To make a film about the career of Tom Dowd is to make a film about the history of modern sound recording, which is exactly what director Mark Moormann has done with Tom Dowd & The Language Of Music. Through a careful blend of Dowd's own recollections, interviews, and concert footage, Moormann follows Dowd's genre-spanning influence on some of the greatest artists of the past century.

The array of producers and musicians who appear in the film to sing Dowd's praises is astounding. Highlights include a session with the late Ray Charles and an extended discussion with Eric Clapton. His influence on the music industry is absolutely amazing, ranging from early jazz and blues recording up through the creation of Southern rock and beyond.

Even more amazing, however, is the fact that, outside of the industry, Dowd's name is largely unknown.

Dowd's story begins in his days as a Columbia University engineering student. After being drafted into the army and put to work on what was to eventually be dubbed the Manhattan Project, Dowd returned to school unable to receive college credit for the classified work he had done with the atom bomb. So, instead of returning to his studies, he began working as a sound engineer in a recording studio.

Even early in his career, it was Dowd's light touch that defined his style. His focus on capturing the sound of each individual instrument, unprecedented at the time, would eventually lead him to pioneer the development of eight-track recording. When he eventually made the shift from engineer to producer, Dowd would maintain the same careful feel for every song he worked on, allowing the music, not the recording, to remain in the spotlight.

At the heart of the film is a scene with Dowd alone in his studio. With the original "Layla" masters cued up, he carefully and deliberately walks the viewer through each individual track, from the extended piano break to the frantic dual guitars. As Dowd begins to mix the tracks, he takes on the look of a blind man, enraptured by the sound to the exclusion of all else. It is a small glimpse of a master at work.

The film, perhaps consciously, mimics Dowd's "under-produced" style. Moormann doesn't resort to title cards for the interviewees, instead allowing them to introduce themselves and speak, largely without direction, about their work and music. The only narration comes from Dowd himself as he recounts the story of his life and career. The integration of photo montages, interview sessions, and archival footage is virtually seamless. Even the few scenes recreated specifically for the film blend in effortlessly.

Tom Dowd & The Language Of Music is a superb documentary and should be required viewing for anyone with even the slightest interest in sound recording and music. The film's insight into the life of one of the music industry's great unsung heroes is enough to send any fan back to the linear notes of their favorite records to search for the name Tom Dowd.

Tom Dowd & The Language Of Music is scheduled for U.S. theatrical release on August 13, 2004.

Official Site: Tom Dowd & The Language Of Music