spirits"[15] Music Supervisor 1966
El Trio Los Panchos Sing Hank Williams[15] Columbia 1964
El Trio Los Panchos Girl[15] Columbia 1964
Clark Terry More[15] Cameo 1963
Teddy Wilson Teddy Wilson[15] Cameo 1963
Rufus Thomas Five On Eight[15] Cameo 1963
Maynard Ferguson Come Blow Your Horn[15] Cameo 1963
Clark Terry Tread Ye Lightly[15] Cameo 1963
Chubby Checker Hooka Tooka/Loddy Lo[15] Cameo 1963
Chubby Checker With Sy Oliver[15] Cameo 1963
The Tymes To Each His Own[15] Cameo 1963
Jack Elliott At Main Point[15] Prestige 1962
Lightnin' Hopkins At Main Point[15] Prestige 1962
Pony Poindexter Limbo Rock[15] Prestige 1962
Dave Pike Bossa Nova Carnival[15] Prestige 1962

References

  1. ^ "Elliot Mazer". www.soundonsound.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Martoccio, Angie (February 9, 2021). "Elliot Mazer, Engineer-Producer for Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, and the Band, Dead at 79". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  3. ^ Seah, Daniel. "Elliot Mazer, digital recording pioneer and Neil young producer, dies at 79", MusicTech. Accessed February 10, 2021. "Born on 5 September 1941 in New York City, Mazer relocated with his family to Teaneck, New Jersey shortly after his birth, where he found his entrance into the world of music quite literally next door. Bob Weinstock, the Mazer family’s neighbour, was the owner of the jazz label Prestige Records and hired a 21-year-old Elliot to organise and deliver tapes to radio stations."
  4. ^ a b c d e f Irwin, Corey (February 9, 2021). "Elliot Mazer, Producer for Neil Young, Dead at 79". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Martoccio, Angie (February 10, 2021). "Neil Young Honors Producer Elliot Mazer: 'A Master in the Studio'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e Enos, Morgan (February 13, 2021). "Remembering Elliot Mazer, Producer Of Neil Young's 'Harvest' And Other Classic Recordings". The Recording Academy. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Slingerland, Calum (February 9, 2021). "Elliot Mazer, Who Produced Neil Young's 'Harvest,' Dies at 79". Exclaim!. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Bloom, Madison (February 10, 2021). "Elliot Mazer, Producer of Neil Young's Harvest, Dead at 79". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  9. ^ Rogerson, Ben (February 10, 2021). "Neil Young producer and audio innovator Elliot Mazer dies, aged 79". MusicRadar. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  10. ^ "All-digital Multitrack Recording at Stanford" (PDF). Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics. Stanford University. May 9, 1978. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  11. ^ "Audio Quality to Be Debated in AES Panel". Radio World. May 2, 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Sedlmayr, Billy (September 29, 2016). "Harvest Rising". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  13. ^ "Producer Elliot Mazer Teaches Spring Music Course at UNC Asheville". Mix. February 24, 2010. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "Former faculty member, decorated record producer Elliot Mazer passes away at 79". Elon University. February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu "Elliot Mazer – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  16. ^ a b McDonough, James (July 1, 2010). Shakey: Neil Young's Biography. Random House of Canada. ISBN 9780307373809.
  17. ^ Martoccio, Angie (June 15, 2020). "Neil Young's Great, Lost 1975 Album 'Homegrown' is Finally Here. It Was Worth the Wait". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Trapp, Philip (February 10, 2021). "Elliot Mazer, Producer for Neil Young, the Band + Other Rockers, Dead at 79". Loudwire. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  19. ^ Perkins, Jeff (May 29, 2010). "Music Review: The Whybirds – Cold Blue Sky". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  20. ^ "Interview: The Whybirds". Songwriting Magazine. November 26, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  21. ^ "Artist is living his dream". Cynthiana Democrat. September 30, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2021. Bo Allen and Scarekrow is a 4-year-old band that is represented by acclaimed producer Elliot Mazer, who has also done albums for Neil Young, Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, The Who and Santana. (subscription required)
  22. ^ a b "Magic Shop Adds Audio/Visual Mix Suite". Pro Sound News. June 3, 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  23. ^ "Scott McCurry". Lone Star Music. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  24. ^ a b "Elliot Mazer Remixing Sinatra Recordings". Mix. April 8, 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  25. ^ McDonough, Jimmy (May 13, 2003). Shakey: Neil Young's Biography. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 9781400075447.
  26. ^ Durchholz, Daniel; Graff, Gary (May 6, 2010). Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History. MBI Publishing Company. p. 196. ISBN 9781610604536.
  27. ^ "Dane Donohue - I%27m Easy %28MP3%29".
  28. ^ Greenwald, Matthew. "St. Giles Cripplegate, for orchestra~No. 1: Jack Nitzsche – Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  29. ^ Stuart, Philip (August 2017). "The LSO Discography" (PDF). London Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved February 10, 2021.

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