This week's musical treat is a blast from the past, the Don Ellis Orchestra At Fillmore. Don Ellis was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. I heard music from this album ("Pussy Wiggle Stomp", if memory serves) on Detroit's WABX-FM when I was in university and immediately purchased it to play on my jazz show on the student radio station.
This is highly propulsive, somewhat avant garde, big band jazz. It was recorded at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium in 1969. From Wikipedia:
The band's energetic live performances such as the one at Stanford caused its popularity among college crowds to increase. In June 1970, the Orchestra performed for three nights at Bill Graham's Fillmore West auditorium, opening for the Quicksilver Messenger Service and Leon Russell. The resulting recording was made into a double LP and released by Columbia in late 1970. "Live at Fillmore" was a happy return to original material, and even included one Beatles cover, a highly experimental rendition of "Hey Jude", as well as another version of "Pussy Wiggle Stomp".
In listening to it today, I'm struck by how modern it sounds. Also notable is how appreciate the audience at the Fillmore was, considering that big bands weren't the normal fare there. I hope you enjoy it too.
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