Ray Ellington
Wikimp3 information about the music of Ray Ellington. On our website we have 4 albums and 44 collections of artist Ray Ellington. You can find useful information and download songs of this artist. We also know that Ray Ellington represents Jazz genres.
Biography
[Edit]Ray Ellington has a last name that would seem to make him a natural part of the American jazz family, but in reality his background was quite different, and his major claim to fame would be most appropriately described as "something completely different." Although a hardworking part of the British jazz and rock scenes of the '50s and '60s, the African-born drummer, vocalist, and bandleader is known to most listeners as part of the auxiliary cast of The Goon Show, a madcap radio series that ran on the British Broadcasting Corporation for a nearly a decade beginning in the early '50s. The main three performers behind the show were the great comedian Peter Sellers, the versatile musician and performer Sir Harry Secombe, and goon-of-all-trades Spike Milligan. The latter comedian and writer had begun his professional performing career as a jazz trumpeter and was keen on the genre for his entire life, so it is no surprise that he would enlist the aid of a talented jazz performer such as Ellington to help create the memorable mixture of nutty humor and high-quality music that was one of the show's most original features.
Another fine jazz musician who was part of the cast was the Dutch harmonica player Max Geldray. Working together with bandleader Wally Stott, these musicians were responsible for several musical interludes in each show, without which it is quite possible that many audience members might have died of non-stop laughter. Like all members of the show's staff, these musicians also took part in the skits themselves. In fact, it would be quite appropriate to list "long drawn-out African-sounding gibberish" as part of Ellington's instrumental credits, as this was a regular part of his contributions to various sketches. Bengali dialects, on the other hand, were the speciality of both Milligan and Sellers. Ellington took on a variety smaller roles in sketches, such as Chief Ellinga, Gladys, and the Red Bladder.
Ellington's family immigrated to England when he was young, and he was an instructor in the Royal Air Force prior to embarking on his professional music career. He formed his original Ray Ellington Quartet in 1950, and was also known to millions through the radio program Mr. Ros and Mr. Ray. Ironically, his association with the Goons helped him sustain a musical career during an era when British Invasion rock & roll was vanquishing just about any kind of musical performer who did not possess a mop-top haircut and the ability to sing "yeah, yeah, yeah." Not that he stuck to straight jazz when exploiting the popularity of the Goons; he had chart singles in the early '60s, but these were rock and rhythm & blues numbers, some produced by the superb Joe Meek. In 1970, Ellington established the popular Ray Ellington Big Band & Singers. His son, singer Lance Ellington, took his place on a 50th anniversary special of The Goon Show in 2001.
Collections
Title: Cool Summer Jazz Chill Out
Genre: Jazz
Title: British Beat Before the Beatles (1955-1962)
Genre: Rock
Title: Romantic Jazz & Love Songs
Genre: Jazz
Title: Big Hits & Highlights of 1956, Vol. 11
Genre: Pop
Title: Vamp Till Ready
Genre: Jazz
Title: Pure Instrumental Jazz
Genre: Jazz
Title: Big Hits & Highlights of 1956, Vol. 10
Genre: Pop
Title: Selected Works of Famous Orchestras
Genre: World Music, Folk
Title: Porgy and Bess the Musical Soundtrack
Genre: Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: Goon Show: The Internal Mountain
Genre: Humor
Title: Greatest Big Hits of 1962, Vol. 10
Genre: Pop
Title: Lounge Music with Great Orchestras
Genre: World Music, Folk
Title: Famous Orchestras of the Old World
Genre: Dancefloor, Dance Pop
Title: Say When: Ember Sixties Pop Vol. 1
Genre: Pop
Title: Dancing Around the World, Vol. 2
Genre: Pop
Title: Pete Smith Presents: British Dance Bands, Vol. 2
Genre: Jazz
Title: East Coast Teen Party - Volume 7
Genre: Pop
Title: Something Saxy - Jazz in the Lounge
Genre: Jazz, Contemporary Jazz
Title: Music & Highlights: Ballroom - Barmusic
Genre: World Music
Title: Hello My Angel: Ember Sixties Pop, Vol. 3
Genre: Pop
Title: Jubilee Hits of 1950's
Genre: Pop
Title: Schlager von Gestern, Vol. 2
Genre: Pop
Title: Rare 45's Vol. 4 (CD1)
Title: Pure Rock & Roll (CD2)
Genre: Rock & Roll
Title: Beat Of The Pops Vol. 32
Genre: Rock & Roll, Pop
Title: Rock 'n' Roll Jukebox (CD2)
Genre: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly
Title: Original Hits - Rock N Roll (CD3)
Genre: Rock & Roll
Title: Rock 'n' Skiffle (CD1: Rock 'n' Roll Boogie)
Genre: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly
Title: Rock 'n' Skiffle (CD3: Rock 'n' Roll Opera)
Genre: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly
Title: Great British Rock 'n' Roll Vol. 1 (CD1)
Genre: Rock & Roll
Title: Great British Rock 'N' Roll, Vol. 2: 1954-1957 (CD2)
Genre: Rock, Rock & Roll
Title: Great British Rock 'n' Roll Vol. 4.2 (CD2)
Genre: Rock & Roll
Title: Rock 'n' Roll - 131 Original Hits (CD1)
Genre: Rock, Rock & Roll
Title: Britxotica Goes East
Title: Big Beat Boogie - Great British Rock 'n' Roll
Genre: Rock & Roll, Pop, Pop Rock
Title: Rock & Roll History, Vol. 29
Genre: Rock, Rock & Roll, Punk Rock, Pop
Featuring albums
Title: Porgy and Bess - Studio Cast Recording
Artist: The New World Show Orchestra
Genre: Rock, Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: Best Of British (CD2)
Artist: Len Goodmans Legends
Genre: Jazz, New Wave, Country, Pop, Ska, Theatre/Soundtrack, Musical