Arthur Albert Ellefson (17 April 1932 – 2018)
/ref> was a Canadian

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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

saxophonist who worked in the UK during the 1950s and 1960s.

Biography

Having learned

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

and

euphonium The euphonium ( ; ; ) is a tenor- and baritone-voiced valved brass instrument. The euphonium is a member of the large family of valved bugles, along with the tuba and flugelhorn, characterised by a wide conical bore. Most instruments have thr ...

as a boy, he began playing

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...

at 16 and began his career with Bobby Gimby in Toronto. In 1952, he moved to London where he worked with Carl Barriteau,

Allan Ganley Allan Anthony Ganley (11 March 1931 – 29 March 2008) was an English jazz drummer and arranger. Career Ganley was born in Tolworth, Surrey, England. A self-taught drummer, in the early 1950s Ganley played in the dance band led by Bert Ambrose. ...

, Harry Hayes,

Ted Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. Heath also served for 51 year ...

Vic Lewis Victor Lewis MBE (29 July 1919 – 9 February 2009) was a British jazz guitarist and bandleader. He also enjoyed success as an artists' agent and manager. Performing career He was born in London, England to a family of jewellers. Lewis beg ...

, and Ronnie Ross. In April 1959, he toured with

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) 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. Its roo ...

's Anglo-American Herd and with

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...

. By the early 1960s, he had toured in the US with Vic Lewis and joined the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra. There was a period of freelance work (including, in October 1968 playing on the track "

Savoy Truffle "Savoy Truffle" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). The song was written by George Harrison and inspired by his friend Eric Clapton's fondness for chocolate. The ...

" by

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

), before Ellefson left the UK to live in Bermuda and then returned to Canada in 1974. There he played tenor saxophone with Nimmons 'N' Nine Plus Six for the next three years. In February 1976, he recorded with the Kenny Wheeler Quintet in Toronto. In the 1980s, he released two albums under his own name: ''The Art Ellefson Trio'' (1981) and ''The Art Ellefson Quartet featuring

Tommy Flanagan Thomas or Tom Flanagan may refer to: * Thomas Flanagan (bishop) (1930–2019), American Roman Catholic bishop * Thomas Flanagan (Irish politician) (died 1980), Irish civil engineer and politician * Thomas Flanagan (priest) (1814–1865), English Ro ...

''. In 1988, he taught at

Malaspina College Vancouver Island University (abbreviated as VIU, formerly known as Malaspina University-College and Malaspina College) is a Canadian public research university serving Vancouver Island and coastal British Columbia. Malaspina College opened in 196 ...

. His quartet included Gary Williamson, Ian McDougall, and Dave Piltch. In 1992, the album ''As if to Say'', credited to Art Ellefson & Jazz Modus, was released on the Sackville label. According to music writer Jack Batten "his sound seems a direct extension of the old masters... olemanHawkins and enWebster and Lucky Thompson, and so is his sing-song lyricism, but the drive and naked passion of his playing comes from later, more beboppy tenor men'.

Discography

As leader

* 1981 ''The Art Ellefson Trio'' * 1985 ''The Art Ellefson Quartet'' featuring Tommy FlanaganDiscogs
/ref> * 1992 ''As If to Say'' ( Sackville)

As sideman

* 1959 ''The Swinging Sounds of the Jazzmakers'', Ronnie Ross * 1968 ''Third Face of Fame'',

Georgie Fame Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell; 26 June 1943) is an English R&B and jazz musician. Fame, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still performing, often working with contemporaries such as Alan Price, Van Morrison and Bill Wyman. Fame is the only B ...

* 1976 ''1976'',

Kenny Wheeler Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, Order of Canada, OC (14 January 1930 – 18 September 2014) was a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. from the 1950s onwards. Most of his performances were rooted in jazz, but he w ...

* 1997 ''Atlantic Suite/Suite P.E.I./Tributes'', Phil Nimmons * 1998 ''Ridin' High: The British Sessions 1960–1971'',

Cleo Laine Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Hitching; 28 October 1927) is an English singer and actress known for her scat singing. She is the widow of jazz composer and musician Sir John Dankworth and the mother of bassist Alec D ...

Bibliography

*Bavin, Pam. "Canadians in London 2". Art Ellefson, ''Coda'', vol. 4, Nov 1961 *Brown, Don. Liner notes for ''The Art Ellefson Quartet'', Unisson DDA-005

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellefson, Art 1932 births 2018 deaths People from Moose Jaw Musicians from Saskatchewan 21st-century Canadian saxophonists Canadian expatriates in the United Kingdom Canadian jazz saxophonists 20th-century Canadian saxophonists