# Tom Dowd **Born:** October 20, 1925, Manhattan, New York **Died:** October 27, 2002 (age 77) **Role:** Recording Engineer, Producer **Primary Studio:** Atlantic Studios (New York) **Labels:** Atlantic Records, Arista, Warner Bros. ## Overview Tom Dowd was one of the most influential recording engineers and producers in music history, working across jazz, R&B, rock, and soul. Unlike [[Rudy Van Gelder]]'s close-miking philosophy, Dowd emphasized room acoustics and natural instrument tone. ## Notable Jazz Recordings **[[Charles Mingus]]:** - *Pithecanthropus Erectus* (1956) - Co-engineered with Hal Lustig at Audio-Video Studios[^1] - Mingus specifically chose Dowd over Van Gelder, stating Van Gelder "ruined my bass sound"[^2] ## Engineering Philosophy **Bass recording approach:** - Emphasized room sound and natural tone - Contrasted with Van Gelder's direct-out/mic hybrid technique - Preferred by bassists who wanted unaltered sound *(Article stub - needs expansion with Atlantic Records work, R&B/soul productions, multitrack innovations)* ## Footnotes [^1]: [Wikipedia: Pithecanthropus Erectus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pithecanthropus_Erectus_(album)) - Recorded January 1956, Audio-Video Studios [^2]: [Wikipedia: Rudy Van Gelder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Van_Gelder) - Mingus quote about Van Gelder's bass sound #engineer #atlantic #jazz #soul #rock