New Don Ellis Band Goes Underground CD

Personnel: Don Ellis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Don Ellis; The Blossoms (vocals, background vocals); Patti Allen (vocals); Jay Graydon (guitar); Mike Altschul (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Lonnie Shetter (flute, clarinet, oboe, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Fred Selden (flute, clarinet, saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Sam Falzone (flute, clarinet, saxophone, tenor saxophone); Sam Faizone (flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone); Hadley Caliman, John Klemmer (flute, tenor saxophone); Ron Starr (clarinet, alto saxophone); Jon Clarke (clarinet, baritone saxophone); John Rosenberg, Stewart Blumberg, Glenn Stuart, Jack Coan (trumpet, flugelhorn); Doug Bixby (trombone, tuba); Jock Ellis, Jack Ellis, George Bohanon, Glenn Ferris (trombone); Dana Hughes (bass trombone); Peter Robinson (piano, electric piano); Peter Manning Robinson (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, harpsichord, Clavinet, ring modulator); Rick Quintinal, Ralph Humphrey (vibraphone, drums, percussion); Lee Pastora (congas, bongos, cowbells, shaker, percussion); Gene Strimling (percussion); Patti Allen.
Unknown Contributor Role: John Klemmer.
Arrangers: Don Ellis; Fred Selden.
Coming as it did between two of Don Ellis' greatest records (Autumn and At Fillmore), New Don Ellis Band Goes Underground was a disappointment. The dozen concise performances are generally overarranged, the solos are too brief, and the melodies (with two exceptions) are not memorable. The ridiculously complex "Bulgarian Bulge" and "Eli's Coming" (which would soon join the repertoire of Maynard Ferguson) are the standouts, but the other R&B-oriented material, which often has so-so vocals by Patti Allen, is quite forgettable. One of trumpeter Don Ellis' lesser efforts. ~ Scott Yanow