[Dixielandjazz] Ray Ellington

[Dick Baker]

Oops, shame on me for not spotting Bob's query about Ray 
Ellington.  You see, I'm the proprietor of www.goon.org -- the U.S. 
Archives of the Goon Show Preservation Society.  I never met Ray 
Ellington, but I did get to know harmonica player Max Geldray well, 
visiting him several times at his home in Palm Springs.  And here's a 
small-world tidbit:  For the last 20 years of his life, Max was a 
therapist at the Betty Ford Center, having developed an interest in 
their work when the Center helped his own wife overcome addiction 
problems.  On one of my trips to meet Max, Angela Morley came to town 
too; she was a delight to talk to.  As a young Wally Stott, before 
becoming an arranger and bandleader, she played alto saxophone in swing bands.

The original poster that Bob quoted mentioned that Ray Ellington had 
a lot of early Nat King Cole in him, but there was just as much Louis Jordan.


>Hi Bob et al,
>
>Bob Ringwald asked about Ray Ellington's career outside of the Goon 
>Show. There is a brief career summary at:
>
>http://www.goon.org/usgoons/ellington.htm  and
>
>http://keepswinging.blogspot.com/2007/11/ray-ellington-jazz-and-humour.html
>
>The big band which played on the Goon Show was full of top names in 
>the London jazz and session scene and wa conducted by Wally Stott, 
>who wrote all or most of the arrangements, which were outstanding. 
>Wally was a well-loved figure among British musicians and a 
>wonderful arranger. Later on, he underwent a sex-change op and 
>became Angela Morley, under which name he'she had a successful 
>career writing film music in Hollywood.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Ken Mathieson

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      Dick Baker
  djml at dickbaker.org