DON ELLIS - A FINAL ANALYSIS

ALSO

A 1968 Interview with Don Ellis

Another interview with Don Ellis in 1977

 

THE YEAR 2000 HERALDED THE RELEASE OF 'LIVE IN 3 2/3 4 TIME. THIS TIME THERE ARE 11 TRACKS FROM THE SAME SESSIONS. THE FIDELITY IS IMPROVED, THE BAND SOUNDS RAW AND EXCITING WHICH BEFITS THE PIONEERING CHARACTER OF THE BAND AND THE LEADER. A WONDERFUL RE-RELEASE..

1999 RELEASE OF LIVE AT MONTEREY -PACIFIC JAZZ - 4947682.. 'PASSACALIA AND FUGUE' 'CONCERTO FOR TRUMPET''33 222 1 222' AND 'NEW NINE' SURVIVE OFF OLD LP. THE NEW TRACKS ARE 'CRETE IDEA' '27/16' 'BEAT ME DADDY SEVEN TO THE BAR' 60 MINUTES OF THE MUSIC THAT STUNNED AN AUDIENCE AT MONTEREY. ALSO ELECTRIC BATH RE-ISSUED AGAIN, WITH EXTRA MATERIAL ON SONY/CBS. THE EXTRA TRACKS ARE A COUPLE OF SINGLES

DON ELLIS THE FINAL ANALYSIS

Some years ago I wrote a feature article for JAZZ JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Don Ellis was alive then. I forgot about it but was moved to re-read it when I saw another piece. I was a little purturbed by the emotional content, and concerned that it may have discouraged some from having that initial Ellis experience that may have encouraged them to examine more of his work.

Another thing was that I don't think that mine read that well - I felt I could make it scan better and could include thoughts and information that had appeared since his demise.

I was also aware of the wonderful work of Stan Kenton and the fact that the value of his contribution is diminished by the fanaticism of a small number of his supporters.

Kenton was a major force in shaping the future of the jazz ensemble. My opinion is that Don Ellis was not an insignificant force either. I set out to have a rational approach to this piece.

I hope you find something of interest.

DON ELLIS...'TIME' FOR THE FINAL ANALYSIS
JOHN R. KILLOCH
Donald Johnson Ellis 17/7/34 to 17/12/78

The late Leonard Feather once prophesied that Don Ellis would become the Stan Kenton of the '70s. In his book,'From Satchmo' to Miles' he said that to a degree the prediction had been accurate. However reviews of concerts and albums featuring the orchestra written by Feather seemed to place unnecessary importance on the band's physical appearance, and adds praise as a adjunct to comment on the sartorial impact.

The reviewer seemed to share the establishment's view of Ellis which was that he was too much of a showman! When the group was established there was a tendency to 'dress up' in trendy costumes, I suppose 'go Hollywood' could be a reasonable comment.

As with the flirtation with Rock music (commented on later), this may have been an attempt to make more young people aware of jazz music by making it visually more comfortable for them. The 'rock' excursions in the seventies were possibly part of that strategy too. One could say that Ellis was ahead of his time. Notice the flamboyance of some of the younger jazz artists now. See their readiness to embrace many of the more plausible elements in contemporary 'pop' music. Contemporary reviewers for the most part now concentrate on the music ignoring kaftans, eccentric hair styles and so on.

Ellis' iconoclastic approach was appreciated by that other innovator Stan Kenton. I think I am right in saying that few people were given the privilege of standing in front of the Kenton band except for emergency 'on the road' situations. Ellis did this in 1971. Not too much of a stretch for Ellis one reviewer had noted. His band was a lot like Kenton's, but with a sense of humour! I think he was referring to innovative tendencies rather than style.

So if you accept Kenton as an important pioneer within the concept of the jazz ensemble you could be impressed. Kenton's impact came, more often than not from its dynamics, unkindly described by some commentators as 'bombast'. In fact that band could be extremely subtle and sensitive as well as fiery.

Their approach and philosophy in rehearsal was possibly different (see later). Ellis, although capable of gut wrenching dynamics, conceived arrangements that unconsciously honoured some thoughts attributed to Mel Lewis in that a 'big band' was only that when the ensemble was dominant. On other occasions it was a small group and should play like a small group.

The other facet of the Ellis band was its overt compulsion to be visually as well as audibly exciting. Attractive to younger fans who he thought worthy of courting rather than patronising.

Like many entertainers, it took Ellis many years to become an 'overnight' success. I suspect that the first 'high profile' event that suggested an arrival, took place in February 1966.

At the Los Angeles Music Centre the Don Ellis 'Hindustani Sextet' played alongside the Kenton Neophonic Orchestra in a Kenton commissioned, Ellis original composition 'Synthesis'.

Personnel details of the sextet:- Don Ellis. Trumpet; Emil Richards, Vibraharp; Chuck Domanico, Bass; Hari Har Rao, Sitar/Tabla/Dholak; Gabe Baltazar, Alto Sax; Dave Mackay, Piano/Tamboura; The late Steve Bohannon, Drums.

The result of this fusion of Eastern and Western influences prompted Ellis to return to his Hollywood rendezvous 'Bonesville' and ask the members of the Don Ellis Jazz Society to canvas the administrators of the 1966 Monterey Festival to include the band as soon as possible.

At this time he was adapting the exotic meters of the Hindustani sextet to the big band. It was hard work. Many auditioned, many didn't survive the total commitment to odd meters. A remarkable young drummer STEVE BOHANNON, wide eyed and innocent gave an impressive audition and started what could have been a long career with the band, a career that was tragically cut short by a fatal car accident. When he was asked why he wasn't thrown by this new approach to 'time' and big band arranging, he said quite simply "nobody told me it was difficult "!

A seldom recalled fact about Ellis was that he formed a youth band in Los Angeles, made up of college and high school students and led by trombonist Glenn Ferris. Ellis was concerned about the need to attract young players into the band, and on the advice of one of his experienced younger players, 19 year old Stu Blumberg, started the group so that when problems arose because of guys losing interest or being too busy, he had trained replacements. The system was so successful that on tour the band sometimes had 75% sub's from the youth band.

Stu' Blumberg is now an established session musician. He credits his experience with Ellis as preparing him for all the idiosyncrasies of some unconventional film soundtrack music. Having been with Ellis from his 'acoustic' days to his most extravagant electronic times, Blumberg is still impressed with Ellis' playing. " He tried to be everything, a lead player, a legit player, a dixie player. For the most part due to his constant practising he succeeded...his music is still some of the most demanding I have seen. The ability to count and understand and be comfortable with the odd meters and to swing with them, stays with you. I not only miss his talent, but miss him as a friend. I often wonder where he would be today with his music !"

An interesting insight into Ellis' creative imperative and his necessary role as a teacher, is perhaps explained by the experience and observations of an outstanding young tenor player Jim Snodgrass lately of the Harry James, Les Brown and Ladd Mackintosh Orchestras. " It was probably the most difficult music I've ever had to play in a professional setting. 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. I had to woodshed the stuff until my metronome started to groan, but its mastery was quite a musical accomplishment. It's surprising how many musicians are impressed with the fact that I played with that group"!

Jim goes on..."Don's most lasting effect is on the young players who heard the group. I've talked to more than one who decided to pursue music as a career after experiencing hearing the Don Ellis Orchestra. Speaking of effect: I have never played in ANY group that could energize an audience the way his could. A standing ovation at every concert (literally).....As regards the meter thing, it seems to show itself in odd places. I went to a recent Sting concert and they played two tunes in 9/8 and 7/4. I don't think the audience had a clue"!

" I think some of the negativism you (the writer) hear, and truthfully I felt, was the almost ineluctable reaction to audience adoration that Don experienced (and seemed to promote -- the cape he wore when he came on stage didn't help his persona with the musicians a whole lot). This plus the fact that the band didn't swing...... not in the traditional sense!

I remember a rehearsal when Don addressed this. He said the group shouldn't try to swing like Basie, he said, for the music to do the work the notes had to be played strictly. In a sense, the music itself would do the swinging, NOT the players. I don't think this sat well with a lot of musicians. It didn't sit well with me. In truth he was right and we were wrong ".

Jim sums up his thoughts.... " It was a very valuable experience for me. In many ways it validated me as musician to myself and with others. As I look back I see that Don Ellis was a musician who had a vision of what he wanted to achieve and he made no significant compromises ".

I know many band leaders have enjoyed the respect of their sidemen. My research has been fascinating in that as well as being prepared to criticise Ellis and be quite pointed in mentioning personal character flaws, to a man, that respect has more often than not developed into lifelong friendship and affection.

Bulgarian Milcho Leviev is an extraordinary keyboard talent. As leader of the Bulgarian Radio and TV Big Band, he was already experimenting with jazz arrangements in odd time signatures, even in Bulgaria, jazz could only swing in 4/4!

A recording by George Russell called 'EZZTHETICS' which featured Don Ellis on the rubato track 'HONESTY', was a revelation for its humour, as Leviev saw it, its traditional and rhythmic qualities. Fascinating paradoxes within an avant-garde structure.

The other mind expanding experience was via Willis' Conover's Voice Of America broadcast of the Ellis Big Band from the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Being a Bulgarian Milcho Leviev was very much at home with the exotic meters in his homeland's folk music. I recall Don Ellis telling me that when he heard his (Leviev's) recordings he was so impressed that he did all he could to encourage Leviev to come to California. Leviev was delirious at the prospect, and made his way over to become one of the key men in the 70's band.

Many have suggested that Don Ellis was single-minded in his dedication to his music and expected others to tolerate his idiosyncratic conventions. Leviev recalls an example of his 'unhuman (sic)' demands when during a quartet gig at Donte's in Los Angeles. Ellis called a standard he didn't know (remember he is a Bulgarian). Leviev's protestations brought the retort "that's your problem".

Of course Ellis was notorious for abandoning arrangements during a performance and expecting the ensemble to improvise, without any structure at all. It came off (sometimes). Again Leviev commented and was met with the following comment "listen, I don't want to play it safe, I don't believe in playing it safe. I believe an artiste could (sic) only do his best when he is under the heaviest pressure". This included himself, adds Leviev .

As usual Milcho Leviev looks upon his years with Don Ellis among the most important of his career and his happiest.

Cellist Christine Ermacoff views her short association with affection for the most part. Her involvement was at the genesis of the 'Tears Of Joy' band, which SONY must re-release sometime.

Ellis needed string players, a quartet. The plan being to use the Barcus Berry sound system to give this new section the ability to survive the extreme dynamics the band was capable of. If you have a chance to hear 'Strawberry Soup' on the 'Tears Of Joy' album, an opus in 9/4, she is featured at the beginning. After the introductory tour she returned to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

She insists that her stay was a positive influence in her career, for example this saturation with odd meters enabled her to instinctively interpret sections in other settings, while some of her classically trained colleagues struggled. Interestingly, she does not subscribe to the 'too difficult' school of thought, arbitrarily dismissing it as B.S. !

Her main problems were the sound system making her cello sound like a cigar box (not evident on recordings) and the leader's insistence that the whole band, Lionel Hampton style, walked out into the audience. This can be quite atmospheric for that audience and not a problem for trumpets, saxes etc., but a valuable cello, balancing on the arm rest...NO WAY! The drummers were excused. No amount of protestations helped. Another side of Don Ellis!

Another quirky predicament occurred when promoters thought they had booked a dance band and the Ellis group had to spontaneously extend and reduce 7/8 and 5/4 bars to 4/4 !

Her ambition is to re-record the 'Tears Of Joy' album without the dubious benefits of the old sound system.

Well known in studio scene is saxophonist Fred Selden who has something of a reputation as an archivist for the Ellis group.

He reveals another deviation from the norm, as a last minute replacement for a rehearsal he found that he had to pay 7 dollars for the privilege!

Selden stayed from '69 to '74. The band became firmly established, then Don Ellis confounded everyone by revealing yet another dream concept. The format of the rhythm section was changed and the aforementioned string section was added and he re-wrote the entire book. Seldon, who had decided to move on, said ' I can't quit now, this is wonderful'.

Seldon did leave eventually, but looks back with some regret that the band died with Ellis, but suggests that his (Ellis') place as a soloist would be impossible to fill. Although he got hung up on a lot of technical stuff occasionally, who else would have that sort of fire in his belly.

Having revealed a certain intransigence on many occasions Ellis was also occasionally mischievous. If you see his lists of charts you will see a certain preoccupation with the female form, and some female relationships. If I mention 'Open wide', 'Opening Of The Birth canal', 'Funky Cuntry(sic) Five' you will understand why there was consternation on the part of the management at certain gigs.

'Pussywiggle Stomp' in 7/4, was borne of his preoccupation. It became one of his most popular concert charts along with Final Analysis or Spinal Paralysis, and guaranteed to whip up an audience into a frenzy. Nervous sound men turned off the mike when an announcement was expected only to find Ellis sneaking in a very swift mention when the mikes came up. In stead of counting in 1 2 1 2 123, it became 1 2 1 2 PUSSYWIGGLE STOMP!

Tenor player Sam Falzone met Ellis at the University Of Buffalo. He sat in with an Ellis group and was asked if he would come to California. He had just started a 5 year tenure as a teacher, and still he decamped to the Coast, becoming not only one of the band's featured soloists and arrangers but the booker and road manager. The best move he ever made, he admits.

Referring back to the derision Ellis attracted. An insight from long time friend and lead trumpet Glenn Stuart, "Although critics contributed, musicians were a significant source for a number of reasons. The first and most obvious reason was, their being unable to play the music anyhow!

More subtle was resentment towards the Union. It allowed the band members to work for less than scale (25 cents - 50 cents) every Monday night. Actually these were more open rehearsals, an arrangement unique to the Ellis group.

Resentment too for the fact that on many jobs Ellis paid the musicians out of his own pocket. There was also friction from many studio musicians who wanted to do all the work that was taken away by Don demanding HIS band work, because they were the only ones who could play the parts"!

Ira Schulman, who was with the band at the beginning recalls his introduction to the music. A casual visit to Local 47 in Vine Street, the fact that a saxophonist was being sought by Ellis, and a room full of musicians complaining about the difficulty of the charts. " My feeling was that musicians don't like to be faced with charts they can't play straight off. I like a challenge and was willing to give it a try........I sat down and found the arrangements different and satisfying. From that moment on I was really taken up with the new concept of Indian rhythms and American jazz. Don really had a knack of putting them together. I was with them for over three years. I quit because travelling was hard for my family and there wasn't enough money to pay the bills.

I personally had only experienced such unusual writing with Bill Russo in the early 40's in Chicago. The Ellis band was so hot when it was together, the power was frightening. When I played a solo the experience was different to anything I have ever done - so intense, such unusual phrasing to fit those rhythms.....When we played opposite the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Band at the Riverboat in New York, Don's band was so unique and different that it made their band sound old fashioned."

It is obvious that the Ellis experience must have been compulsive, generating the full range of emotions including the need to be involved!

Ira Schulman may have been an example of this. He goes on, "Don had his faults, the main one being that some of the musicians did not feel they got (financially) what they deserved. His ego sometimes got in the way of the band being successful. He would rub people up the wrong way. He didn't know how to be subtle. However he was a great musician and teacher, as well as being a pioneer".

Some more insights into the band and the man are revealed in Lillian Arganian's interview with Hank Levy. " Don was beyond creative. He was very experimental. He would try anything". Levy continues, " Don was further ahead because he had studied Indian tabla playing. Johnny Richards had done a lot with time, he had not gone far enough, Brubeck too, he had not gone far enough. When you get inside there's a whole new world in there...."

On the complexity, Levy offers some thoughts, " there are some musical cliches, certain jazz motifs, thematic material that you can find in most all the tunes you hear. They're accepted as part of the musical habit and they're used and abused, but they are accepted....It (time) forces you to create. Jazz needs that kind of thing ".

The band appeared at the Monterey Festival using the big band's usual configuration, including three bass players two sets of drums and percussion. Jimmy Lyons introduced the group as 'one of the most brilliant sounds in the big band business', sentiments echoed by the critical press later. Ellis' count down to the band's opening number, titled after the sub-divisions of the time signature employed, in this case 19 beats to the bar! '33.222.1.222', kicked off the 90 minutes concert.

Personnel of the 'Monterey' Band:-

  • Trumpets: Don Ellis, Glenn Stuart, Alan Weight, Ed Warren, Paul Lopez.
  • Trombones: Dave Wells, Ron Myers, Terry Woodson {Bass}.
  • Woodwinds: Ruben Leon {alto/soprano/flute}, Tom Scott {alto/saxello/flute},
  • Ira Schulman {tenor/clarinet], Ron Starr {tenor/clarinet}
  • John McGruder Baritone/clarinet}.
  • Organ/piano: Dave Mackay.
  • Basses: Ray Neopolitan, Chuck Domanico, Frank De la Rosa.
  • Drums: Steve Bohannon, Alan Estes.
  • Conga: Chino Valdes.


Who was Don Ellis then?

Donald Johnson Ellis, born Los Angeles, July 25th 1934., and died suddenly on the 12th December 1978 in North Hollywood.

He was trumpeter, drummer, arranger, composer, author, music correspondent, bachelor of music in composition, and holder of a Teacher's Certificate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

There were five tutors in musical theory and eight major brass tutors covering jazz and classical modes. He was a more than competent drummer due to initial problems in explaining the exotic time signatures to his drummers in the past. He featured himself with the other percussionists in orchestrated drum routines that became a feature of the band's repertoire. Eloquent and exciting exercises in rabble rousing.

The other Ellis trademark was the Holton 4 valve quarter tone electric trumpet, an instrument with a considerably expanded range of tone and colour. Actually recorded examples seem to prove that for most of the time, the additional range of the instrument was not used to excess and he played directly into a 'stand-up' microphone, using the electronics for occasional effects in certain pieces.

The bug he used on his horn was a little out of the ordinary then. The rest of the electronics involved a tape loop which allowed him to play and record a phrase, catch it on the way back and harmonise with it, several times producing shifting musical patterns that were hypnotic . One reviewer called it electronic masturbation....playing with himself! Another interesting innovation used occasionally and to good musical effect was electronic octave doubling of his playing. All that associated with that fourth valve on his trumpet which allowed him to 'play in the cracks', and his penchant for odd meters, demanded a level of concentration and facility seldom equalled.

In my opinion he was rarely unmusical and for sure, unsettled many musicians who were not in sympathy with his direction and perhaps harboured thoughts on how difficult their lives were anyway. Why add more complications?.

Of course there are many whose improvisational skills are as natural as breathing in and out, again....why bother, why change ?

Traditionalists will wince when they hear that he pioneered the use of such devices as choplex**, phasers and ring modulators for solos and ensembles. Listen to some interludes on the LIVE AT PHILMORE album and GOES UNDERGROUND and you will perhaps join me in hating them. perhaps you had to be there !

He admitted to me that listening to parts of Philmore was hard work for him, there is no doubt that the audience was wildly enthusiastic. Perhaps this was one concert not deserving of a double album! I saw the band several when it was at its most 'electronic' and on those occasions it was tasteful as well as spectacular, so perhaps the excesses of the Philmore recording were an aberration! I have listened to many tapes from the period, they seem to support that.

Since 1956 he had many jobs. In addition to being with the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra and the George Russell sextet/septet, He appeared with Herb Pomeroy, Ralph Marterie, Glenn Miller/Ray McKinley Orchestra, Seventh Army Jazz 11 and Jazz 111 Orchestra, Charlie Barnet, Kenny Dorham, Sam Donohue, Claude Thornhill, Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton and Charlie Mingus.

Referring briefly to Ellis' time with the Ferguson band, one reviewer recently suggested that Ellis had problems keeping up with the band. This comment was the critics interpretation of his habit of practising whenever he had the chance. As far as I know he did the same when running his own band. I suppose those critics will suggest that he was incapable of keeping up with his own band!

Lead trumpeter Glenn Stuart recalls meeting him first in the Marterie band in 1964. "He (Stuart) played lead and Don had the jazz chair. He was into 'time' then, but Marterie never knew, or had any idea. All of Ellis solos were 'be-bop' in nature and he always played just what the leader wanted. He did it all with good humour although his true metier was already elsewhere.

He went to the University Of Buffalo to study odd time signatures. I (Stuart) went to Baltimore to teach and joined a great orchestra led by Hank Levy, who was doing on the east coast, that Ellis was doing in Buffalo and later in California".

Subsequently Glenn Stuart introduced Ellis to Hank Levy and this was the beginning of a long association and deep friendship. Levy contributed three of his charts to the group and they were on the first big band albums. Others appears on later recordings.

I always felt that, given the respect that Kenton had for Levy, his (Stan Kenton's) own 'time' adventures performing Hank levy's arrangements suggested to me that the band members were not comfortable with the style, and that style was definitely the exclusive province of the Ellis and Hank Levy groups. Perhaps the music was approached in a different way in rehearsal. I've never heard that he (Kenton) went in for lectures, learned to play drums etc, to teach his sidemen to relax with the unusual time signatures.

Glenn Stuart continues " During the years to follow some outstanding musicians came into the Ellis experience. Those that found it too challenging found it easy to put it down and dismiss it as a useless fad. Sal Nestico and Art Pepper came into the band for the reason of proving to their fellow musicians that it was of musical value and they should listen and ' get with it'.

Count Basie, on the band's first trip to New York and the President Hotel, chewed his band out in the lobby for not taking the time to go to the (Ellis) concert".

In the early days he was very restless and perhaps his involvement with Mingus and Russell suggested a direction he could take. His trios in Greenwich Village played music that fell within Gunther Schuller's definition of the fusion between jazz and classical forms i.e. 'Third Stream'. Another descriptive term of the day was the 'New Thing'.

It was the ' Third Stream' movement that took Ellis to Poland in 1962, where he appeared at the Warsaw Jazz Jamboree, leading a trio of local progressive musicians. His foray into Europe was, in part, well received, but his congenital restlessness involved him in incidents - musical happenings - that unforgiving critics had difficulty in forgetting. An extremely rare 10" LP of the event has one side devoted to some be-bop and 'near be-bop' performances, the other involved random assaults on the piano strings including, I am told, pouring salt on them and the usual disjointed atonal formless wanderings I have come to associate with practitioners of this selfish, alleged art form.

This period also produced some memorable but challenging recordings with George Russell, as well as a number of albums with his own groups. Before the reader rushes out for them, although excellent examples of the genre, they are very angular performances, neo-avante-garde seems appropriate.

Personnel for 'How Time Passes' album, recorded in New York on 4th & 5th October 1960:
Trumpet, Don Ellis; Piano, Jaki Byard; Bass, Ron Carter; Drums, Charlie Persip.
Personnel for 'Essence' album, recorded in California in 1962:
Trumpet, Don Ellis; Piano, Paul Bley; Bass, Gary Peacock; Drums, Gene Stone and Nick Martinis.
The George Russell recordings were momentarily revived and Ellis's contribution was acknowledged, but usually in a way that bemoaned his later big band days and his perceived commercialism.

Why do they do that ? Who was it that decided that the big band ethic was set in stone and the sole preserve of certain established groups? Why is it so wrong to be entertaining, have an image that gave thousands of young people a chance to experience a form of jazz dressed in clothes familiar to them?

He suffered a lot of criticism over the years for 'putting technique before feeling' and 'experimentation before entertainment'. It's worth noting that the recorded reactions of live audiences on his albums tend not necessarily to support these views. Ellis had difficulty in selling his musical concepts to the record companies. The Hindustani Sextet performed regularly before appreciative audiences, but the record companies failed to take up the option on the tapes that he produced. The memorable 'Monterey' album was taped at his instigation, and peddled around until Pacific Jazz finally agreed to produce the recordings.

He gained a contract with CBS and this apparently unhappy association lasted for about five years. There were a number of controversies and his producer, John Hammond, handed over responsibilities to Al Kooper, late of Blood, Sweat and Tears.

It is obvious that a number of major works by Ellis have failed to be recorded and released. This adds credibility to the suggestion that he had little or no control over material for release. For example, the initial pressing of the 'Shock Treatment' album was withdrawn as it contained material Ellis did not want released. His insistence was well-founded. A remarkable album would have been spoilt by the inclusion of some very forgettable music.

His final record company was M.P.S., who were enlightened to the degree that he was promised complete discretion over material to be recorded and released. Who knows what would have happened had he not died during the life of the contract.

In this country an American's musical prowess generates from the aura produced by personal appearances, recorded work and rumour. Perhaps the reason why Ellis has not developed the charisma of others is that he visited this country with his big band only once, in the mid-sixties, appearing at Ronnie Scott's club. His records, those that were released over here, hardly dominated the air-waves. This, from a band that performed in the USA before audiences in excess of 20,000 on occasions, and 2,000 to 3,000 regularly, is difficult to understand. Even today the re-release of AUTUMN and ELECTRIC BATH on CD passed without comment. The sales were good, there were new converts.

I find it interesting that the general public seem more ready to accept the music than most musicians. The pedants and a significant number of important musicians decided some time ago to allow their derision to modulate down to a vacuum.

It's strange how excesses have been tolerated and venerated in some areas and not in others. Ellis had a tendency to produce some rather obvious pleasurable hooks and devices that were popular with a young audience. Perhaps the lack of an opportunity to intellectualise the music made the other innovators more interesting copy and so appear more acceptable, even popular.

An analysis of Ellis' arranging written in 1968 by Ron Simmonds makes a good point, as I seldom felt that the odd time signatures were stuck on 'smart ass' devices.".....there was no musical yardstick. The time signatures were not written in 7/4 or 15/8 or whatever just to be clever and different. Ellis constructs the melodies and rhythms the way he wants them to be and the time signature emerges naturally ".

Bearing in mind that Ellis' main exposure was in the USA and mostly on the West Coast, the experience of a lot of listeners was based on what records they could get. Other opinions were from the critics who use personalities like Ellis as the means to display their writing chops rather than offer boring constructive comment.

Don Ellis had a habit of explaining the odd meters to his audiences. Even with student audiences this was 'tongue in cheek' and I found it good fun anyhow. I recall a concert in Long Beach when Ellis was introduced to the audience and instead of applauding him the audience clapped him on in perfect 7/4 time. It IS supposed to be fun as well isn't it? Of course this brings negative comment from po-faced commentators.

Ellis used to have an off stage announcer reel off his credits before bringing him on stage. I believe that task fell to Glenn Stuart, I also remember he was not comfortable with it. What I do definitely recall is that the concert was stunning and that I was surprised at the coolness of a Leonard Feather review.

In 1961 he (Ellis) asked the question '...why do so many others {musicians} not grow? They seem to stick at the level where they reached the most recognition.' Why did he ask this during a DOWNBEAT interview?

Ellis achieved recognition at several points in his career. On each occasion, rather than maintain that appeal of the day by repetition and variation upon a theme, he moved on. His original intellectual phase could have left him being spoken of with the kind of reverence that Miles Davis and his contemporaries enjoy.

There is no doubt that had the non-electronic band of the mid-sixties been allowed its head with Ellis enjoying and courting support of the record companies, it would have deservedly been in the forefront of the big band scene.

In the late sixties an entirely different concept created a big band that was subtly aware of the 'Rock' scene, using electronic devices constructively, and seldom losing touch with jazz. This organisation also had the aura of longevity. But the orchestra became increasingly encumbered with the more unsubtle trappings of the 'Rock' syndrome. The brilliance of Ellis as an instrumentalist, composer and arranger was still there if you looked for it but his jazz integrity was being eroded.

He entered the seventies with another innovation. The orchestra had been carefully conceived to provide the ultimate in flexibility. The personnel and instrumentation were capable of being divided into a brass quintet; a woodwind quartet; a string quartet [the strings being amplified a system, made by the Barcus Berry Company], or a shouting big band. Again Ellis had reached a period in his career where he could have respectably remained.

Personnel of the 1970 orchestra:

The best recorded examples of this band can be heard on the TEARS OF JOY double LP and the LIVE AT MONTREUX recording. It is remarkable that this powerhouse of a band was able to perform arrangements of such complexity with apparent ease. It is wonderful that that complexity did not in any way detract from the audience's enjoyment.

The band was rested just prior to the Christmas of 1974. The period was to have been used by Ellis as an opportunity to visit the Brazilian interior to study folk rhythms etc., in preparation for his new era. Unfortunately a heart condition and a long convalescence brought the career of Don Ellis the trumpeter to a halt. However, the career of Don Ellis as a successful composer of Movie and T.V. music flourished, with the 'French Connection' movies. He received the 'Grammy' Award in 1972 for 'Best Instrumental Arrangement' for the original 'French Connection' theme.

A close friend expressed concern as to the intensity of his interest for movie scoring, and his fans were concerned that it would provide yet another hiccough to his potential of being in the forefront of big band jazz. However, as he started playing a new Holton Super Bone with valves and slides giving him infinitely variable pitch , their concern was probably unfounded.

During Don's convalescences, Glenn Stuart, friend, trumpeter and longest serving side-man, took over.

In December 1978 Ellis went to a Hollywood jazz club with his parents to see Jon Hendricks, returned to his home in Studio City, started to prepare a meal. While doing this he collapsed. He died before the paramedics could do anything for him.

His will, unlike that of Stan Kenton, did not preclude keeping the band going, but without a place to play in front of people (the huge group was always a tough sell), enthusiasm dwindled.

In 1983 Glenn Stuart put together an alumni band, rehearsed for three months but no-one wanted to book the band. This might sound as if the band was not wanted. Remember this is all happening in and around Los Angeles. A Glenn Miller or Harry James will always be booked but amazingly some wonderful star studded jazz big bands from Southern California have problems getting paid gigs so the Ellis alumni band wasn't exactly an exception.

A Santa Monica concert nearly happened, but now the library, that which was not donated to the Don Ellis Museum at Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas, sits in Glenn Stuart's garage.

I have some sympathy with Ira Schulman's comments. Hollywood was not really the place for a pioneer like Don Ellis. Had he been based in Europe his experimenting would probably have been supported and encouraged.

My thoughts are that his peccadillos could have been the result of frustration, believing passionately in what he was doing, being derided by the musical establishment. All this conspiring to to make him sensitive, possessive, more protective of what he was doing, and very resistant to the sort of perceived interference that, for example, lost him movie soundtrack music contracts.

Glenn Stuart offers a fitting coda to my attempt at a personal dissemination of the career of a complex musician. "Nothing in my experience has compared to the excellence and pure professionalism that was the true meaning of Don Ellis and being a part of what might have been the most innovative Jazz Orchestra of all time, was a privilege."

DISCOGRAPHY

SMALL GROUP RECORDINGS:

BIG BAND RECORDINGS:

****DON ELLIS QUARTET WITH LARGE STRING ORCHESTRA:
Haiku MPS/BASF MB 25341 {A}

SINGLES:

UNRELEASED ALBUMS: Improvisations Candid New Sounds of the Sixties Enrica Records

* Recommended listening with all small group albums.
**** Don confided in me that this was his favourite album.

[IMAGE]

Photograph copyright J.R.Killoch © 1997

j.r.killoch at btinternet.com (replace 'at' with '@' for e-mail address please)

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