or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
More Buying Choices
21 used & new from $15.62

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

or

Get a $6.50 Amazon.com Gift Card
 
   
The Language of Music
 
See larger image
 

The Language of Music (2003)

Starring: Ray Charles, John Coltrane Director: Mark Moormann Rating: Unrated Format: DVD
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)

List Price: $24.98
Price: $19.49 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $5.49 (22%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Wednesday, November 11? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
13 new from $18.09 8 used from $15.62
The Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns
Documentaries as Low as $8.49
For a limited time save on over 300 documentaries. Hurry, sale ends November 10.

Frequently Bought Together

The Language of Music + Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built + Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story
Total List Price: $64.94
Price For All Three: $52.47

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: The Language of Music DVD ~ Ray Charles

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built DVD ~ Ahmet Ertegun

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story DVD ~ Various Artists

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • Documentary DVDs as Low as $8.49 Stock up on Documentary DVDs, over 300 Documentaries as low as $8.49. Hurry, sale ends November 10th. Shop now.

  • Save up to 50% on dozens of TV and documentary DVDs in our Triple TV and History Sale.

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


Product Details


Editorial Reviews

Product Description

TOM DOWD & THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC profiles the extraordinary life and legendary work of music producer / recording engineer Tom Dowd. Historical footage, vintage photographs and interviews with a who's who list of musical giants from the worlds of jazz, soul and classic rock shine a spotlight on the brilliance of Tom Dowd, whose creative spirit and passion for innovative technology helped shape the course of modern music. Tom Dowd's credits include recording sessions with Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Otis Redding, John Coltrane, The Allman Brothers Band, Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Cream, Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Booker T. & the MG's and countless other musical luminaries.

Includes Music & Interviews with Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, The Allman Brothers Band, Les Paul, Otis Redding, Thelonious Monk, Booker T. & the MG's & many more!


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story

Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story

DVD ~ Various Artists
4.8 out of 5 stars (19)  $14.99
Standing In The Shadows of Motown

Standing In The Shadows of Motown

DVD ~ Joe Hunter
4.8 out of 5 stars (182)  $6.49
Stax/Volt Revue Live In Norway 1967

Stax/Volt Revue Live In Norway 1967

DVD ~ Various Artists
4.9 out of 5 stars (31)  $13.49
Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding

Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding

DVD ~ Otis Redding
4.7 out of 5 stars (31)  $12.49
Behind the Glass - Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits (Softcover)

Behind the Glass - Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits (Softcover)

by Massey Howard
4.6 out of 5 stars (19)  $16.47
Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(4)
(3)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

49 Reviews
5 star:
 (39)
4 star:
 (5)
3 star:
 (4)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (49 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Man, Amazing Life, September 13, 2004
By H. Webber (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I have been anticipating this DVD for a few weeks, after hearing Moormann's interview on NPR, and I was not disappointed in the least. Tom Dowd was an amazing man who led an amazing life, and it is pieced together beautifully in this engaging documentary. But you don't have to be a fan of Tom Dowd to appreciate this disc. Anyone who loves music will find something here to appreciate, whether it's archival footage of Otis Redding, an interview with Eric Clapton, or Dowd's rendition of "I Love a Piano" by Irving Berlin. And in the process of telling Tom's story, the film also provides a fascinating history of record producing, from its primitive beginnings, through the marvels of 8-track tape, straight up to the computers of modern music production.

Like most people, I had never heard of Tom Dowd but have been touched by his musical influence. I am grateful that Moormann chose to do this project, to bring Tom's work out into the light for me and other music fans. It is a perfect way to honor Tom's memory, and I will enjoy watching it again and again.

This documentary has several goose-bump moments, and as the final credits roll, you can't help but feel inspired. We should all be as fortunate as Tom Dowd--to find such joy in our life's work, and to be so darn good at it.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, September 17, 2004
By swlabr123 (Delaware) - See all my reviews
The previous poster, that song you want to know is LAYLA by Derek and the Dominoes..the piano part is 4 minutes in, and was written by the drummer Jim Gordon (just the piano part, clapton wrote the words), who also is playing the piano (though some piano parts are played by Bobby Whitlock)...not to be confused with the version Eric Clapton did in that MTV unplugged thing..Ok, this was a great bio/documentary on an unsung hero of the music industry. The only thing else I could wish for is maybe interviews with Aretha Franklin or Wilson Pickett? How cool is it that this guy not only worked on the Manhattan Project, but worked with greats such as John Coltrane, Ray Charles, the Allman Brothers band etc. They all respected his work too. He seems like such a regular guy, and pretty much was a regular guy. The montage in the begining (with Tales of Brave Ulyssess in the background) is sometimes a bit much, but very artistic. Other than that, a great docu, and be sure to check out the bonus material with extra interviews and deleted scenes. I really like how they keep going back and forth to his youth working with Physics. Some of the most fascinating bits of the film. Most of the historic footage is from TV shows featuring the artists.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb - a great DVD, a great life - thanks PALM, December 3, 2004
By Luigi Facotti (Chicago Il) - See all my reviews
  
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
Firtsly, my wife who hates most of my music sat transfixed through this movie - from the Manhattan project, through the early years of Atlantic, Stax to the Allman Brothers one cannot miss both the impact and the enthusiasm of Tom Dowd. The commentaries by both the musicians, Jerry Wexler, Ahmet Ertegun and Phil Ramone as well as Tom's own commentaries show what a special individual Tom Dowd was. All though this movie - especially seeing the late Ray Charles - the magnitude of what was committed to film is highlighted. This is a special movie about a very special person - I loved the comments on the primitive nature of the recording hardware in the UK compared what Tom Dowd was using in the 50s and early 60s.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Tom Dowd and the Language of Music - very interesting and well done
This DVD contains a great collection of pictures and some video from recording in the early 50s through the 80s. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ryan E. Black

5.0 out of 5 stars Tom Dowd, the music engineering genius
I could call myself an amateur music historian. I prefer to think of myself as a music history nut. Read more
Published 2 months ago by R. E. Vincent

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Seeing
Mandatory veiwing for anyone connected with the industry; and thoroughly enjoyable watching for anyone who loves the music.
Published 4 months ago by dB Jones

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough overview of a key music man
Anyone viwing this probably already knows the Tom Dowd story. Still, this is a very complete look at the many innovations made by Tom Dowd during his long career at Atlantic... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Bradley F. Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars Real talent rarely seen anymore...
Tom Dowd. What an amazingly talented engineer and producer. His unique ability to have such a technical understanding of engineering coupled with his musical prowess made him... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mark Hagen

5.0 out of 5 stars Tom Dowd, The Language of Music
Before this DVD I had no idea who Tom Dowd was. But if you have been a fan of any kind of popular music over the last 50 years you have been a fan of Tom Dowd. Read more
Published 9 months ago by RJ

3.0 out of 5 stars +1/2 -- Extraordinary musical figure, adequate documentary
Tom Dowd (1925-2002) was best known to top-flight jazz, soul and rock musicians, and detail-oriented music fans who read through all of an album's liner notes. Read more
Published 9 months ago by hyperbolium

5.0 out of 5 stars A musical education!
I first saw this program on Ovation TV and I had to buy it for my own.
Music is a very important part of my life--it has saved me many times! Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mary Jo Sample

5.0 out of 5 stars What a life!
I don't know how Tom Dowd's identity and influence escaped me for so many years. His influences as engineer, producer and omnipresent encourager of creative greatness were all... Read more
Published 13 months ago by J. Blackburn

5.0 out of 5 stars The genius behind the geniuses
Any fan of 20th century contemporary jazz and rock will love this documentary - Tom Dowd made the genius musician sound like a genius. Read more
Published 13 months ago by D. White

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Discussion Replies Latest Post
Name 10 song titles about... 3400 30 seconds ago
Cozy Revisited. 72 2 minutes ago
If You Could Name 20 Songs (any genre) That Define You ......... 31 3 minutes ago
Song Lyric Tag 7570 17 minutes ago
What is the best biography of a woman? 10 22 minutes ago
U2: "Overrated"? 210 29 minutes ago
What are you listening right now? 3083 1 hour ago
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Explore more




Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.