Don Ellis
A talented trumpeter with a vivid musical imagination and the willingness to try new things, Don Ellis led some of the most colorful big bands of the 1965-75 period. After graduating from Boston University, Ellis played in the big bands of Ray McKinley, Charlie Barnet, and Maynard Ferguson (he was featured with the latter on "Three More Foxes"), recorded with Charles Mingus, and played with George Russell's sextet (at the same time as Eric Dolphy). Ellis led four quartet and trio sessions during 1960-1962 for Candid, New Jazz, and Pacific Jazz, mixing together bop, free jazz, and his interest in modern classical music. However it was in 1965 when he put together his first orchestra that he really started to make an impression in jazz. Ellis's big bands were distinguished by their unusual instrumentation (which in its early days had up to three bassists and three drummers including Ellis himself), the leader's desire to investigate unusual time changes (including 7/8, 9/8, and even 15/16), its occasionally wacky humor (highlighted by an excess of false endings), and an openness towards using rock rhythms and (in later years) electronics. Ellis invented the four-valve trumpet and utilized a ring modulator and all types of wild electronic devices by the late '60s. By 1971, his band consisted of an eight-piece brass section (including French horn and tuba), a four-piece woodwind section, a string quartet, and a two-drum rhythm section. A later unrecorded edition even added a vocal quartet.
Among Don Ellis's sidemen were Glenn Ferris, Tom Scott, John Klemmer, Sam Falzone, Frank Strozier, Dave MacKay, and the brilliant pianist (straight from Bulgaria) Milcho Leviev. The orchestra's most memorable recordings were Autumn, Live at the Fillmore, and Tears of Joy (all for Columbia). After suffering a mid-'70s heart attack, Ellis returned to live performing, playing the "superbone" and a later edition of his big band featured Art Pepper. Ellis's last recording was at the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival, a year before his heart finally gave out.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Haiku
Don Ellis, Milcho Leviev, David Cohen, JOHN GUERIN
Jazz - Released by MPS on 31 jan. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Don Ellis Polish Radio Jazz Archives, Vol. 2
Don Ellis, Wojciech Karolak Trio
Jazz - Released by Polskie Radio on 11 mrt. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Live In 3 2/3/4 Time (Live)
Jazz - Released by Blue Note Records on 1 okt. 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Don Ellis - Live at the Jazz India Festival, 1978
Jazz - Released by Hindsight Records on 18 jul. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Live At Monterey
Jazz - Released by Blue Note Records on 1 jan. 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
At Fillmore
Jazz - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 25 jun. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Don Ellis Live in India
Jazz - Released by Sleepy Night on 20 sep. 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Electric Bath
Jazz - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 1 jan. 1967
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Live At Monteux (Live at Montreux)
Jazz - Released by Rhino Atlantic on 1 jul. 1977
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tears of Joy
Jazz - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 8 sep. 1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Shock Treatment
Jazz - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 26 jun. 1968
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New Ideas (Reissue)
Jazz - Released by Original Jazz Classics on 1 jan. 1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -