Don Ellis

About

Trumpeter wgo was well-known experimental musician, remembered for his use of unusual time signatures.

Before Fame

He watched a Tommy Dorsey Big Band performance and immediately became interested in jazz; in 1956, he received his composition degree from Boston University.

Trivia

The first musical performance job he had was with the Glenn Miller Band.

Family Life

His father was a minister and his mother played organ in churches.

Associated With

His orchestra's 1969 album, The Don Ellis Band Goes Underground, featured work by many different popular musicians, including Sly Stone.