Ray Ellis And His Orchestra
The six-decade career of producer, arranger, and composer Ray Ellis spans from Billie Holiday to Barbra Streisand to Emmylou Harris. He also enjoyed great success in television, writing virtually all of the background music for animation studio Filmation from 1968 to 1982. Born July 28, 1923, in Philadelphia, Ellis began studying saxophone at age 12, mastering all of the reed instruments within three years. While stationed at Fort Knox during World War II, he handled arranging duties with the U.S. Army Band, later recalling: "That's where I got my musical education. I was put into the band and the men couldn't get away from my arrangements. Even if I wrote a bad one, I couldn't get fired." After the war Ellis returned to Philadelphia to work in radio, later fronting a live jazz showcase on local television station WCAU. He also played tenor sax behind bandleaders Gene Krupa and Paul Whiteman before relocating to New York City in 1954.
Columbia Records producer Mitch Miller hired Ellis as a staff arranger the following year, where he assisted on a series of pop smashes including the Four Lads' "Standing on the Corner" and Johnny Mathis' "A Certain Smile." Most notably, Ellis and his orchestra supported jazz icon Holiday on her controversial 1958 LP Lady in Satin: "I would say that the most emotional moment was her listening to the playback of 'I'm a Fool to Want You.' There were tears in her eyes," Ellis recounted 40 years later. "After we finished the album I went into the control room and listened to all the takes. I must admit I was unhappy with her performance, but I was just listening musically instead of emotionally. It wasn't until I heard the final mix a few weeks later that I realized how great her performance really was." Ellis was appointed A&R director at MGM Records in 1959, overseeing hits like Connie Francis' "Where the Boys Are" and Sarah Vaughan's "Broken Hearted Melody." He also headlined his own easy listening LPs, including Ellis in Wonderland and Let's Get Away from It All.
Ellis changed musical direction during a stint at Atlantic Records under renowned R&B producer Jerry Wexler, briefly returning to Columbia long enough to arrange Streisand's 1964 effort The Third Album. After relocating to Los Angeles during the mid-'60s, Ellis shifted his focus to television: often using wife Yvette Blais' name as a pseudonym, he composed for Filmation productions spanning from The Archie Show to Fantastic Voyage to The Hardy Boys, scoring dozens of cartoons across his 14-year tenure with the studio. He still accepted the occasional studio gig, however, and in 1970 produced country chanteuse Emmylou Harris' debut, Gliding Bird. In retirement, Ellis spearheaded a number of fundraising efforts for the Ojai Music Festival. He died of complications from melanoma at his Encino home on October 27, 2008.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
Discography
19 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Lady Sings the Blues
Billie Holiday, Ray Ellis And His Orchestra, Billie Holiday and Her Lads of Joy, Billie Holiday and Her Band
Vocal Jazz - Released by Reels on Fire on 1 Jun 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mad / The First Man into Space (Mono Version)
The Naturals, Ray Ellis And His Orchestra
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
All of You (Mono Version)
Billie Holiday, Ray Ellis And His Orchestra
Vocal Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1959
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
La Dolce Vita and other great Motion Pictures Themes (Original Album 1961)
Pop - Released by Soundtrack on 1 Jan 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let's Get Away from It All + Ellis in Wonderland
Jazz - Released by Sauvage Recordings on 15 Jan 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Big Voices, The Big Bands, The Big Songs, The Big Sounds
Pop - Released by Acetate on 30 Sep 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Touch of Your Lips - Ray Ellis and His Orchestra
Pop - Released by Don't stop the music on 13 Jun 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Very Much In Love
Pop - Released by Vintage Jukebox on 16 Jun 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Our Man On Broadway (Original Album 1961)
Pop - Released by Soundtrack on 1 Jan 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La Dolce Vita and Other Great Themes
Soundtracks - Released by SINETONE AMR on 8 Aug 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Last Recordings (Original Album plus Bonus Tracks 1959)
Billie Holiday, Ray Ellis And His Orchestra
Vocal Jazz - Released by Vocal Classics on 30 Nov 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let's Get Away From It All
Pop - Released by Leverage on 1 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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I'm In The Mood For Strings
Pop - Released by Leverage on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let's Get Away from It All
Classical - Released by Jasnet Records on 4 Jul 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
From Paris with Love
Sacha Distel, Ray Ellis And His Orchestra
Jazz - Released by Sunday Club Records on 1 Oct 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo