Don Elliott Helfman (October 21, 1926 – July 5, 1984) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

trumpeter, vibraphonist, vocalist, and

mellophone The mellophone is a brass instrument typically pitched in the key of F, though models in E, D, C, and G (as a bugle) have also historically existed. It has a conical bore, like that of the euphonium and flugelhorn. The mellophone is used as the m ...

player. Elliott recorded over 60 albums and 5,000 advertising jingles throughout his career.

Career

Elliott played mellophone in his high school band and played trumpet for an army band. After studying at the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...

he added vibraphone to his instruments. He recorded with Terry Gibbs and Buddy Rich before forming his own band. From 1953 to 1960, he won the ''

DownBeat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

'' Readers' Poll several times for "miscellaneous instrument-mellophone."Down Beat Readers Polls
Known as the "Human Instrument", Elliott performed jazz as a vocalist, trombonist,

flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though some ...

ist, and percussionist. He pioneered the art of

multitrack recording Multitrack recording (MTR), also known as multitracking or tracking, is a method of sound recording developed in 1955 that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources or of sound sources recorded at different times to create a ...

, composed prize-winning advertising jingles, prepared film scores, and built a thriving production company. He scored several Broadway productions, including James Thurber's ''The Beast in Me'' and ''

A Thurber Carnival ''A Thurber Carnival'' is a revue by James Thurber, adapted by the author from his stories, cartoons and casuals (humorous short pieces), nearly all of which originally appeared in ''The New Yorker''. It was directed by Burgess Meredith. Follow ...

'', as well as

Frank D. Gilroy Frank Daniel Gilroy (October 13, 1925 – September 12, 2015) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film producer and director. He received the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play ''The Subject Was Roses' ...

's '' The Only Game in Town''. He also provided one of the voices for the novelty jazz duo the

Nutty Squirrels ''Nutty'' was a British comic magazine that ran for 292 issues from 16 February 1980 to 14 September 1985, when it merged with ''The Dandy''. Published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd, ''Nutty'' was an attempt to create a more lively and chaotic co ...

. Elliott was a longtime associate of Quincy Jones, contributing vocals to Jones's scores for the films ''

The Pawnbroker ''The Pawnbroker'' (1961) is a novel by Edward Lewis Wallant which tells the story of Sol Nazerman, a concentration camp survivor who suffers flashbacks of his past Nazi imprisonment as he tries to cope with his daily life operating a pawn sho ...

'' (1962), '' Walk, Don't Run'' (1966), '' In the Heat of the Night'' (1967), '' $'' (1971), '' The Hot Rock'' (1972) and '' The Getaway'' (1972). Elliot also composed the score to ''

The Happy Hooker ''The Happy Hooker: My Own Story'' is a best-selling memoir by Xaviera Hollander, a call girl, published in 1971. It sold over 20 million copies. Robin Moore, who took Hollander's dictations of the book's contents, came up with the title, while Y ...

'' starring Lynn Redgrave. Elliott owned and operated one of the first multitrack

recording studio A recording studio is a specialized facility for sound recording, mixing, and audio production of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home project studio large enoug ...

s in New York City and in Weston, Connecticut, where he died of cancer in 1984.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

* ''Vibrations'' (

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...

, 1956) – with Cal Tjader * ''Doubles in Brass'' (

Vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives fr ...

, 1954) * ''The Don Elliott Quintet'' (

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...

, 1954) * ''Mellophone'' (

Bethlehem Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...

, 1955) * ''Don Elliott Sings'' (Bethlehem, 1955) * ''

Counterpoint for Six Valves ''Counterpoint for Six Valves'' is an album by American jazz trumpeters Don Elliott and Rusty Dedrick which was recorded in 1955 for the Riverside label.

'' (

Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...

, 1955) – with

Rusty Dedrick Lyle "Rusty" Dedrick (12 July 1918 – 25 December 2009) was an American swing and bebop jazz trumpeter and composer born in Delevan, New York, probably better known for his work with Bill Borden, Dick Stabile, Red Norvo, Ray McKinley and Clau ...

(also released as ''Double Trumpet Doings'') * ''

The Voice of Marty Bell - The Quartet of Don Elliott ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...

'' (Riverside, 1956) * ''

The Bob Corwin Quartet featuring the Trumpet of Don Elliott ''The Bob Corwin Quartet featuring the Trumpet of Don Elliott'' is an album by American jazz pianist Bob Corwin featuring trumpeter Don Elliott which was recorded in 1956 for the Riverside label.ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

, 1956) * ''Don Elliott at the Modern Jazz Room'' (ABC, 1956) *'' Eddie Costa, Mat Mathews & Don Elliott at Newport'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

, 1957) * ''The Voices of Don Elliott'' (ABC, 1957) * ''Music for the Sensational Sixties'' (Design, 1957) * ''Jamaica Jazz'' (

ABC-Paramount ABC Records was an American record label founded in New York City in 1955. It originated as the main popular music label operated by the Am-Par Record Corporation. Am-Par also created the Impulse! jazz label in 1960. It acquired many labels bef ...

, 1958) * ''The Mello Sound'' (

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in We ...

, 1958) *''

The Nutty Squirrels The Nutty Squirrels were a jazz virtual band formed in imitation of Alvin and the Chipmunks. The Nutty Squirrels' music was characterized by their use of scat singing. They received a Top 40 hit in late-1959 as the song "Uh! Oh!". They also preced ...

'' (Hanover, 1959) with Alexander "Sascha" Burland * ''Mr. Versatile'' * ''Love is a Necessary Evil'' (

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

, 1962) * ''Rejuvenation'' ( Skin Deep'', Louie Bellson">Skin_Deep_(L.html" ;"title="olumbia, 1975)

As sideman

* 1954 ''Skin Deep (Louis Bellson album)">Skin Deep'', Louie Bellson * 1954 ''Joe Puma Quintet'', Joe Puma * 1955 ''Songs by Sylvia Syms'', Sylvia Syms (singer), Sylvia Syms * 1956 ''The Swingin' Miss "D"'', Dinah Washington * 1956 ''Sylvia Syms Sings'', Sylvia Syms * 1956 ''Desmond: Here I Am'', Paul Desmond * 1956 ''Featuring Don Elliott'', Paul Desmond * 1956 ''Special Delivery'', Janet Brace * 1956 ''Braff!'', Ruby Braff * 1957 ''Swingin' with Terry Gibbs Orchestra & Quartet'', Terry Gibbs * 1957 ''My Fair Lady Loves Jazz'' Billy Taylor * 1957 ''Hi-Fi Suite'', Leonard Feather * 1958 ''Sing Me a Swing Song'', Bobby Short * 1958 ''Legrand Jazz'',

Michel Legrand Michel Jean Legrand (; 24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz pianist. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many son ...

* 1959 ''Amor!: The Fabulous Guitar of Luiz Bonfa'',

Luiz Bonfá Luiz Floriano Bonfá (17 October 1922 – 12 January 2001) was a Brazilian guitarist and composer. He was best known for the music he composed for the film ''Black Orpheus''. Biography Luiz Floriano Bonfá was born on October 17, 1922, in Ri ...

* 1959 ''

Porgy & Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', it ...

'',

Mundell Lowe James Mundell Lowe (April 21, 1922 – December 2, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist who worked often in radio, television, and film, and as a session musician. He produced film and TV scores in the 1970s, such as the ''Billy Jack'' soundtrac ...

* 1959 ''The Ivory Hunters'', Bob Brookmeyer/

Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...

* 1958 ''Connee Boswell Sings Irving Berlin'', Connee Boswell * 1964 ''The Many Faces of Art Farmer'',

Art Farmer Arthur Stewart Farmer (August 21, 1928 – October 4, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet–flugelhorn combination especially designed for him. He and his identical twin brother, double ...

* 1963 ''The Boss of the Blues'', Charles Brown * 1961 ''Like Tweet'', Joe Puma * 1964 '' Golden Boy'', Quincy Jones * 1967 '' In the Heat of the Night OST'', Quincy Jones * 1972 '' The Hot Rock OST'', Quincy Jones * 1973 ''

There Goes Rhymin' Simon ''There Goes Rhymin' Simon'' is the third solo studio album by American musician Paul Simon released on May 5, 1973. It contains songs spanning several styles and genres, such as gospel ("Loves Me Like a Rock") and Dixieland ("Take Me to the Mar ...

'',

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

* 1976 ''I Heard That!'', Quincy Jones * 1977 ''One of a Kind'', Dave Grusin * 1996 ''Verve Jazz Masters 57'', George Shearing * 2001 '' Tenderly: An Informal Session'',

– recorded 1956 & 1957

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elliott, Don 1926 births 1984 deaths Musicians from Somerville, New Jersey People from Weston, Connecticut Singers from New Jersey American jazz singers American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters American jazz vibraphonists Cool jazz singers Cool jazz trumpeters Deaths from cancer in Connecticut 20th-century American singers 20th-century trumpeters Jazz musicians from Connecticut 20th-century American male singers American male jazz musicians Jazz vibraphonists