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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZLARKINS, Ellis(b 15 May '23, Baltimore MD; d there 29 Sept. 2002) Pianist; highly regarded especially as an accompanist: a favourite of every singer he worked with, his excellent ear allowing him to offer unusual sympathy to an interpretation. His father was a janitor who played violin in a local orchestra; he studied at Juilliard '40, played in NYC clubs '40s-50s; accompanied Mildred Bailey on Majestic, played with Coleman Hawkins and Dicky Wells on Signature in the '40s; in the '50s he accompanied Larry Adler, Joe Williams; with Ella Fitzgerald (unaccompanied duo albums Ella Sings Gershwin and Songs In A Mellow Mood on Decca combined on MCA's Pure Ella CD, a classic if there ever was one), Chris Connor (Sings Lullabies Of Birdland on Bethlehem); with Ruby Braff on Bethlehem and Vanguard (Two By Two: Ruby And Ellis Play Rodgers And Hart). His own albums on Decca (solo or with a bassist) include Manhattan At Midnight, Blue And Sentimental, Soft Touch; he also recorded for Storyville mid-'50s. He left performing for studio work, came back in '70s: The Grand Reunion '72 with Braff on Chiaroscuro, Ellis Larkins on Antilles, Smooth One '77 on Classic Jazz (made in Paris), Swingin' For Hamp '79 on Concord Jazz (with bass, drums, singer Tony Middleton). Also recorded with Sylvia Sims and made his own LP Plays The Bacharach And McKuen Songbook on Stan Kenton's Stanyan label; two-disc Ella Fitzgerald Live At Carnegie Hall '73 on Columbia; Stardust with Sonny Stitt on Prestige, arranged and conducted album for Joyce Carr '57, later on Audiophile (Carr d 26 Jan. 2002 aged 70), arranged and played on Audiophile's re-creation of Duke Ellington's show Pousse-Cafe '92 with vocalists Barbara Lea and Marshall Barer; also recorded no. 22 in Concord's Maybeck Recital Hall series '92. |