Don Ellis Soaring 180g LP (Vinyl)

180 Gram Pressing! Analogue Remastering (AAA)!

Classical, Avant-garde, East Indian and Balkan metric concepts, big band jazz – Don Ellis brought it all together with his own orchestra; as early as the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival, Ellis and band were putting the public’s expectations to the test. Over the years Ellis expanded and refined the band’s fantastic expressive abilities by, for instance, the integration of a string quartet into the group, or inviting the Bulgarian pianist Milcho Leviev as special guest. In 1973, trumpeter Ellis and orchestra recorded two albums for MPS. This first album is titled "Soaring"; the scintillating music created by 22 musicians, including a 12-piece horn section, three percussionists, and a string quartet provides a shimmering, translucent texture captured in a Hollywood studio at the zenith of the band’s abilities. On the first composition, "Whiplash", Ellis demonstrates how his band could accommodate funk to 7-beat time signature. "Sladka Pitka" is a showcase for insanely complex time signatures, and when it comes to "The Devil Made Me Write This Piece" with its layering of samba, legato strings, and chromatic lines, the devil is indeed in the details. With "Go Back Home", tenor saxophonist Sam Falzone gifted the band with an instrumental hit, and "Invincible" is characterized by dramatic, lyrical paintings in sound. Ellis allows for some tender moments on "Images Of Maria" and "Nicole", whereas Czech composer Aleksej Fried’s "Sidonie" celebrates an exuberant festival of uneven rhythms. No question – on "Soaring"Don Ellis gave the concept of big band jazz a completely new meaning.

Features:
• 180g Audiophile pressing
• Analogue remastering (AAA)
• Liner notes, remastering information and a picture of the original master tape box inside
• Made in Germany

Musicians:
Don Ellis, trumpet, electric trumpet, fluegelhorn, drums
Fred Selden, alto sax, flute, soprano sax, piccolo, alto flute
Vince Denham, alto sax, tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, piccolo
Sam Falzone, tenor sax, clarinet, flute
Gary Herbig, baritone sax, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, oboe
Gil Rathel, trumpet, fluegelhorn
Bruce Mackay, trumpet, fluegelhorn
Jack Caudill, trumpet, fluegelhorn
Sidney Muldrow, french horn
Mike Jamieson, trombone
Ken Sawhill, bas trombone
Doug Bixby, tuba
Jay Graydon, guitar, bag
Milcho Leviev, piano, Fender-Rhodes piano, organ, clavinet
Dave McDaniel, bass
Ralph Humprey, drums
Ron Dunn, drums, percussion
Lee Pastora, conga
Joel Quivey, electric violin
Earle Corry, electric violin
Renita Koven, electric viola
Pat Kudzia, electric cello

Selections:
Side I:
1. Whiplash
2. Sladka Pitka
3. The Devil Made Me Write This Piece
4. Go Back Home
Side II:
1. Invincible
2. Image Of Maria
3. Sidonie
4. Nicole