Rudy Van Gelder is interviewed by producer Michael Cuscuna, during which he reminisces about the early days of Blue Note, the legends with whom he has worked, and his legacy as the greatest jazz recording engineer of all time.
I have probably owned every album that this master and Creed Taylor had their names on back when I had my big jazz album collection in California. All of my favourite jazz artists were recorded by them. Gems for audiophiles back then. Played only on the best audio playback equipment available at the time. Well done, Master Rudy VG. All of those who have preceded you are waiting for you at the big studio in Heaven. The music never ends.
In my short 17 years in business I have serviced Hammond organs in several different studios. I have a CD library of Jazz and Blues which for me is busting, yet I buy more when I can. Even though I've attended winter NAMM every year now for almost over 30 years, after watching this interview I feel as if I've missed out on so much. RIP Rudy Van Gelder
Cited by Donald Fagen as the studio sound Steely Dan sought to emulate, which served as my introduction to this gentleman aside from sixty years of organic assimilation. That he mastered his own recordings before going to the day job is an eye-opener.
Thank you and RIP RVG for the many memorable recordings during the golden Blue Note years (1954 -1967) , for the memorable Prestige recordings especially with Miles Davis, Monk, Sonny Rollins, Gil Melle, Walt Dickerson and Booker Ervin, the legendary Howard Tate Verve sessions, and CTI/Kudu among those Esther Phillips ' best ever, 'From A Whisper To A Scream'. It was Gil Melle that introduced RVG to Alfred Lion and the rest is history. Despite his personal problems RVG IS a legend.
Ahhh yes, the Esther sessions. Arranged and conducted by Pee Wee Ellis. Great music absorbed by the master of the microphone and tape, and transformed into timeless memories of the many gifted and talented artists who graced the RVG studio. Rest in peace, Mr. Rudy Van Gelder. ✝️
Sorry Rudy, the noise you heard from Kenny Burrell was his guitar pick hitting the pickup cover. I had the same problem, it is the way you hit the string, I changed my picking technic. Kenny never did, he is the only guitar player I know with this problem and you can hear it often on his recordings. Kenny picked directly over the front pickup and his movement was that he bended his thumb joint back and forth.
At 15.49 Rudy says he went to the Columbia 30th street studio and modeled his studio on it. Right on, that huge 30th st. studio had the greatest sound. That’s where Miles and Co. did Kind of Blue.
