Herb Ellis | Jazz guitarist, 88
Herb Ellis, 88, a jazz guitarist whose polished, blues-inflected playing earned him critical acclaim as an outstanding soloist and worldwide recognition as a member of pianist Oscar Peterson's trio, died Sunday, March 28, at his home in Los Angeles.
Herb Ellis, 88, a jazz guitarist whose polished, blues-inflected playing earned him critical acclaim as an outstanding soloist and worldwide recognition as a member of pianist Oscar Peterson's trio, died Sunday, March 28, at his home in Los Angeles.
The cause was Alzheimer's disease, said his son, Mitch.
While never a major star, Mr. Ellis was long a favorite of critics and musicians. In 1959 a fellow guitarist, Jim Hall, praised his "fantastic fire and drive." In 1990 Gary Giddins of the Village Voice raved about the "easy, loping quality" of his playing.
Mitchell Herbert Ellis was born in Farmersville, Texas, on Aug. 4, 1921, and played banjo and harmonica as a child before taking up guitar.
He studied at North Texas State Teachers College (now the University of North Texas), one of the first colleges to offer instruction in jazz.
He attracted wide attention during his five-year stint with Peterson's popular group, which included a bassist (Ray Brown) but no drummer.
The absence of a percussionist required Mr. Ellis to provide the rhythmic foundation for Peterson's energetic playing as well as the guitar solos; he did it so well that when he left the trio in 1958, Peterson replaced him not with another guitarist but with a drummer.
- N.Y. Times News Service