Max Margulis

American musician and photographer

Max Margulis (1907–1996) was an American musician, writer, music teacher, voice coach, record producer, copywriter, photographer and left-wing activist. He had a significant influence on the New York artistic and performing community particularly from the 1930s to the 1950s. He was a co-founder of Blue Note Records in 1939 responsible for the seed capital to fund the record label, although from the beginning his participation was more as a supporter of the music, rather than as creative producer. He did, however, write advertising brochures and ad copy for the label.^[1]

Margulis reviewed music and wrote for left-wing and Marxist periodicals including Masses & Mainstream and the Daily Worker in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s under the pseudonyms Max March and Martin McCall.^[2]

From 1949 through the 1960s, he was an active stereo photographer who photographed many of the most significant painters of the New York art scene in their studio, including Willem de Kooning.

As voice teacher, Margulis's pupils included many singers and actors, among them actors Stacy Keach, Harris Yulin, Faye Dunaway, and Sigourney Weaver. Margulis taught actor Laurence Olivier to sing for the 1960 film The Entertainer.^[3]

Singer-songwriter Judy Collins, credits Margulis with honing her skills, overcoming troublesome voice issues, and with the longevity of her career.^[4] ^[5]

Notes

^ Cook, Richard Blue Note Records: The Biography, Secker & Warburg, 2003
^ Ronald D. Cohen (2002). Rainbow Quest: The Folk Music Revival and American Society, 1940-1970. University of Massachusetts Press. p. 26. ISBN 1-55849-346-8. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
^ Judy Collins (2011). Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: My Life in Music. Crown. pp. 169–172. ISBN 978-0307717368. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
^ Judy Collins (October 1998). Singing lessons: a memoir of love, loss, hope, and healing. Simon and Schuster. pp. 132, 162, 262. ISBN 978-0-671-00397-5. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
^ Fleming, John (2010-12-12). "Hear Judy Collins' enduring, sweet voice at Clearwater concert". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2012-11-27.