Ellis Larkins
Ellis Larkins Lane (* 15. May 1923 in Baltimore , Maryland ; † 30th September 2002 ,) was an American jazz - pianist of Swing .
Live and act
The pianist Ellis Larkins achieved fame primarily through his participation in the two albums by Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Sings Gershwin (1950) and Swings In A Mellow Mood (1954) - which has since been released under the title "Pure Ella" - as well as his recordings with the trumpeter Ruby Braff ( Two Part Invention In Jazz / Two By Two , 1955).
Ellis Larkins was the first African American to study at the Peabody Conservatory Of Music in Baltimore , then went to New York , studied at the Juilliard School of Music and worked as a professional musician, played a. a. In the early 1940s with Billy Moore , Maxine Sullivan , in 1944 at Lucky Millinder with Edmond Hall in 1945/46 and with his own trio (including with Eugene Fields ) in the New York club The Blue Angel , also with Dicky Wells ( Linger Awhile ; 1943), Coleman Hawkins ( Stumpy , 1944), Mildred Bailey , Ruby Braff , Eartha Kitt , Joe Williams and Harry Belafonte . In 1959 he toured with Larry Adler .
Discographic notes
Albums as a leader
- Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me (1955)
- Manhattan At Midnight (1956)
- A Smooth One (Black & Blue, 1977)
- At Maybeck Recital Hall (Concord, 1992)
With Ruby Braff
- Duets, Volume 1 (Vanguard 1956, published 1999; contains pieces from the Vanguard albums Two Part Inventions, Vol. 1 & 2 / Two By Two: Music Of Rogers & Hart )
- Grand Reunion ( Chiaroscuro , 1972)
- Calling Berlin: Volume 1 & 2 (Arbors, 1994) with Bucky Pizzarelli
As a sideman
- Dicky Wells : 1927-1943 (Classics)
- Coleman Hawkins : 1943-1944 (Classics)
- Coleman Hawkins : 1944 (Classics)
- Ella Fitzgerald: Pure Ella (GRP, 1950–54)
literature
- Martin Kunzler : Jazz-Lexikon , Reinbek, Rowohlt 1988.
- Richard Cook , Brian Morton : The Penguin Guide of Jazz on CD . 6th edition. Penguin, London 2002, ISBN 0-14-051521-6 .
- Bielefeld Jazz Catalog, 2001.
Web links
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Larkins, Ellis |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Larkins, Ellis Lane (full name) |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American swing jazz pianist |
DATE OF BIRTH | May 15, 1923 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Baltimore , Maryland |
DATE OF DEATH | September 30, 2002 |
Place of death | Baltimore , Maryland |