Don Ellis Big Band

[chalkpie]

Picked up Soaring and Live at Montreux on used vinyl for a decent price. Gonna spin Soaring first. Any fans?

[StarThrower]

I have Soaring on CD. I prefer it to some of the screaming brass albums. I like his early 60s small group stuff too.

[chalkpie]

First tune in 7....I'm good with that. What is considered his better albums?

[Rick L.]

I'm a huge Don Ellis fan. Live at Monterey and Live in 3 and 2/3/4 time are particular favorites. His small band album New Ideas is pretty awesome, too.

OK. Bye.

[chalkpie]

Got the Rick and Reid approval....works for me. The brass is screaming on this already!

[neuroticdog]

Only thing I have by him is Electric Bath. I don't know if that is considered one of his "screaming brass albums" but it does scream. I'm listening to the first track now and there was some cool clavichord goin's on's.

best
Michael

[StarThrower]

I only have a few. The Columbia album, Electric Bath. And the posthumous Live In India which is a small band. He went there against his doctor's orders because his heart was so weak but he plays fantastic! And I have the early album, Essence, which has some cool odd meter tunes. I think Gary Peacock plays bass on that one.

[nosebone]

Big DE fan here also!

Check out his scores for The French Connection and The Seven Ups...Yikes!

[Grimjack]

All great titles mentioned so far... Ellis made a lot of great records!

[Bake 2]

Live at the Fillmore has some pretty vigorous almost FZ like big band workouts on it, (eg.Final Analysis). There were some Tracks on Tears of Joy and Shock Treatment that also used to get heavy rotation here.

[chalkpie]

Cool that you guys dig this....Soaring is outstanding! Hot playing, great writing and arranging (this guy loved odd time grooves), and beautiful sonics. I'm in.

[Steve F.]

I tried but not a fan.

IMO

Tries too hard and doesn’t feel like it comes easily or naturally. They can do it, but it feels very ‘forced’ to me. YMMV.

IMO.

[StarThrower]

I played my Soaring CD last night. I like the electric bass with the big band. The horns actually sound like they are mixed down a little so it doesn't rip your head off, or maybe I didn't have it loud enough? Ralph Humphrey playing drums on some tracks too. Did you listen to the other album yet?

[chalkpie]

I played my Soaring CD last night. I like the electric bass with the big band. The horns actually sound like they are mixed down a little so it doesn't rip your head off, or maybe I didn't have it loud enough? Ralph Humphrey playing drums on some tracks too. Did you listen to the other album yet?

Not yet...need to give it a bath first....hopefully today. Agreed - he could've mixed the horns louder but they are aggressive at decent volume, great stuff nonetheless. Humphrey plays wonderfully of course and his kit sounds great. You can get the 73 - 74 FZ vibe of his sound here if you listen carefully. Love seeing him play on the Roxy dvd. I've had always known of his association with Don so it's nice to finally hear this music properly. The LP has a terrific sound.

[zappaeverafter]

If memory serves, I believe some tracks on Electric Bath were my first exposure to eclectic jazz in 1969 (other than the popular radio play of things like Take 5) even before hearing any Zappa or ItCotKC. Just shortly before hearing Miles but admittedly after Brian Auger Trinity. I was immediately struck by the seemingly (at the time to my virgin ears) "trippy" arrangements. I still have a soft spot for Ellis. Those tracks may have been most effective progressive jazz for me to lead me down that musical path at that time.

[adap2it]

Love Don Ellis...died too young.

[Udi Koomran]

Ionly know and love this