Jazz Saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis Dead At 80

Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis, the jazz saxophonist, bandleader, and arranger who worked closely with James Brown and Van Morrison, has died. Ellis’ passing was announced on his official Facebook page yesterday. “With great sadness we have to announce that Pee Wee passed away last night following complications with his heart,” the statement reads. “We are working on plans to celebrate his wonderful life and hope you will all take time to listen to his music and continue his legacy.” He was 80.

Born in Bradenton, Florida in 1941, Ellis was nicknamed “Pee Wee” when his family relocated Lubbock, Texas in 1949. He played jazz while attending high school in Rochester, New York, performing with artists like Ron Carter and Chuck Mangione. In 1957, he moved to New York City, where Sonny Rollins agreed to give him lessons after a chance encounter on Broadway.

Ellis joined the James Brown Revue in 1965, and within months, he had become Brown’s bandleader, arranging and co-writing hits like “Cold Sweat” and “Say It Loud — I’m Black And I’m Proud.” He left Brown’s band in 1969 to go back to playing jazz, but by 1979, he had joined the sessions for Van Morrison’s 1979 album Into The Music, beginning a decades-long partnership as Morrison’s musical director and arranger.

More recently, Ellis led his own group, the Pee Wee Ellis Assembly, and toured with the Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion. Read some tributes and revisit some of his work below.