Trumpeter Don Ellis (1934-78even looked the part of the “out there” jazz artist. Back in the day, if a musician was introduced by “having played in Don Ellis’ Big Band”, you knew the guy had bona fides. This four disc set has eight of his truly classic and original albums.
His debut from 1960 had him already doing tricks with tempos and time signatures. He’s joined by Jacki Byard/p-as, Ron Carter/b and Charlie Persip/dr for a 22 mnute “Improvisatonal Suite” and the complex “How Time Passes”. Next year, with Paul Bley/p and a debuting Steve Swallow/b, Ellis ranges from a dark “My Funny Valentine” to a duet with Bley on “All The Things You Are” and a solo aria of “Just One Of Those Things”. The same year, with Al Francies/vib, Charlie Persip/dr and the return of Byard and Carter, Ellis also plays piano for a mix of free form in “Solo”, playing piano on “Tragedy” and some kaleidoscopic chord forms on “Uh-Huh”.
1962 finds Ellis with Bley, Peacock and NickMartinis-Gene Stone/dr delving into jazz standards with fresh ideas as on “Angel Eyes” and Lover” while playing tricks with time signatures as on “Ostinato” and “Slow Space”. The sae year he puts out his most exotic album, consisting of Polish music (!) with Roman Dylag/b, Andezej Dabrowski/dr and Wojciech Karolak/p for a mix of standards like “Lover” and Now’s The Tie” as well as the far ranging “Soloes”. Keeping with the world travelling theme, Ellis in 1965 brings together the Hindustani Jazz Sextet for a gig at UCLA with Harihar Rao/sit-tb, Emil Richards/vib, Steve Bohannon/dr Chuck Domanico/b, Tom Scott/sax and Lalo Schifrin/p for South Asian temes on “Bombay Bossa Nova” and “Blues For Hari”.
In 1966 Ellis hit his form with a pair of live albums. The first one from The Monterey Jazz Festival has possibly one of the most exciting big bans ever. The band, which included Tom Scott/fl-as, Ira Schulman/ts as well as three bassists, two drummers and a percussionist hit the ground running with “33 222 1 222” in 19/4 time, and we won’t even get into “27/16” while giving a hoot of “Beat Me Daddy, Seven To The Bar” . Next, from Shelly’s Manne Hole”, Ellis and a similar cast do a prismatic read of Dixieland on “Barnham’s Reveng” while “Orientation” switches from 7/8 to 9/8 like a ping pong match. This was a band not for the faint of h eart!