Rock On!

Music Students Study with Legendary Record Producer Elliot Mazer

He's worked with the best in the business—from Neil Young to Janis Joplin. Now, legendary record producer Elliot Mazer is working with UNC Asheville music majors, passing on more than three decades of music industry experience.

Mazer joined the faculty at UNC Asheville this spring to teach an upper-level course on record production. Some 21 students are currently enrolled in the class, which is examining musical creativity, musicianship, musical expression and recording engineering and producing. The course is designed as a tour through the recording process from a raw song to a finished recorded product.

"Students have been awe-struck to be studying with someone of such fame and artistic accomplishment," said Wayne Kirby, UNC Asheville Music Department chair and co-instructor for the course. "Everyone without exception that is enrolled in the class has told me how much they are learning."

Sean Lallouz, a music technology major, agrees. "The overwhelming feeling is that this is just an incredible opportunity. It's giving us a taste of a real-world recording experience with someone who is a classic studio producer," Lallouz said.

"Elliot brings to the table a mastery of the entire producing realm. And because he has been so successful and is so knowledgeable, he has a constant demand for perfection from the students," said Lallouz. "He's also been really friendly, really kind and really available to all of the students. There's no pretense because he has absolutely nothing to prove."

Mazer has been just as pleased to work with the students. "I am inspired working with a group of wonderful students who are eager to learn," he said. "I have enjoyed teaching the class. They are in the midst of finishing a bunch of recordings of songs they wrote, played on, engineered and produced."

The finished songs will be performed in a free, live concert at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 1, on UNC Asheville's Quad.

Mazer has a long, varied career as a record producer, studio owner and engineer, entertainment technology company executive and audio consultant. Primarily known for his 30-year association with Neil Young, Mazer also has worked on albums by Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Leonard Bernstein and Linda Ronstadt. In addition, he recorded The Band's "The Last Waltz" concert recording for the film and albums. Mazer is also known for the development of the AirCheck monitoring system, which automates the discovery of music and commercials on radio and television.

LINKS

UNC Asheville Music Department