Ellis Larkins (May 15, 1923 – September 30, 2002) 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 m ...

pianist born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore wa ...

, known for his two recordings with

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

: the albums '' Ella Sings Gershwin'' (1950) and ''

Songs in a Mellow Mood ''Songs in a Mellow Mood'' is a 1954 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the pianist Ellis Larkins. The complete album was re-issued as part of the 1994 MCA Records CD, ''Pure Ella''. Track listing Side one #"I'm Glad There Is You" ( ...

'' (1954). He was also the pianist on the first solo sides by singer

Chris Connor Mary Jean Loutsenhizer, known professionally as Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 – August 29, 2009) was an American jazz singer. Biography Chris Connor was born Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri, to Clyde Loutsenhizer and Mabel Shir ...

on her album ''Chris'' (1954). Larkins was the first African American to attend the

Peabody Conservatory of Music The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University is a private conservatory and preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1857 and opened in 1866 by merchant/financier and philanthropist George Peabody (1795–1869) ...

, an institute in Baltimore. He began his professional playing career in New York City after moving there to attend the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely ...

. While still at Juilliard, Larkins performed jazz piano with guitarist Billy Moore at

Café Society Café society was the description of the "Beautiful People" and "Bright Young Things" who gathered in fashionable cafés and restaurants in New York, Paris and London beginning in the late 19th century. Maury Henry Biddle Paul is credited with ...

Uptown and over the next ten years in his own groups, or in support of, clarinetist

Edmond Hall Edmond Hall (May 15, 1901 – February 11, 1967) was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. Over his career, Hall worked extensively with many leading performers as both a sideman and bandleader and is possibly best known for the 1941 ch ...

and singers

Helen Humes Helen Humes (June 23, 1913 – September 9, 1981) was an American singer. Humes was a teenage blues singer, a vocalist with Count Basie's band, a saucy R&B diva, and a mature interpreter of the classic popular song. Early life She was born on ...

and Mildred Bailey. He recorded with

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...

, and

Dicky Wells William Wells (June 10, 1907 – November 12, 1985), known professionally as Dicky Wells (sometimes Dickie Wells), was an American jazz trombonist. Career Dickie Wells is believed to have been born on June 10, 1907 in Centerville, Tennessee, Un ...

in the 1940s. In the 1950s, he recorded with Ella Fitzgerald,

Ruby Braff Reuben "Ruby" Braff (March 16, 1927 – February 9, 2003) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist. Jack Teagarden was once asked about him on the Garry Moore television show and described Ruby as "the Ivy League Louis Armstrong". Braff ...

, and Beverly Kenney. His 1960s work included recordings or performances with

Eartha Kitt Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song " Santa ...

, Joe Williams,

Georgia Gibbs Georgia Gibbs (born Frieda Lipschitz; August 17, 1918December 9, 2006) was an American popular singer and vocal entertainer rooted in jazz. Already singing publicly in her early teens, Gibbs achieved acclaim and notoriety in the mid-1950s interp ...

and

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an internati ...

. Though he was best known as an accompanist, Larkins recorded several solo albums in the 1950s. In the 1970s, he performed regularly at several New York venues, including Gregory's, a small bar on the

Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 96th Street to the north, the East River to the east, 59th Street to the south, and Central Park/Fifth Avenue to the we ...

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With

* ''Ellis Larkins & Ruby Braff: Duets Volume 1'', (

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 f ...

, 1955

991 Year 991 ( CMXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events * March 1: In Rouen, Pope John XV ratifies the first Truce of God, between Æthelred the Unready and Richard I of ...

* ''Ellis Larkins & Ruby Braff: Duets Volume 2'', (

, 1955 000 * ''Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins: 2 Part Inventions in Jazz'', (

, 10-inch LP, 1955) – reissued as ''Ruby Braff/Ellis Larkins: Pocket Full of Dreams'', (

, 1957) & on the Duets CDs * ''Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins: The Grand Reunion'', (

Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro ( , ; ), in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achi ...

, 1972) – CD reissue, 1999 * ''Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins: Calling Berlin, Vol. 1'' ( Arbors, 1994 995 * ''Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins: Calling Berlin, Vol. 2'' (Arbors, 1994

996 Year 996 ( CMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * February - Chotoku Incident: Fujiwara no Korechika and Takaie shoot an arrow at Retired Emp ...

With

Anita Kert Ellis Anita Ellis (née Kert, later Shapiro; April 12, 1920 – October 28, 2015) was a Canadian-born American singer and actress. She famously dubbed Rita Hayworth's songs in '' Gilda''. Early years Anita Kert was born in Montreal, Quebec, the eldes ...

* ''A Legend Sings'' (Red Onion, 1979) With

* '' Ella Sings Gershwin'' (Decca, 1950) * ''

'' (Decca, 1954) * "You Turned the Tables on Me", "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "I've Got a Crush on You" on '' Newport Jazz Festival: Live at Carnegie Hall'' (

Pablo Pablo is a Spanish form of the name Paul. People *Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer *Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer * Pablo Armero, Colombian footballer * Pablo Bartholomew, Indian photojournalist * Pablo Brandán, Argentine footballer * Pablo Br ...

, 1973) With

Sonny Stitt Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/ hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of h ...

* '' What's New!!!'' (Roulette, 1966) * '' I Keep Comin' Back!'' (Roulette, 1966) With Joe Williams * ''That Holiday Feelin'' (Verve, 1990)

References

External links

Ellis Larkins recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

.
Profile of Ellis Larkins by Whitney Balliett for the ''New Yorker''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Larkins, Ellis 1923 births 2002 deaths American jazz pianists American male pianists RCA Victor artists Musicians from Baltimore Peabody Institute alumni 20th-century American pianists Jazz musicians from Maryland 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Black Lion Records artists Black & Blue Records artists