Pee Wee Ellis

Pee Wee Ellis

Genres: jazz, funk, soul, saxophone, sax

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About Pee Wee Ellis

Pee Wee Ellis (born Alfred James Ellis in Bradenton, Florida on 21 April 1941; died 24 September 2021) was an American jazz-funk saxophonist, composer and arranger. He was an important member of James Brown's band in the 1960s and appeared on many of Brown's most notable recordings and co-writing hits like "Cold Sweat" and "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud". He worked closely with Van Morrison from 1979-2006. Resuming a solo career in 1992, he resided from 2006 in the town of Frome in the county of Somerset, United Kingdom. In 1949 Ellis's family moved from Florida to Lubbock, Texas, where he was given his nickname "Pee Wee". He gave his first public performance in 1954 at Dunbar Junior High School. In 1955 he moved with his family to Rochester, New York. While attending Madison High School he played professionally with jazz musicians like Ron Carter and Chuck Mangione. In 1957 he moved to New York City, where he had regular lessons with Sonny Rollins. In 1960 he moved back to Florida working as a bandleader, musical director and writer. Ellis played with the James Brown Revue from 1965 to 1969. While with Brown he arranged and co-wrote hits like "Cold Sweat" and "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud". In 1969 he returned to New York City. He worked as an arranger and musical director for CTI Records' Kudu label, collaborating with artists like George Benson, Hank Crawford and Esther Phillips. In the late 1970s he moved to San Francisco and formed a band with former Miles Davis sideman David Liebman. Ellis's composition "The Chicken" was made famous by the late electric bass player Jaco Pastorius, who recorded it on his album Invitation. Between 1979 and 1985 he worked with Van Morrison's band as an arranger and musical director. In the late 1980s, Pee Wee regrouped with some musicians he worked with during his time with James Brown to form the JB Horns. With Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker he recorded a number of albums that defined a distinctive brand of jazz-funk. The group also toured in Europe. Between 2009 and 2011 Ellis toured an African tribute to James Brown, "Still Black Still Proud", to much acclaim in both USA and Europe. Special guests in the project included Vusi Mahlasela, Maceo Parker, Cheikh Lo, Mahotella Queens and Ghanaian rapper Ty. From 2012 Ellis toured with the Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion, a quartet comprising Ellis, drummer Ginger Baker, bassist Alec Dankworth and percussionist Abass Dodoo.

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