Quotes by Don Ellis

About Don Ellis:

Don Ellis is best known for his extensive musical experimentation, particularly in the area of unusual time signatures. Later in his life he worked as a film composer, among other works contributing a score to 1971's The French Connection and 1973's The Seven-Ups.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

On those long notes behind the trumpet solo, if anyone lets his mind wander for a minute he is dead.

Don Ellis

Because when we are right there is not a band in the world that can touch us!

Don Ellis

I got bored with the old way - it came too easy. I worked until I could play and chord changes at any tempo in any key, and then said 'What else is there?' Now I'm finding out.

Don Ellis

To be a true artist you have to play the way you feel - not the way others think you should feel.

Don Ellis

I expect the audience to come up to my level. I am not interested in compromising my music to make it palatable to an assumed sub-standard mass.

Don Ellis

If one takes all the styles in jazz harmonically from the earliest beginnings to the latest experiments, he still has a rather limited scope when compared to the rest of music in the world.

Don Ellis

Author Bio

  • NameDon Ellis
  • DescriptionAmerican jazz musician
  • BornJuly 25, 1934
  • DiedDecember 17, 1978
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionComposer; Bandleader; Conductor