DAVID AXELROD
Genres: Exotica, Third Stream, RnB, Progressive Big Band, Funk Jazz • United States

David Axelrod (April 17, 1931  – February 5, 2017)  was an American composer, arranger, and producer. After starting out as a staff producer for record companies specializing in jazz, Axelrod became known by the mid-1960s in soul and jazz circles for his recording skills. In 1968, he embarked on a solo career and released several eccentric albums during the 1970s that showcased his characteristic sound, which combined heavily microphoned drums and baroque orchestration, and avant garde themes ranging from the environment to heightened mental awareness.With his early solo projects, Axelrod was one of the first recording artists to fuse elements of jazz, rock, and R&B. Born in Los Angeles, California, David Axelrod was raised in its South Central neighborhood, where he grew up listening to R&B and jazz. His father was active in radical labour union politics. After a stint as a boxer, Axelrod found studio work in the read more...