Don Ellis
Discovering Don Ellis is one of the greatest things that has happened to me: big band, odd time signatures, ferocious improvisation and experimentation - what's not to like?
The Don had many collaborators over the years and an enormous orchestra behind him, which makes it rather difficult to acknowledge the multitude of people involved in his discography, so I encourage you to read up on the liner notes of the albums.
Tears of Joy
For a long time this was my favourite Don Ellis album, and it may also be the one that best showcases what Ellis and his orchestra were capable of. It features ring-modulated trumpet, Latin rhythms, a prominent string section, improvisation, complex arrangements, and even Ellis himself on drums!
Bulgarian Bulge is one of the liveliest tracks the band recorded and Milcho Leviev plays an effortless piano solo over the impossible time signatures.
Quiet Longing is a heart-wrenching love song written by Ellis with hints of noir imagery (a trumpet accompanied by strings is bound to evoke such scenes).
Blues in Elf is fantastic and another perfect example of the band's sense of humour, but also their musicality. Listen out for the horns and brass as of 4:30.
Loss is the sibling track of Quiet Longing. The way the strings accompany the trumpet is beautiful and despite the lengthy, brooding atmosphere, the build-up does not disappoint.
Samba Bajada is one of the highlights of this album. The theme is a quotation of Hawaii Five-O and it works incredibly well as the basis for the tune, as exemplified around 1:55, but especially after the percussion interlude at ~4:40. Ellis then plays a monster of a solo that may initially be intended to give us some respite from the big band frenzy, but actually leaves us just as euphoric as before.
There's a strong argument that Strawberry Soup is Ellis' magnum opus. The harmonic simplicity of Strawberry Soup stands in stark contrast to its rhythmic complexity, which I can only summarize as "nested nines": augmented, diminished, subdivided and superimposed rhythms - with 9 as the core value - are treated kaleidoscopically by varied instrumentation throughout 9 different choruses. The imposing cello opening is answered by the remaining strings and the woodwind. After almost 2 minutes we arrive at the first chorus kickstarted by the entry of the percussion. One of the most striking moments occurs at 4:35, when we are treated to a trio of horn, trombone and tuba! The build-up that follows the trombone solo is magnificent, and the fact that Ellis then chooses to have the bass brass comp behind the bass solo is just bonkers. The pizzicato section that comes after is a logical continuation to the bass solo, and as the strings transition to the arco passage, first striking the heavy fifths, we eagerly anticipate what will follow: Ellis' own terrific solo. Just listen to that trumpet soar! Where do we go from here? How about a saxophone quartet segment - easily one of the best moments of the tune. The chorus after the saxes' solos is some of Ellis' best writing: looped, overlapping cells - a very common device in contemporary music - that masterfully build up to ~12:20 when the entire orchestra erupts into a fortissimo climax. The percussion section get their solo too, accompanied by a timid procession playing a variation of the main theme. This is perhaps the most intricate moment of the entire piece due to the overlapping rhythms and subdivisions; if it weren't for the hollowed-out theme in the background helping us locate the downbeats, we would get lost in a forest of rhythms as the four percussionists at times improvise over the barlines. When we leave the drum section at ~15:45 we are able to situate ourselves again, all thanks to the fortississimo (!!!) main theme. In a humorous twist, the piece ends with a bluesy coda in a comfortable 4/4. Strawberry Soup is spectacular.
Euphoric Acid more or less follows this structure: Dorian intro > dominant 7#9 chord madness > solo > Bartókian night music > dominant 7#9 chord madness > not-quite-Charles-Ives-esque false ending > dominant 7#9 chord madness. An excellent closing track.
Electric Bath
This album is an Ellis classic and a great way to get familiar with his style.
Alone is a sentimental tune with a notable Latin influence, and its syncopated 5/4 time signature keeps you anticipating the downbeat during the emotive crescendos at ~2:50 and again at ~3:58.
I love Turkish Bath and I think it's a great example of the unique sense of humour that Ellis and his collaborators had (in this case Ron Myers). It also consists of such a unique blend of elements: a sitar, microtonal melodies, a thunderous rhythm section, raging solos, and all in a blues setting. Ellis' meandering solo entry at ~3:00 and the way he lands on the following F7#9 chord is truly admirable. This track really is incredibly original and so much fun.
Open Beauty may be one of the best things Ellis ever wrote. Its hazy textures gradually dissipate to reveal a mountainous climax, which is followed by a rather innovative trumpet solo - keep in mind this was released in 1967.
The first ten seconds of New Horizons are only there to get your attention. They are amusingly irritating, but immediately after we are presented with a Phrygian riff that promises this will be a worthwhile closing track. We are treated to a series of restrained solos before reaching the astonishing Klangfarbenmelodie-like moment at ~4:30. The piano solo that follows is so angular and inventive that it reminds me of Jaki Byard (although maybe it's a bit too bluesy?), and the subsequent trumpet solo picks up at 7:50 in a section that could easily be a different track in and of itself.
Live in 3+2⁄3/4 Time
Orientation is phenomenal. It's in 7/8+9/8 (or a syncopated 4/4 if you're feeling lazy) and in a rather tenebrous Phrygian mode. The bass and percussion set the mood for the brilliant wind waterfall that follows, in which various players weave in and out of the spotlight. Even when the main melody comes in, the cacophonous texture still continues in the background and the resulting effect is that of a tumultuous murmuration of sorts. And, by the way, I think this is one of my favourite melodies that Ellis wrote. The first minute and a half is sublime. Orientation never loses its momentum and even keeps propelling itself higher and higher (~2:28 for example, or again at ~3:03). The piano entry at 2:55 is so graceful, and that brief interplay between the piano and the sax solo is mesmerizing. Even when the percussion solo starts at ~4:00 you still sense echoes of the sinister mode that came before - testament to such effective writing. As the wind players come back in, they tread carefully, trying not to step on each other's toes, in a section that is reminiscent of the beginning. When Ellis takes his solo he is in full servitude of the comping: he essentially treats the first half of his solo as if the trumpet were a percussion instrument. He knows he wants to land on that descending C-C-B♭-B♭-A and gives us an incredibly rhythmic, disciplined solo but, afterwards, he lights his trumpet ablaze and reminds us that he is not only a visionary composer and arranger but also a monstruous trumpet player. And just as a final highlight, pay close attention to the floating melody around 10:20 and also to its teasing at 10:07 in the lower register. Oh, and the prancing piano at 10:03!
Barnum's Revenge is an outrageously fun piece - just how good is this band?!
Upstart is the titular track in 3+2⁄3/4 time, and its semitonal dissonances bestow upon its intro a fleeting reminiscence of Turkish Bath. Listen out for a humorous quotation of Gershwin's Summertime.
Thetis - another Hank Levy tune - has a wonderfully danceable swinging section preceded by a majestic, sobering intro as well as terrific clarinet and trumpet solos. The accompanying wind and percussion madness as of 4:45 is quintessential Ellis & Levy.
Autumn
This album is worth a listen even if just for the opening Variations for Trumpet - another Ellis big band epic. It's a great track to listen to alongside Strawberry Soup as it gives great insight into how Ellis' mind works. It also just sounds amazing.
Both Scratt and Fluggs and Pussy Wiggle Stomp exemplify Ellis' talent for writing feel-good music. You can just hear how much fun the musicians had playing these tunes.
Child of Ecstasy is a brilliant tune with some stellar playing by the band.
Soaring
Whiplash's explosive intro is quickly offset by the pizzicato section starting at 0:50, which leads us back into more explosive solos followed by my favourite section at 3:10. Whiplash is a track that knows it only has 4 minutes to shine and does not waste any time.
Saldka Pitka is an exceptionally flavourful Milcho Leviev tune.
The relatively simple theme of The Devil Made Me Write This Piece becomes a glorious cacophony at 0:55 and should be essential listening for anyone interested in exploring what the Ellis orchestra is capable of achieving: to play with this much groove navigating such syncopations and with such odd arrangements is no easy task. Also, pay close attention from ~4:10 onwards - what a build-up!
Go Back Home is the coolest track on the album. You might think the intro or even the "verses" are the highlights, but it is the "choruses" that will make you grin ear to ear.
I won't say much about Invincible other than it is essentially an insane 6-minute alto sax solo with some of the most ferocious and ingenious accompaniment you will hear.
Sidonie features more wonderfully frantic playing by the orchestra and Ellis himself.
Finally, Ellis' mastery of gut-wrenching ballads is evidenced in Nicole. The tenderest moment occurs at ~2:55 when the bass and piano echo the trumpet's closing notes.
Shock Treatment
A New Kind of Country is a loud ruckus that features an unabating sax solo.
Night City is a rare gem in Ellis' output, thanks to the inclusion of not only voices but also lyrics! I quite like it; the voices stay busy even during the trumpet solo and the last 40 seconds are brilliantly arranged.
Zim has a rather charming, inebriating effect and the bass is superb on this track.
The dancing bassline and the muted, subdued brass make Opus 5 the coolest track on the album. The arrangement keeps us engaged throughout, and the huge wall of wind at 6:10 as well as the last 3 minutes are nothing short of genius.
Star Children sees a return of the voices in a truly experimental tune, and in a rather unusual idiom for Ellis. The sitar and the mighty, distant brass section make this short piece all the more haunting.
0:25 of Beat Me Daddy, Seven to the Bar is one of the finest bass moments of Ellis' output.
Milo's Theme is in 4/4, or in 5/4 minus one, as Ellis said.
The Tihai introduced me to, you guessed it, the tihai, which I used in its simplest form to conclude the second movement of my Floral Suite No. 1.
Live at Montreux
I love Open Wide. The band's konnakol intro, the major chord changes and the outburst at 07:50 make this a phenomenal opening track.
Go - No - Go is another glorious tune (written by 17-year-old (!) alto saxophonist Ted Nash) that will get your head bobbing once you hear the melody at ~0:30.
Lyra is an interesting tune because it shouldn't work as well as it does; it's almost cheesy, overly sentimental even, but man can that band play!
Fancy a groovy tune? Listen to Eros and make sure you fasten your seatbelt before Ann Patterson's killer solo.
Niner Two is possibly the best track on the album. Listen out for the colossal tutti section immediately after the piano solo.
And to end the album we have an incredibly fun tune in Arcturus.
Live at Fillmore
Another fantastic live album with some astounding trumpet playing by Ellis himself, for example the intros to both The Blues and Hey Jude, but also some genuinely great compositions in Excursion II and Rock Odyssey. Can you imagine being in the audience?!
Live at Monterey!
33 222 1 222 is one of the most hypnotic things Ellis ever recorded: the ominous bassline and the Mingus-like build-up, enhanced by Chino Valdes on percussion alongside two drummers, are marvellous in themselves, but the best part is how the whole band swings even in this lengthy, odd time signature! Easily one of his most impressive tunes. Fantastic!
Hank Levy's ingenious writing shows up again in Passacaglia and Fugue and the orchestra certainly sound like they were enjoying themselves on this one.
Concerto for Trumpet has another stellar intro before jumping into a 5/4 time signature with accents on 2, 3.5 and 5, which coincides with the Brazilian jequibau rhythm. The piece is almost all over the place, but no other band could have ever pulled it off.
This is one of Ellis' first live albums. Can you believe it?! The musicians are jaw-droppingly good!
Haiku
Haiku contrasts quite a bit with the albums I've discussed so far, mainly because of the inclusion of an expanded string section, but also because of Ellis' playing which seems to be more restrained, almost as if he needed refuge from the incessant intensity of his career.
Despite some dubious moments bordering on kitsch, it's still a phenomenal album, and tracks such as Blossoming may win you over. The main melody is gorgeous, and the strings and the entire arrangement are so silky that you can't help but feel moved by the gradual build-up. Listen out for Ellis' microtonal inflection at ~0:58 - it's sublime.
Water Jewel is a rather hypnotic track whose title tells you exactly what to expect: a bedding of rippling pentatonic harmonies crowned by loving melodies, seemingly suspended in time.
Cherry Petals almost encapsulates Ellis in a nutshell: exceptional part-writing combined with strong melodies, meticulous rhythms and impossible trumpet solos (we're just missing the odd time signatures and jazz orchestra!).
Two Autumns and Mirror-Pond of Stars show just what an amazingly good ear Ellis had for arrangements; he always knew how to make the most out of his ideas.
The bluesiest track on the album is Parting, and Ellis shines on the trumpet; he essentially sings through the brass valves with the coolest, most laid-back attitude imaginable. A guitar solo takes the spotlight for a short time and concludes on a series of tremolos which Ellis replicates verbatim on the trumpet at 2:53.
How Time Passes
The opening track, How Time Passes, is mind-boggling and so complex. I must have read the liner notes dozens of times and I'm still in awe of its mysterious ways. Do you hear the sax solo? That's Jaki Byard. Do you hear the piano accompanying the sax solo? That's also Jaki Byard!
A Simplex One is the first Ellis solo I transcribed - it's so angular!
Improvisational Suite #1 is loosely based on a twelve-tone row and cements itself as an avant-garde jazz track worthy of its contemporaries.
The fact that this is anyone's debut album is simply outrageous. The music is very far out and at times abstract, but can you imagine recruiting Jaki Byard, Ron Carter and Charlie Persip for your first ever album?!
New Ideas
As the title indicates, this early album gives insight into the wonderful and experimental mind of Don Ellis. For example:
-a reaction to John Cage's controlled indeterminacy (Despair to Hope)
-a rhythmic whack-a-mole (Uh-Huh)
-collective improvisation and canons (Imitation - Jaki's piano playing here sounds just like a vibraphone)
-improvisation based on clusters (Tragedy)
Live in India
This is an unusual live album as we see Ellis return to a "small" quintet. I seem to remember reading that this was due to difficulties in getting his whole orchestra to fly out to India. Ellis was also suffering from health problems which would prove to be fatal only some months later. Despite this, it's still an excellent album and considerably more intimate, not only because of the smaller group but also owing to the addition of Emilie Diehl on vocals, who essentially acts as an additional wind instrument rather than a singer in the usual jazz sense.
Fine Line does not waste any time as our opening track: an incendiary riff lights the flames for the winding melodies and solos that will follow.
Open Wide makes a reappearance on this album.
There is a moment in Dark Curved Eyebrows that is spectacular: it happens at 2:35 when Ellis' trumpet solo mimics a bird's song. Ellis' lead-up to that is nothing short of incredible and one of my favourite solos of his. This is probably one of the most beautiful tunes he ever wrote.
Desire is a fast tune with a killer comping riff and changes.
Hindustani Jazz Sextet
As far as I know, there are only a handful of bootleg recordings of this band. The musicians, among them Harihar Rao, are phenomenal, and some highlights include Bombay Bossa Nova, My!, Bali Dancer and Sweet 19.
George Russell albums
If you fancy hearing Ellis in a more "traditional" jazz setting, you might enjoy Ezz-thetics or The Stratus Seekers, both released under George Russell's name. As you can imagine, the musicianship on the albums is outstanding, although I personally prefer Ellis when he plays his and his orchestra’s own music.
One of the most remarkable things about Ellis is the sheer size and complexity of his output, which astonishingly spanned only around 20 years due to his early death at the age of 44.
The jazz aficionados among you will already know of the YouTube clips showing Don Ellis playing alongside Eric Dolphy under the baton of Leonard Bernstein. So as my farewell to you, instead of recommending that performance, I will recommend The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux album, featuring Don Ellis alongside the Average White Band and a myriad of other musicians. If you like funk, you will not be disappointed.