Bruce Haack

One of the 20th century's most imaginative electronic artists, Bruce Haack fused technology and wonder. Haack built his own synthesizers and composed pieces that mixed classical, folk, country, and pop; with dance teacher Esther Nelson and multi-instrumentalist Ted Pandel, he created children's albums that featured his freewheeling sonic experiments, such as 1963's Dance, Sing & Listen. Haack's discovery of acid rock inspired his masterpiece, 1970's The Electric Lucifer, but he kept innovating into the '80s, collaborating with Russell Simmons on 1982's "Party Machine." After his 1988 death, a reappraisal of his music led to the re-release of many of his albums, the 2004 documentary Haack: The King of Techno, and to glowing testimonials by artists like Beck and Cut Chemist. The rediscovery of Haack's creativity continued into the 2020s, with 1974's Captain Entropy and 1975's This Old Man appearing on vinyl for the first time in 50 years.