RIP sound engineer Roger Nichols, schoolmate of Frank Zappa, crucial to Steely Dan and Aja, ...

[bananas]

http://www.halfhearteddude.com/2011/05/in-memoriam-april-2011/

In Memoriam – April 2011
May 2nd, 2011 halfhearteddude

For a blog going by this name, the death of multiple Grammy award-winning producer and pioneering sound engineer Roger Nichols is particularly noteworthy. The school mate of Frank Zappa was crucial in the development of Steely Dan’s sound, from the West Coast rock of Can’t Buy A Thrill to the jazz-tinged material on Aja and the comeback album Two Against Nature.It’s his hand on the back-cover of Countdown To Ecstasy.

Actor Tim Robbins’ parents were folk singers. Gil Robbins was a member of the pioneering folk group The Highwaymen; he died on 5 April; his wife Mary passed away 12 days later. It’s romantic in a way, but poor Tim.

The oldest death this month was that of bandlerader Orrin Tucker at the age of 100. His recording career went back to the late 1930s. And I was most saddened by the death at 60 of Phoebe Snow, a wonderful singer who cut down her music career to care for her disabled daughter for more than 30 years.

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[Enthusiast]

1. Based on the music alone

I think we can conclude that Roger Nichols was very good at what he did. May he rest in peace.

[bananas]

2. wikipedia entry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Nichols_%28recording_engineer%29

Roger Nichols (recording engineer)
For the songwriter, see Roger Nichols (songwriter).

Roger Scott Nichols (September 22, 1944 – April 9, 2011) was an American seven-time Grammy Award-winning recording engineer and producer.

Nichols was best known for his work with the group Steely Dan and John Denver, <1> but his work includes numerous major music acts including the Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa, Crosby Stills & Nash, Al Di Meola, Roy Orbison, Cass Elliot, Plácido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Diana Ross, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Rickie Lee Jones, Kenny Loggins, Mark Knopfler, Eddie Murphy, Michael McDonald, James Taylor, and Toots Thielemans, among others. In 2006 Nichols' work was formally recognized by The Recording Academy (Grammys) Producers and Engineers Wing.

In May 2010 Nichols was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He died at his home, surrounded by his family, on April 9, 2011 from the disease.<2> <3> In his subsequent New York Times obituary, Nichols was refered to in the headline as an 'Artist Among Sound Engineers.' <4>
Contents

* 1 Early life
* 2 From nuclear operator to recording engineer
* 3 The Steely Dan years
o 3.1 First meeting
o 3.2 Engineering the birth of Steely Dan
o 3.3 Nickname: "The Immortal"
o 3.4 Innovations for 'Countdown to Ecstasy', and 'The hand'
o 3.5 Steely Dan's studio-only years
* 4 Inventions
* 5 Other activities
* 6 Personal life
* 7 Death
* 8 Grammy Awards
* 9 References
* 10 External links

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[bananas]

3. Steely Dan / Dirty Work feat. Phoebe Snow

Steely Dan / Dirty Work feat. Phoebe Snow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659iZ0stew8&feature=related

[Enthusiast]

4. Nice find!

Just wanted to add, I'm a huge Dan fan. And Zappa fan also.