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Don Ellis at the Fillmore


Tony Pusey

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So, Jim, what do you think is the best Don Ellis on Columbia?

At Fillmore is, methinks, better suited for a more conventionally oriented big band fan wanting an impression of Ellis than the recently reissued Tears of Joy with its experimental orchestration.

Seems we're getting all of Ellis' Columbias one by one, on different labels - Columbia, Koch, Wounded Bird. Too bad we don't get any bonus material - there should be more in the vaults from these concerts.

Edited by mikeweil
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So, Jim, what dou you think is the best Don Ellis on Columbia?

I like Autumn best of all.

For the two live cuts, I would agree.

Also, Tears Of Joy, and of course, Electric Bath. I've got a soft spot for Underground as well, but that's for personal reasons.

Fillmore is just a cut below these for me because the soloing and writing isn't quite as consistently inspired. But like I said, when it's good, it's damn good, and it's good quite a bit of the time. And there are definitely two serious AFAIC classics on Fillmore - "Hey Jude" & "The Magic Bus Ate My Doughnut". The rest is none too shabby for the most part.

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I've got a soft spot for Underground as well, but that's for personal reasons.

Hmm ... I suspect it has something to do with one Patti Allen? :w;)

Not as much as it does with "Bulgarian Bulge"!

Before Milcho Leviev took a plane to California after leaving Bulgaria, he stayed in Frankfurt for a few weeks, recording with the local radio station jazz group, and leaving a bundle of LPs in their archive. When Underground came out, Ulrich Ohlshausen (the local jazz radio moderator) dug out the LP with the original Bulgarian Bulge, played by some Bulgarian folk musicians who swung the hell out of that tune in a most relaxed fashion that made the Ellis band sound stiff in comparison, believe me. I LOVE Bulgarian music - saw some of the best dance/music troupes during our vacation there last year. Check out some of this music, you will love it, Jim. These cats swing like mad, and play these ryhthms as naturally as breathing. I know Leviev had sent a copy of that same LP to Ellis, which earned him an inviation to join the band. I almost saw his Bulgarian quartet, but they were denied visa shortly before the tour ...

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Indeed: :excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited::excited:

Seems that they intend to reissue all that rare stuff from Pacific, UA and Blue Note that Cuscuna and the Blue Note heads will not take a risk at.

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Before Milcho Leviev took a plane to California after leaving Bulgaria, he stayed in Frankfurt for a few weeks, recording with the local radio station jazz group, and leaving a bundle of LPs in their archive. When Underground came out, Ulrich Ohlshausen (the local jazz radio moderator) dug out the LP with the original Bulgarian Bulge, played by some Bulgarian folk musicians who swung the hell out of that tune in a most relaxed fashion that made the Ellis band sound stiff in comparison, believe me. I LOVE Bulgarian music - saw some of the best dance/music troupes during our vacation there last year. Check out some of this music, you will love it, Jim. These cats swing like mad, and play these ryhthms as naturally as breathing. I know Leviev had sent a copy of that same LP to Ellis, which earned him an inviation to join the band. I almost saw his Bulgarian quartet, but they were denied visa shortly before the tour ...

There was a Bulgarian clarinet player who had a brief turn in the spotlight here in the US a few years ago, forget his name, but it was something like "MR X' s Bulgarian Wedding Band". Great stuff - intoxicating as hell, and more than a little crazyinagoodway to these American ears. They had at least one CD out, and I wish I had picked it up. Incredible stuff!

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There was a Bulgarian clarinet player who had a brief turn in the spotlight here in the US a few years ago, forget his name, but it was something like "MR X' s Bulgarian Wedding Band". Great stuff - intoxicating as hell, and more than a little crazyinagoodway to these American ears. They had at least one CD out, and I wish I had picked it up. Incredible stuff!

I saw him in Central Park in the late 80's. I knew nothing about him, but was really impressed at the time.

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