THE NEW DON ELLIS BAND GOES UNDERGROUND Featuring Patti Allen
(Columbia CS 9889, © 1969)
TRACK LISTING:
House in the Country (Al Kooper / arr. Don Ellis)
Don't Leave Me (Harry Nilsson / arr. Don Ellis)
Higher (S. Stewart / arr. Don Ellis)
Bulgarian Bulge (public domain / arr. Don Ellis)
Eli's Comin' (Laura Nyro / arr. Don Ellis)
Acoustical Lass
Goood Feelin'
Send My Baby Back (Marbray, Hewitt / arr. Don Ellis)
Love for Rent (Fred Selden / arr. Fred Selden)
It's Your Thing (Isley, Isley, Isley / arr. Don Ellis)
Ferris Wheel
Black Baby (Allen, Ellis).
PERSONNEL:
Don Ellis
trumpet, electrophonic trumpet, ring modulator, flugelhorn.
Saxes & Woodwinds:
Fred Selden - alto sax, soprano sax, flute, clarinet
Lonnie Shetter - alto sax, soprano sax, flute, clarinet, oboe
Sam Falzone - tenor sax, clarinet, flute
Hadley Caliman - tenor sax, flute
John Klemmer - tenor sax, flute
Mike Altschol - baritone sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute;
Jon Clarke - baritone sax.
Trumpets:
Glenn Stuart
Stu Blumberg
John Rosenberg
Jack Coan.
Trombones:
Jock Ellis
George Bohannon
Glenn Ferris
Dana Hughes - bass trombone
Doug Bixby - contrabass trombone, tuba.
Rhythm:
Jay Graydon - guitar
Pete Robinson - piano, Fender Rhodes, ring modulator, clavinet, harpsichord
Joe Julian - bass
Carol Kaye - bass
Gary Todd - bass
Ralph Humphrey - drums
Rick Quintnal - drums, vibes, percussion
Gene Strimling - percussion
Lee Pastora - congas, bongos, shaker, cowbells.
Vocals:
Patti Allen
The Blossoms.
REVIEW:
This album gets a bum rap, but it actually isn't that bad. Al Cooper's involvement in the Autumn album probably had something to do with the opening Blood, Sweat, and Tears cover tune, and he produced the "Eli's Comin'" track. The other covers include songs by Harry Nilsson ("Don't Leave Me"), Sly & The Family Stone ("Higher"), and The Isley Brothers ("It's Your Thing," where the entire trumpet section plays quarter-tone trumpets). The tune that really sticks out on the album is "Bulgarian Bulge," an arrangement of a Bulgarian folk song in 33/16 time. Mind boggling. As for the originals, Fred Selden's "Love for Rent" has a nice breakdown in the middle, where Don plays an echoplexed solo over the chorale-like trombones. Don's "Goood Feelin'" is an earful, going through a number of musical styles (although I could do without the cheesy background vocals). "Acoustical Lass" would be interesting if they issued the whole track, and "Ferris Wheel" features, naturally, trombonist Glenn Ferris...what the hell is the noise at the end of the song?!
A better question would be "Who is Patti Allen?" I'd be interested in hearing how Don and Patti got hooked up. Patti sings four songs on the album with varied results, the best track being "Send My Baby Back." Just when you thought you were baffled enough, the studio vocal group The Blossoms (Darlene Love, Fanita, and Jean King, who, among countless other distinctions, were the singers on "Shindig") also lend their voices to Underground. Is this the same guy who previously recorded "Indian Lady"?!?!?! In the end, it's all a lot of fun.
08.06.03 - I just listened to Laura Nyro's version of "Eli's Comin'" and Don's arrangement is practically a transcription. At the very least, it retains more of the original elements than Maynard's version of the song (which was recorded a year later). Maynard's take on it is a bit more exciting, but Don's is more sonically interesting. Wait a sec…what in God's name am I talking about? I need to get a real life.
12.13.05 - I never thought this album would ever see a CD reissue, but I'm proven wrong once again by Wounded Bird. Getting back to the covers, "It's Your Thing" is not the best version of the song (that honor goes to the band Cold Grits), but the shout section is exciting, and the quarter-tone trumpet section should make anyone chuckle. Don matches Nilsson's wacky vocal stylings almost note for note on "Don't Leave Me." I like Don's version better than the original. Pat Williams also did an arrangement of the song on Heavy Vibrations, but it's too marching band-ish for me (someone is even blowing a whistle to signal the choruses!!). Seek out those OOP Pat Williams albums on Verve...they are all sonically interesting and true musical time capsules.
(Columbia CS 9889, © 1969)
TRACK LISTING:
House in the Country (Al Kooper / arr. Don Ellis)
Don't Leave Me (Harry Nilsson / arr. Don Ellis)
Higher (S. Stewart / arr. Don Ellis)
Bulgarian Bulge (public domain / arr. Don Ellis)
Eli's Comin' (Laura Nyro / arr. Don Ellis)
Acoustical Lass
Goood Feelin'
Send My Baby Back (Marbray, Hewitt / arr. Don Ellis)
Love for Rent (Fred Selden / arr. Fred Selden)
It's Your Thing (Isley, Isley, Isley / arr. Don Ellis)
Ferris Wheel
Black Baby (Allen, Ellis).
PERSONNEL:
Don Ellis
trumpet, electrophonic trumpet, ring modulator, flugelhorn.
Saxes & Woodwinds:
Fred Selden - alto sax, soprano sax, flute, clarinet
Lonnie Shetter - alto sax, soprano sax, flute, clarinet, oboe
Sam Falzone - tenor sax, clarinet, flute
Hadley Caliman - tenor sax, flute
John Klemmer - tenor sax, flute
Mike Altschol - baritone sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute;
Jon Clarke - baritone sax.
Trumpets:
Glenn Stuart
Stu Blumberg
John Rosenberg
Jack Coan.
Trombones:
Jock Ellis
George Bohannon
Glenn Ferris
Dana Hughes - bass trombone
Doug Bixby - contrabass trombone, tuba.
Rhythm:
Jay Graydon - guitar
Pete Robinson - piano, Fender Rhodes, ring modulator, clavinet, harpsichord
Joe Julian - bass
Carol Kaye - bass
Gary Todd - bass
Ralph Humphrey - drums
Rick Quintnal - drums, vibes, percussion
Gene Strimling - percussion
Lee Pastora - congas, bongos, shaker, cowbells.
Vocals:
Patti Allen
The Blossoms.
REVIEW:
This album gets a bum rap, but it actually isn't that bad. Al Cooper's involvement in the Autumn album probably had something to do with the opening Blood, Sweat, and Tears cover tune, and he produced the "Eli's Comin'" track. The other covers include songs by Harry Nilsson ("Don't Leave Me"), Sly & The Family Stone ("Higher"), and The Isley Brothers ("It's Your Thing," where the entire trumpet section plays quarter-tone trumpets). The tune that really sticks out on the album is "Bulgarian Bulge," an arrangement of a Bulgarian folk song in 33/16 time. Mind boggling. As for the originals, Fred Selden's "Love for Rent" has a nice breakdown in the middle, where Don plays an echoplexed solo over the chorale-like trombones. Don's "Goood Feelin'" is an earful, going through a number of musical styles (although I could do without the cheesy background vocals). "Acoustical Lass" would be interesting if they issued the whole track, and "Ferris Wheel" features, naturally, trombonist Glenn Ferris...what the hell is the noise at the end of the song?!
A better question would be "Who is Patti Allen?" I'd be interested in hearing how Don and Patti got hooked up. Patti sings four songs on the album with varied results, the best track being "Send My Baby Back." Just when you thought you were baffled enough, the studio vocal group The Blossoms (Darlene Love, Fanita, and Jean King, who, among countless other distinctions, were the singers on "Shindig") also lend their voices to Underground. Is this the same guy who previously recorded "Indian Lady"?!?!?! In the end, it's all a lot of fun.
08.06.03 - I just listened to Laura Nyro's version of "Eli's Comin'" and Don's arrangement is practically a transcription. At the very least, it retains more of the original elements than Maynard's version of the song (which was recorded a year later). Maynard's take on it is a bit more exciting, but Don's is more sonically interesting. Wait a sec…what in God's name am I talking about? I need to get a real life.
12.13.05 - I never thought this album would ever see a CD reissue, but I'm proven wrong once again by Wounded Bird. Getting back to the covers, "It's Your Thing" is not the best version of the song (that honor goes to the band Cold Grits), but the shout section is exciting, and the quarter-tone trumpet section should make anyone chuckle. Don matches Nilsson's wacky vocal stylings almost note for note on "Don't Leave Me." I like Don's version better than the original. Pat Williams also did an arrangement of the song on Heavy Vibrations, but it's too marching band-ish for me (someone is even blowing a whistle to signal the choruses!!). Seek out those OOP Pat Williams albums on Verve...they are all sonically interesting and true musical time capsules.
