Hugh was my good friend and a rock cellist.We played as a classical duo for one gig in London.Feb.1987..then I left for Italy.Now I return to Scotland 30 years later...I am heartbroken to have lost my friend and I wanted pick up where we had left off.He was a great musician and cellist and he was always modest and interested in my music too. He was a clever person who could program computers,play darts (and win )in the local, whilst rockin'out to Mr.Blue Sky with ELO.. I will always be inspired by Hugh! John McCrae
Hugh Mc Dowell was born on July 31st, 1953 in Hampstead, London and was ELO's cellist from February 1972 to July 1972, then rejoined in December 1973 to September 1979. His only recorded album with The Electric Light Orchestra apart from the live LP, was "Eldorado", all the later albums featured him on the credits but apart from a few little cello solos, he didn't perform on them. At the age of four and a half Hugh started playing cello and by the age of 10 he won a scholarship to the Yehudi Menhuin School Of Music ( from which he was expelled). Only one year later he made his first professional appearance in Benjamin Britten's "Turn Of The Screw", in hich he sang. Later on he went to Kingsway College Of Further Education, the Royal College Of Music and Guildhall School Of Music. He then played with the London Youth Symphony Orchestra, The London Schools Symphony Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra and London Youth Chamber Orchestra, until he was persuaded by Wilf Gibson to join The Electric Light Orchestra on cello. At that time Hugh was only 17 years old(!). He left ELO after a few months of live performances in July 1972 to play with Roy Wood's own band Wizzard, for which he played cello and moog synthesizer. His decision to re-join ELO was made because he would have had to play more and more keyboards with Wizzard instead of cello and Jeff Lynne and the other ELO mates were once again hunting for a suitable cellist. So he joined the band again and was allowed to perform his own track "Hugh's Solo/Flight Of The Bumble Bee" live on stage which sometimes lasted up to eight minutes. After the promotional video for "Discovery" in 1979 he wasn't used any more in ELO. He wasn't fired, just never booked to play in any more ELO projects. In 1980 Hugh Mc Dowell played on the album "Gift Wrapped" by his old ELO mate Melvyn Gale, who had founded the group Wilson Gale & Co. In the autumn of 1980, he started to teach part-time at a London music school. He conducted a children's orchestra and other orchestras at several London Schools. Hugh later joined the 20th Century Chamber Groups George W. Welch, Harmonie Band and Quorum with whom he toured worldwide. Every now and then the quartet Quorum perform gigs of classical music. In 1989 he re-joined ELO for the third time in Bev Bevan's Electric Light Orchestra Part II again as a live cello player for their first UK tour after which he was dropped. He then teamed up with Mik & Kelly's band OrKestra with whom he recorded as guest musician on their album and performed every now and then with them. Hugh is also involved with computer programming and has published a computer program for music composing in 1992 which is called "Fractal Music Composer". He developed a suite for 4 programmes; Mandelbrot Set Composer, Julia Set Composer, Mandelbrot Zoom and Play Midi. Information compiled by Marc Haines, Patrik Guttenbacher and Alexander von Petersdorff. Shortened excerpt taken from their book "Unexpected Messages"
I remember Hugh's solo from an ELO concert in Evansville, Indiana on March 24, 1977. It included the laser light show reflected off his silver cello onto the ceiling of the now demolished Roberts Municipal Stadium. My friends left the concert early, because of school the next day, and missed the solo. I stayed and ended up walking home (about 10 miles or more) that night. Awesome show by an awesome band.
“You’re about to hear the cello played like you’ve never heard it played before” I heard from a thick British accent, Hearsch Colosseum, 1975, ShreveportLouisiana. My hometown memory.
An amazing professional who put his heart and soul into his music. Rest in peace and thank you for all the joy you brought into my life, along with Mike and Kelly. The three of you were simply amazing. We love and miss you.
He quits the solo with The Flight of the Bumble Bee...Awesome! Hugh could perform this solos with more frequence in the shows...it's a pitty I can't find any images of this solo on youtube... =( I'm a Hugh's (and Melvyn) super fan! I think Hugh loved to play cello beside Melvyn...cause he was different of Mike Edwards
Hugh McDowell continues to work as a brilliant cellit in traditional work and with gys like John Wetton and Geoffrey Downes (2 of Asia - amongst many other bands over the years) he was principal cellist in the London youth orchestra and continues to be lead cellist in orchestral work - the man is a legend too - the FIRST rock no roll Cellist :-)
Both Mik (violin) and Hugh (cello) performed solos at almost all their concert appearances. For some reason their performances were edited out of the Live CD's. Only Mik's violin solo is on the Live At The BBC CD and both their solos were edited out of Winterland Live CD.
movejefflynnelo yea well..wouldn’t want any former Classic Lineup backing band members to receive Royalty Checks for their work....I wonder which Soulless Bastard made that decision...I have my suspicions
This audio recording is from the Out Of The Blue Tour concert in Osaka Japan. This was also performed at The Wembley Concert but was edited out of the broadcast,VHS and DVD videos as well. I created this montage video from different sources.
@MrTjgale I'm very glad to meet you!! Please say to your dad that i'm a big fan of him!! Can you ask your dad if he can write something for me here?? PLEASE! Thanks!
according to the FTM site there may be a restored version of the Live at Wembley show (but dont hold your breath) which included Hugh's Solo with green lasers!bouncing off his silver cello
The clip is actually from around 1972-3, feturing a very young and clean shaven Mc dowell Roy Wood when he looked like Santa. Wood soon left ELO. yet the into is by Kelly Grougut who joined ELO in 1975. Don't know much about Melvyne ( not from lack of trying) but Hugh was a stage man for sure. Sort of Elton John with a cello instead of a piano. He probbably didn't even bring rosin to those dress up and leap about 70s concerts.
Hugh McDowell, Bill Hunt left ELO along with Roy Wood to Form Wizzard in 1972...Hugh McDowell rejoined ELO for the Eldorado album 1974 (possibly late 1973)..although he was a member of Wizzard for one album and 3 singles (2 No 1 hit singles)...
Indeed correct. I've heard Hugh returned to ELO cause he wanted to play more cello, less keyboard. I've tried & tried to find out what parts on ELO records (Eldorado - A New World Record, did Elo members play. Only Mick Kaminski played on on Out Of The Blue & only on 3 tracks. On some Eldorado tracks you can clearly here that it's ELO & not an orchestra.
@@johnsergei Yeah Melvyn Gale said both played on all albums except Discovery but not in all songs, Melvyn knows exactly where both played on all songs. He said actually both played even on Out of the blue but in certain parts of some songs. But yeah unfortunately Gale never named the songs where he and Hugh recorded.
The audio is from the Out of the Blue Tour... The video is from various sources - as was stated. "This audio recording is from the Out Of The Blue Tour concert in Osaka Japan"
This is very strange. ELO dropped out its string players 1974- 75 in its recording practically. So in ANW and OOTB they were heard hardly at all. I have heard this all was about the management. It was not the decision of Jeff Lynne because ELO bacame have a name in USA, like the Beatles it was a high try to get marcet there. I think this is behind this all.
Hugh was my good friend and a rock cellist.We played as a classical duo for one gig in London.Feb.1987..then I left for Italy.Now I return to Scotland 30 years later...I am heartbroken to have lost my friend and I wanted pick up where we had left off.He was a great musician and cellist and he was always modest and interested in my music too. He was a clever person who could program computers,play darts (and win )in the local, whilst rockin'out to Mr.Blue Sky with ELO.. I will always be inspired by Hugh! John McCrae
Did Hugh ever discuss the audio setup with you? Always wondered hide ELO got that great sound Live with microphone placement….
I love how theatrical he was. It wasn't like he just stood and sat on stage playing his instrument.
RIP Hugh, an amazing talent you were
Hugh Mc Dowell was born on July 31st, 1953 in Hampstead, London and was ELO's cellist from February 1972 to
July 1972, then rejoined in December 1973 to September 1979. His only recorded album with The Electric Light
Orchestra apart from the live LP, was "Eldorado", all the later albums featured him on the credits but apart from a few
little cello solos, he didn't perform on them. At the age of four and a half Hugh started playing cello and by the age of
10 he won a scholarship to the Yehudi Menhuin School Of Music ( from which he was expelled). Only one year later
he made his first professional appearance in Benjamin Britten's "Turn Of The Screw", in hich he sang. Later on he went
to Kingsway College Of Further Education, the Royal College Of Music and Guildhall School Of Music. He then
played with the London Youth Symphony Orchestra, The London Schools Symphony Orchestra, National Youth
Orchestra and London Youth Chamber Orchestra, until he was persuaded by Wilf Gibson to join The Electric
Light Orchestra on cello. At that time Hugh was only 17 years old(!).
He left ELO after a few months of live performances in July 1972 to play with Roy Wood's own band Wizzard, for
which he played cello and moog synthesizer. His decision to re-join ELO was made because he would have had to play
more and more keyboards with Wizzard instead of cello and Jeff Lynne and the other ELO mates were once again
hunting for a suitable cellist. So he joined the band again and was allowed to perform his own track "Hugh's Solo/Flight
Of The Bumble Bee" live on stage which sometimes lasted up to eight minutes.
After the promotional video for "Discovery" in 1979 he wasn't used any more in ELO. He wasn't fired, just never
booked to play in any more ELO projects. In 1980 Hugh Mc Dowell played on the album "Gift Wrapped" by his old
ELO mate Melvyn Gale, who had founded the group Wilson Gale & Co. In the autumn of 1980, he started to teach
part-time at a London music school. He conducted a children's orchestra and other orchestras at several London
Schools.
Hugh later joined the 20th Century Chamber Groups George W. Welch, Harmonie Band and Quorum with whom he
toured worldwide. Every now and then the quartet Quorum perform gigs of classical music.
In 1989 he re-joined ELO for the third time in Bev Bevan's Electric Light Orchestra Part II again as a live cello
player for their first UK tour after which he was dropped. He then teamed up with Mik & Kelly's band OrKestra with
whom he recorded as guest musician on their album and performed every now and then with them.
Hugh is also involved with computer programming and has published a computer program for music composing in
1992 which is called "Fractal Music Composer". He developed a suite for 4 programmes; Mandelbrot Set Composer,
Julia Set Composer, Mandelbrot Zoom and Play Midi.
Information compiled by Marc Haines, Patrik Guttenbacher and Alexander von Petersdorff.
Shortened excerpt taken from their book "Unexpected Messages"
Thank you so much for this great info! RIP the great Hugh Mc Dowell.
Wow , well underrated performer ,Brilliantly played .RIP Hugh.
Sheila Finney5 Get out of here Mik was better
I have Hugh's "Cello Solo" on a bootleg double cd called "Face The Orpheum". It was recorded on 19th March at The Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA, USA.
David MacGregor cool post it please
RIP Hugh :(
I remember Hugh's solo from an ELO concert in Evansville, Indiana on March 24, 1977. It included the laser light show reflected off his silver cello onto the ceiling of the now demolished Roberts Municipal Stadium. My friends left the concert early, because of school the next day, and missed the solo. I stayed and ended up walking home (about 10 miles or more) that night. Awesome show by an awesome band.
that's amazing
“You’re about to hear the cello played like you’ve never heard it played before” I heard from a thick British accent, Hearsch Colosseum, 1975, ShreveportLouisiana. My hometown memory.
An amazing professional who put his heart and soul into his music. Rest in peace and thank you for all the joy you brought into my life, along with Mike and Kelly. The three of you were simply amazing. We love and miss you.
R.I.P. Hugh. Thank you for the great music.
R.I.P. Kelly!!!
R.I.P Hugh!! May your cello keep flying high!!
I admit this is the only clip when I
have seen or heard in ELO concerts
this kind of superb cello- solo.
Hugh just couldn't be still. A wonderful entertainer miss you and love you so very very much. May you Rest In Paradise!
R.I.P. Hugh!
Wish there was more footage of his epic playing.
BRAVO, MAESTRO!!!
HAPPY BRTHDAY (62th) HUGH!!!
(born on July 31th, 1953)
Hadn't realised he'd passed on. Very sad news. Thanks for all the notes!
R.I.P. Hugh 😢
He quits the solo with The Flight of the Bumble Bee...Awesome!
Hugh could perform this solos with more frequence in the shows...it's a pitty I can't find any images of this solo on youtube... =(
I'm a Hugh's (and Melvyn) super fan!
I think Hugh loved to play cello beside Melvyn...cause he was different of Mike Edwards
わぁ、メチャクチャ貴重な音源！ビックリ！ずっと聴いてて良かったぁ！👍❤
Buen viaje a la estrella azul Hugh!!
Wow this is cool Hugh McDowell is an amazing cellist! At the end, he's playing 'Flight of the Bumblebees'.
Hugh McDowell continues to work as a brilliant cellit in traditional work and with gys like John Wetton and Geoffrey Downes (2 of Asia - amongst many other bands over the years) he was principal cellist in the London youth orchestra and continues to be lead cellist in orchestral work - the man is a legend too - the FIRST rock no roll Cellist :-)
spin all the cellos! A lovely man to be sure.
Awesome!
Congratulations to you, HUGH!
RIP Hugh. You were the best!
oh my god.. I feel in love again..
Hugh was een bloedmooie man... beeldschoon om te zien ..passief in zijn muziek..zonde dat zo'n beeldschoon talent jong overleden is
RIP Kelly, Mike, Hugh
I love you Hugh forever xxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Both Mik (violin) and Hugh (cello) performed solos at almost all their concert appearances. For some reason their performances were edited out of the Live CD's. Only Mik's violin solo is on the Live At The BBC CD and both their solos were edited out of Winterland Live CD.
movejefflynnelo yea well..wouldn’t want any former Classic Lineup backing band members to receive Royalty Checks for their work....I wonder which Soulless Bastard made that decision...I have my suspicions
@@Oh_I_Will maybe it's the one with the bushy beard, Ronald McDonald afro, and is never seen without sunglasses
@@Oh_I_Will Quit talking shit.
@@groundhog713 You, too.
This audio recording is from the Out Of The Blue Tour concert in Osaka Japan. This was also performed at The Wembley Concert but was edited out of the broadcast,VHS and DVD videos as well. I created this montage video from different sources.
Wait by why the heck is Roy Wood there
Hugh was in zeventiger jaren de schoonste mooiste man op aarde
@MrTjgale
I'm very glad to meet you!! Please say to your dad that i'm a big fan of him!!
Can you ask your dad if he can write something for me here?? PLEASE!
Thanks!
according to the FTM site there may be a restored version of the Live at Wembley show (but dont hold your breath) which included Hugh's Solo with green lasers!bouncing off his silver cello
i thought mel had the silver cello
I wonder why they didn´t include this
cello- part in their videos TO SEEN.
ELO was however known by their cellos.
I wonder if this is one of the bands that inspired Apocolyptica...
What the hell is Jeff Lynne wearing?
rip hugh
The clip is actually from around 1972-3, feturing a very young and clean shaven Mc dowell
Roy Wood when he looked like Santa. Wood soon left ELO. yet the into is by Kelly Grougut who joined ELO in 1975.
Don't know much about Melvyne ( not from lack of trying) but Hugh was a stage man for sure.
Sort of Elton John with a cello instead of a piano. He probbably didn't even bring rosin to those dress up and leap about 70s concerts.
Hugh McDowell, Bill Hunt left ELO along with Roy Wood to Form Wizzard in 1972...Hugh McDowell rejoined ELO for the Eldorado album 1974 (possibly late 1973)..although he was a member of Wizzard for one album and 3 singles (2 No 1 hit singles)...
Indeed correct. I've heard Hugh returned to ELO cause he wanted to play more cello, less keyboard. I've tried & tried to find out what parts on ELO records (Eldorado - A New World Record, did Elo members play. Only Mick Kaminski played on on Out Of The Blue & only on 3 tracks.
On some Eldorado tracks you can clearly here that it's ELO & not an orchestra.
@@johnsergei Yeah Melvyn Gale said both played on all albums except Discovery but not in all songs, Melvyn knows exactly where both played on all songs. He said actually both played even on Out of the blue but in certain parts of some songs. But yeah unfortunately Gale never named the songs where he and Hugh recorded.
Melvin ..mike ..hugh...wilf ...colin...
This tour bombed. Ask jeff.
I just wondered if electric cellos sound
different to the ordinary cellos.
Like electric guitar to acoustic guitar.
Maybe a stupid question.
This isn’t out of the Blue Roy Wood is still there
The audio is from the Out of the Blue Tour... The video is from various sources - as was stated. "This audio recording is from the Out Of The Blue Tour concert in Osaka Japan"
Rare stuff from the "Space- ship- time ".
Or isn´t this from the OOTB- tour ?
FinnMove no it can’t be from out of the blue cause Roy Wood is still there I would say any where from the first album to Eldorado
The Out Of The Blue Tour bombed????
Prairie Oysters yeah cause it was so damm expensive to ship a giant metal spaceship
@MrTjgale
Ooppss
Sorry Mel....
But I'm sure you know he plays piano a lot! \õ/
This is very strange. ELO dropped out its string players 1974- 75 in its recording
practically. So in ANW and OOTB they were heard hardly at all. I have heard this all was about the management. It was not the decision of Jeff Lynne because ELO bacame have a name in USA, like the Beatles it was a high try to get marcet there. I think this is behind this all.
No they got rid of there string section after ootb
Discovery ?? 1979.
@@michaelkoszowski3716 He meant the REAL strings, not the orchestra.
@MrTjgale
WHAT?
Serious??
extremely lame
Rusalka 78 are you kidding?