Inspired by Flip Phillips and Illinois Jacquet of the old Jazz at the Philharmonic, I started playing the sax at the age of about 9yrs. I moved on to listen to Bird, Monk, Miles, Coltrane, Ornette and Dolphy. I received the top scholarship from Downbeat Magazine to Berklee School of Music in 1964. Thus began my on and off again relationship to music.
Flip Phillips was quoted as saying: "When it stops being fun, I'll quit". I've always taken that to heart. Many times over the years, it stopped being fun and I put my horn away, only to pick it up later with fresh ears and inspiration.
In the seventies, I played to a bit of acclaim in the Bay Area with a group that included Smith Dobson and Chuck Metcalf. We put out an LP album titled "Friends". It features the best playing I ever heard by the late, very underated Smith Dobson. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find but I'm working on having it re-issued on CD.
I moved to New York in the late seventies where I became a part of the new music scene. I also toured with Charlie Mingus alumni Ted Curson, and was the featured tenor soloist with Jaki Byard's big band the "Apollo Stompers". I've been honored to have played and recorded with such diverse musicians as Tom Rainey, John Scofield, Hal Galper, Bill Frisell, Tom Harrell, Saheb Sarbib, Paul Motian, and many, many more.
In the eighties, I stepped away from the scene and focused on being a father and some other things I felt were more important at the time. We'll never know what might have been. Then again, it's not over yet.Mel Ellison Selected Discography
Elvin Bishop Group
Rock My Soul
With Steven Miller and Jo Baker
Sundazed SC 6191, 2002 (Original album issued as Epic KE 31563, Sept 27 1972)
Mel Ellison
Friends
With Smith Dobson and Chuck Metcalf
New Jazz MRC 1001-B LP, 1976
Click here for Friends Video
Sahib Sarbib and his Multinational Band
Aisha
With Frank Wright, Ahmed Abdullah, Jemeel Moondoc, Guilherme Franco, Richard Baratta, Booker T, Tim Sessions and more.
Cadence Jazz Records CJR 1010, 1981
Sahib Sarbib
Seasons
Recorded live at New York University
With Mark Whitecage and Paul Motian
Soul Note 121048-2, 1982
Click here to buy Seasons
Roseanna Vitro
Reaching for the Moon
With Kenny Werner,
Chase Music Group CMD 8030, 1991
Left turn No Signal
Its What We Do
With Jeff Buenz, Rich Girard and Jason Lewis
Summit records SRA 9601, 1996
