Find a Grave Malcolm Cecil (1937-2021)

Find a Grave Malcolm Cecil (1937-2021)
Malcolm Cecil
Birth 9 Jan 1937
London, City of London, Greater London, England
Death 28 Mar 2021 (aged 84)
Burial Details Unknown

Musician and  Producer

Along with Robert Margouleff, Cecil created “The Original New Timbral Orchestra” also known as Tonto, a synthesizer system which revolutionized music during the 1970s.

A highly-versatile musical figure, he began his career as a jazz musician and later was a member of the noted British band “Blues Incorporated” before gravitating to producing. During the later, he formed a highly-successful collaboration with Stevie Wonder. He studied Science and Engineering, while playing the bass and acquired experience performing with the BBC Orchestra.

Following service with the Royal Air Force, with who he was stationed in South Africa, he moved to New York City where he landed a job as chief engineer with Mediasound Studios. It would be during this period, when he met Margouleff and formed their partnership. As a result of their talents merging, the electronic group “Tonto’s Expanding Head Band” came to fruition which led to the recording of the album “Zero Time” (1971).

A young Stevie Wonder came under the influence of their new style which shaped his musical direction beginning with the album “Music of My Mind” (1972), followed by “Talking Book” (1972), the highly-critical, commercially-successful “Innervisions” (1973, which earned Cecil a Grammy Award) and “Fulfillingness’ First Finale” (1974), which were all produced by Margouleff and Cecil. Additionally “The Isley Brothers,” “The Doobie Brothers” and Billy Preston were among the many artists who utilized Cecil’s creation.

Find a Grave Malcolm Cecil (1937-2021)