About Me
Born in Los Angeles in 1936, David Axelrod learned about arrangement and production largely on his own. He began working as a staff producer for the cool jazz labels Specialty and Contemporary, and led a pair of 1959 LPs -- Free for All by Frank Rosolino and The Fox by Harold Land -- that developed an earthy response to the trademarked light, airy sound of West Coast jazz.By the mid-'60s, Axelrod had grown famous in soul and jazz circles for his excellent recording skills, including two of the finest performance albums of the era, Lou Rawls' Live! and Cannonball Adderley's Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at "The Club" (the latter was actually a studio date).Axelrod's work in the late 60's with garage-psyche act The Electric Prunes moulded their drug soaked scuzz-punk sound into grand, orchestral acid-rock, setting the tone for his early solo work.Capitol rewarded their hot producer by releasing Axelrod's debut Song of Innocence and the follow-up Songs Of Experience. Characterised by brooding, cinematic strings, heavy funk drums & acid rock guitar, the LPs were highly original, ambitious sets comparable at the time only to Lalo Shifrin's soundtrack work.
Earth Rot (Capitol, 1970) one of the first environmentalist albums (a suite in eight movements), Rock Messiah (RCA, 1971), a rock interpretation of Handel's masterpiece, and The Auction (Decca, 1972) are all similarly worth checking out.
