Bobby Ellis OD (2 July 1932 – 18 October 2016) was a Jamaican trumpet player. He worked with many reggae artists including Peter Tosh, Burning Spear and The Revolutionaries.
Bobby Ellis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 July 1932 Kingston, Jamaica |
| Died | 18 October 2016 (aged 84) Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genres | Reggae |
| Instrument | Trumpet |
Biography
editBorn in Kingston on 2 October 1932,[1] Bobby Ellis attended the Alpha Boys School which is famous for its musical alumni.[2] While at this school Ellis received tuition on the trumpet and flugelhorn. The school's music curriculum consisted of marches, waltzes and classical pieces which gave Ellis an extensive knowledge of timing, harmony and form. These factors have contributed to his work as a horn arranger for the Studio One. He also acted as arranger for producer Jack Ruby and was part of Ruby's studio band the Black Disciples, playing on Burning Spear's Marcus Garvey album and going on to tour as part of Spear's band for twelve years.[2] He also played and co-arranged (with Tommy McCook) the horns on Bunny Wailer's 1976 album Blackheart Man.[3]
In 1978, Ellis made a brief cameo in the film Rockers directed by Ted Bafaloukos. He was also part of the Rockers All Stars, the group responsible for the film's instrumental music.
In August 2014 it was announced that he would receive the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) in October that year.[4][5][6]
Ellis died at the University Hospital of the West Indies on 18 October 2016, aged 84, from a pneumonia-related illness.[7][8]
Solo discography
edit- Rent a Tile (2014)
- with Tommy McCook
- Green Mango (1974), Attack - Tommy & Bobby
- Blazing Horns (1977), Grove Music - Tommy McCook and Bobby Ellis
- Tommy McCook Featuring Bobby Ellis (2004), Attack
- other collaborations
- Bobby Ellis & the Professionals Meet the Revolutionaries (1977), Third World
With Herbie Mann
References
edit- ^ "Mr Hornsman... Interview with Bobby Ellis". Reggae-vibes.com. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
- ^ a b Campbell, Howard (2014) "Trumpet Honours: Hornsman Bobby Ellis to receive national award Archived 22 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine", Jamaica Observer, 24 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014
- ^ "Passage - Bobby Ellis", Jamaica Observer, 18 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016
- ^ Campbell, Howard (2014) "Marcia Griffiths to receive Order of Distinction Archived 16 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine", Jamaica Observer, 7 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014
- ^ "Remembering Reggae Icons: Bobby Ellis". National Library of Jamaica. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ "Trumpet honours". Jamaica Observer. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ "Bobby Ellis Is Dead, He died from Pneumonia related illness". Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Trumpeter Bobby Ellis dies at age 84". Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
External links
edit
 | This article on a musician from Jamaica is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| | This article on a musician who plays a brass instrument is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |