Ellis Hall is Music Personified, a
Talk with a Musical Genius
They say when one of your five natural senses are not working the others are amplified five times. I believe its true and
its evidence in Ellis Hall, who is music - personified - as a five-octave vocalist and musician who plays keyboard, bass,
electric guitar, acoustics and drums expertly even though he has been blind since he was 18 because of extreme congenital
glaucoma. Recently Ellis Hall made a rare appearance in Los Angeles to perform at Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill. Normally he
is on his "Ellis Hall Presents: Ray, Motown and Beyond" tour of the symphony halls.
"We tour a lot and record a lot," Hall said. "Thank God for my wife/manager. The
club scene is not what it used to be. Lots of clubs you have to pay to play."
So performing as a featured artist for such symphonies as Boston Pops Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Seattle Symphony
and Hartford Symphony has kept him constantly on tour. Ellis is also a song writer and producer and has contributed to the
soundtracks of such films as The Lion King 2, Shrek 2, Chicken Run, Invincible and Bruce Almighty. He has also dived into
acting having appeared on Martin Lawrence's Big Momma's House and in the musical stage-plays such as "The Gospel at Colonus,"
where he was nominated for an Ovation Theater Award.
"I'm
on the soundtrack of many lives. I am honored to be the vessel," Ellis said sincerely about his creative gifts.
His first professional recording was for Rock artist Paul Pena on Capital Records in
1971, he played bass. He played bass also for the Spinners. Hall went on to become opening act for Earth, Wind and Fire and
the Temptations. In 2001 he met Ray Charles and impressed him so much that he signed Ellis
Hall to his label CrossOver Records in 2002. It was Ray Charles that told him about the
symphony circuit. After Ray's death Ellis went on to play with Pittsburgh Symphony with
Marvin Hamlisch conducting. He was a lead vocalist for the band Tower of Power for three years and was even
the voice of one of the California Raisins in that years' marketing campaign.
In September, 2016 he releases "Soul Unlimited" - conducted by Jeff Tyzik who gave Ellis
the title "Ambassador of Soul." The album includes the cover of David Bowie's
"Let's Dance" and George Harrison's "Something" featuring Billy Preston
who Hall is a protege' of.
"I am all
about uplifting. There is enough in the world for everyone," Ellis Hall said, concluded our interview. "Music
has no boundaries. I tell folks it wasn't until I was 14 that I recognized what I was suppose
to do. I was on corners at eight and nine years old singing. People started throwing things
- it was money!"
Ellis Hall has a passion for Jazz but all genres,
as with musical instruments, have his love and passion for music.
SYNDICATED COLUMN:
Eunice Moseley, has an estimated weekly readership of over ¼ million with The
Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Public Relations Strategist and Business Management
Consultant at Freelance Associates, and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENT: Sat October 22, 2016 the "Uplifting Minds II" Free Entertainment Conference arrives at
the Celebrity Centre in Hollywood, CA. www.UpliftingMinds2.com.)