Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Don Ellis
Bandleader Don Ellis (July 25, 1934 - December 17, 1978) consistently explored the area of unusual time signatures. He was a very skilled trumpet and drum player, composer, and big band leader. He held a Teacher's Certificate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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Background
Ellis was viewed by many established jazz musicians as being a bit too much of a showman, given his band's tendency to dress up in trendy costumes, flirt with rock music, and other eccentric behaviors. However, this appealed to younger listeners Ellis strove to court. This iconoclastic approach carried over into their music, as well, bringing new life into the musical genre that persists to this day.
He also took a very idiosyncratic and often intransigent approach to band leadership, and was infamous for abandoning arrangements during performance and expecting his band members to improvise in a completely unstructured fashion. Ellis explained this with the comment "listen, I don't want to play it safe, I don't believe in playing it safe. I believe an artist could (sic) only do his best when he is under the heaviest pressure."
While his respect and place in jazz history is well established today, many his contemporaries felt resentment or derision towards Don Ellis and his music, due to several factors. First, the music itself was difficult to play, requiring special training in the odd signatures; studio musicians complained about the work that was taken away as a result - life was difficult enough for musicians without these added complications in the music. Second, Ellis paid his musicians out of his own pocket, often ignoring the rules of the Union and conventions of the day. This pay tended to be below what some of his musicians felt they deserved. Third, his ego occasionally would rub people the wrong way, hurting the success of the band.
Influence on Jazz
Following the golden era of big band music, Don Ellis pushed the envelope of jazz by exploring unusual musical techniques including odd time signatures, electric string instruments, the human voice as an instrument, echoplex, fusion of Indian music and jazz, and the Fender-Rhodes piano.
Eschewing the standard 3/4 and 4/4 music, Ellis' band made the use of odd time signatures their trademark, and could skillfully play in 5, 7, 11, 13, 33 times.
In addition to his musical playing talents, Ellis also placed great importance on teaching music. He formed a youth band in Los Angeles, led by Glenn Ferris on trombone, to help ensure a ready supply of replacement talent for his main band. Artists such as Stu' Blumberg further credit Ellis for preparing them for the idiosyncrasies of unconventional music in film soundtracks. Tenor player Jim Snodgrass remarked, "I think in many ways Don was a teacher. One thing his music taught me was that I could play anything I absolutely had to."
The energizing nature of the music itself was a major influence on new musicians, inspiring young players to pursue music as a career after hearing the Don Ellis Orchestra.
Don Ellis Band
An example of the typical configuration of the band was seen at the Monterey Festival:
- Trumpets: Don Ellis, Glenn Stuart, Alan Weight, Ed Warren, Paul Lopez
- Trombones: Dave Wells, Ron Myers
- Bass Trombone: Terry Woodson
- Alto-soprano flute: Ruben Leon
- Alto-saxello-flute: Tom Scott
- Tenor-clarinets: Ira Schulman, Ron Starr
- Baritone-clarinet: John McGruder
- Organ/piano: Dave Mackay
- Basses: Ray Neopolitan, Chuck Domanico, Frank De la Rosa
- Drums: Steve Bohannon, Alan Estes
- Conga: Chino Valdes
Recordings
- NEW SOUNDS FOR THE '60s [unreleased] (Enrica, 1960)
- ...HOW TIME PASSES... (Candid, 1960)
- OUT OF NOWHERE (Candid, 1961)
- NEW IDEAS (Prestige, 1961)
- ESSENCE (Pacific Jazz, 1962)
- JAZZ JAMBOREE 1962 (Muza, 1962)
- DON ELLIS ORCHESTRA LIVE AT MONTEREY (Pacific Jazz, 1966)
- LIVE IN 3 2/3 4 (Pacific Jazz, 1966)
- ELECTRIC BATH (Columbia, 1967)
- AUTUMN (Columbia, 1968)
- THE NEW DON ELLIS BAND GOES UNDERGROUND (Columbia, 1969)
- DON ELLIS AT FILLMORE (Columbia, 1970)
- TEARS OF JOY (Columbia, 1971)
- CONNECTION (Columbia, 1972)
- SOARING (MPS, 1973)
- HAIKU (MPS, 1973)
- MUSIC FROM OTHER GALAXIES AND PLANETS (Atlantic, 1977)
- LIVE AT MONTREUX (Atlantic, 1977)
Ellis also appeared on dozens of other albums such as several with Maynard Ferguson and George Russell.
External Links
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