Don Ellis 1977 (11) Arcturus

from his appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 8, 1977.
Don Ellis - Trumpet, Composer, Arranger
Reeds - Ann Patterson, Ted Nash, James Coile, Jim Snodgrass
Trumpets - Glenn Stuart, Gil Rather, Jack Coan
French Horn - Sidney Muldrow
Trombone - Alan Kaplan
Bass Trombone - Richard Bullock
Tuba - Jim Self
Keyboards - Randy Kerber
Bass - Leon Gaer, Darrell Clayborn
Drums - David Crigger
Congas - Chino Valdes
Percussion, Drums and Mallets - Michael Englander
Percussion, Mallets and Timpani - Ruth Ritchie
Violins - Pam Tompkins, Lori Badessa
Viola - Jimbo Ross
Cello - Paula Hochhalter

[@jimsaxman]

I was stunned when I ran across this recording I had never heard nor seen before. Some people never have the opportunity to recognize a high point in their lives. Fortunately, I could see this as one of those moments in my life immediately. Don Ellis was a spontaneous fellow. He felt it added excitement to the performance to just point at someone (me) and tell them to play a solo on this tune. So I almost ran out to the front with my baritone sax and started playing with everything I had when he pointed at me to play the first solo. I had never played a solo on this tune before, but the adrenaline was flowing so I had my moment in front of one of the greatest audiences at one of the great jazz festivals. What an experience.

[@ericstegeman2863]

Hank Levy once remarked the policy of Don to appoint soloists at the last moment made a lot sidemen and I quote: "Nervous as hell" . You notice that a bit with a very young Ted Nash, who missed most of his solo part.

[@omarkhayyam94]

You did a great job! Thank you very much.

[@jestocost8210]

You held up under pressure. Great solo.

[@jestocost8210]

I followed Don for many years after I first hear him guesting with Blood, Sweat and Tears at the Greek Theater. I probably saw him perform 100 times over the years. I even saw his last performance in Hollywood. I didn't know that that was the last time I would ever hear him.What a GREAT talent and a GREAT loss to humanity.

[@CCConservatory]

Tough to believe he only had about 18 months to live. What a talent, cut so short. ;- (. 123 123 12 12 1 12 12 drove me crazy!

[@AlanWitton]

Fantastic listening

[@nemo227]

When I first heard the Electric Bath album in the sixties I immediately went to the record store and bought it. Then I would go to sleep at night while it played. The record players would shut off after the last tune but I didn't hear it most nights. I was floating in outer space but I always woke up in my own bed in the morning. No drugs, no alcohol needed.

[@vinyltapelover]

A Master Class in chaotically controlled musicianship. A mind blowing, ginormous jam session. Thank you so much for the great uploads.

[@TheRhythmDoctor]

I am so glad to have found this concert footage on KZbin. I can't believe it took me this long. I wasn't at this concert, but I saw them at Blues Alley in DC several days earlier, at what I think was their last concert date before taking off for Europe. Of the many memories I have of that concert, the most indelible one must be Ruth Ritchie standing right in front of me playing that wicked melody line on xylophone. Wow!!! I ran out and bought both LPs as soon as they hit the stores.

[@MarkJohnson-vp3uk]

A great number to show off the talents of the most proficient drummer the band ever had, Dave Crigger.

[@mendali]

Steve Bohannon? Ralph Humphrey? Don always hired good drummers. Crigger was no exception.

[@assignmentearth2899]

Love this album/performance. Gotta admit I come back to Arcturus for the cello :27 player. 1:24 ...Love that girl. Wonder what she's doing these days.

[@ultramannick]

Dave Crigger was THE BOSS!

[@jimsaxman]

Absolutely. NOBODY could beat in playing odd time signatures. Jim Snodgrass

[@nemo227]

Crigger's website has some interesting things to say. He started drums at a pretty early age (10 years old?).

[@Tino-s8b]

😊😊😊😊❤

[@cliffworks748]

thank you I love you cliff in Tokyo

[@jazzjanne1]

More of this!

[@SokratisVotskos]

I'd like to see some footage of Milcho Leviev in this band!

[@ElectricBathhouse]

Thanks for the catch on Chino. I think his inadvertent omission has now been corrected on all of the clips.

[@IamP3ngu1n]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@hiddenmonday7361]

love , love !!!!!!!!!!!

[@RobHaccou]

Enormous!!!!!

[@mootbooxle]

There are those chords that sound like "Oh No" in a bunch of spots!

[@andymortenson5324]

Definitely an FZ sound to this with the vibes and violin mixed in.

[@edgeman148]

Bloody brilliant on steroids :)

[@jimsaxman]

Jim Snodgrass

[@MikeHanleyherecords]

"These pursuits were postponed when Ellis started having health problems, feeling "out of breath after [walking] up a single flight of stairs". He checked himself into a hospital in New York City where a doctor diagnosed him with mitral stenosis, a condition which caused his heart to beat in odd rhythms" No wonder

[@jonmathis]

Gil Rathel!

[@ultramannick]

Back on the Monterey he was known only as...."Chino." :-)

[@pwstomper223]

The original title of this was "Get Closer". Another one of Don's charts written with a woman in mind.

[@ultramannick]

He was a lady's man, that's for sure. Good for him!

[@ultramannick]

He was a lady's man back in the day! Good for him!

[@nealbfinn]

He was engaged to, and shortly before he passed away, married to the lead alto saxophonist in the band, Ann Patterson.

[@nickdiscala9638]

@@nealbfinn He was not engaged to Ann. They were an item for a while, but never engaged. In fact, he was already seeing someone else when he passed.

[@ultramannick]

More cowbell!

[@ricarleite]

Where can I find the original song? I cannot find anything with this title.

[@2005adamo]

Music from other galaxies and planets - different spelling "Arcturas"

[@Wazabooz]

Seems some of the players were multi-instrumentalists. How else could he get three flutes?

[@jimsaxman]

All the saxophone players played multiple instruments. That's how I got the gig: Baritone sax, flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax. I got rained on by Don Ellis for dragging all those instruments around Europe and costing so much money in extra baggage, but he wrote the parts. Jim Snodgrass

[@StanDermeral]

Too many notes!

[@DavidCrigger]

Really? I believe all of the notes in each bar add up to 10/4... 🙂