Ellis Larkins

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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

literature

Web links

personal data
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