Teo Macero

by Scott YanowTeo Macero is best-known for being a busy jazz producer at Columbia from 1957 until the late 80s, most noticeably for producing Miles Davis records. However, he has also been an occasional tenor saxophonist who has been involved in some adventurous sessions. After serving in the Navy, Macero came to New York in 1948 where he attended Juilliard until he graduated in 1953. That year, he became a member of Charles Mingus Jazz Composers Workshop. He made several records with Mingus during 1953-1955, recorded with Teddy Charles (1956), and led three albums of his own for Debut, Columbia, and Prestige (1953-1957). Maceros dry tones on tenor and baritone and advanced choice of notes sometimes put him closer to modern classical music than to jazz. In the late 50s, he wrote some atonal classical works, but by then, he was working full-time as a producer. Teo Macero played on a very infrequent basis during the 1960s and 70s, but in 1983 he returned as a player to record a tribute to Charles Mingus on Palo Alto; in 1985, he played on one number during a Doctor Jazz date that he fronted. Some of Maceros earlier recordings as a saxophonist have been reissued on a Stash collection.