David Axelrod (born April 17, 1931, in Los Angeles, California) is an American composer, arranger, and producer. After starting out as a staff producer for cool jazz labels, Axelrod became famous by the mid 1960s in soul and jazz circles for his recording skills. In 1968, he embarked on a solo career and released several eccentric albums during the 1970s that showcased his characteristic sound, which combined heavily mic'ed drums and baroque orchestration, and avant-garde themes ranging from the environment to heightened mental awareness. With his early solo projects, Axelrod was one of the first recording artists to fuse elements of jazz, rock, and R&B.