Ellis Larkins

Ellis Larkins Lane ( born May 15, 1923 in Baltimore, Maryland, † 30 September 2002 ) was an American jazz pianist of the swing.

Life and work

Notoriety gained the pianist Ellis Larkins, especially through his work on the two albums by Ella Fitzgerald Ella Sings Gershwin (1950) and Swings In A Mellow Mood ( 1954) - now published under the title "Pure Ella " - as well as his record recordings with the trumpeter Ruby Braff ( Two Part Invention In Jazz / Two By Two, 1955).

Ellis Larkins studied as the first African American at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, after which he went to New York, studied at the Juilliard School of Music and worked as a professional musician and has performed Early 1940s with Billy Moore, Maxine Sullivan, 1944 at Lucky Millinder with Edmond Hall 1945/46, and with its own trio in 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 was with Larry Adler on tour.

Disco printing specifications

Albums as a leader

  • Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me (1955 )
  • A Smooth One ( Black & Blue, 1977)

With Ruby Braff

  • Duets, Volume 1 ( Vanguard 1956, published in 1999, contains pieces of 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 )
Joe Williams (jazz singer) Chiaroscuro Records Richard Cook (journalist) Name Authority File
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