- Recorded
- 1977
- Releases
- Atlantic SD 18227 (1977)
Tracks
- Star Wars (Main Title Theme) (Williams / arr. Ellis)
- Arcturas – a.k.a. Get Closer (Ellis)
- Princess Leia's Theme (Williams / arr. Ellis)
- Orion's Sword (Ellis / arr. Vig)
- Pegasus – a.k.a. Off and Running (Ellis / arr. Berg)
- Crypton (Ellis / arr. Berg)
- Lyra – a.k.a. Awakening (Ellis)
- Eros – a.k.a. Let's Do It This Way For a While (Ellis)
- Ursa – a.k.a. Cindy (Ellis / arr. Vig)
- Vulcan – a.k.a. Everything is Going to Be All Right (Ellis)
Personnel
- Don Ellis – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
- Ted Nash – Saxophone, Woodwinds
- Laurie Badessa – Strings
- Richard Bullock – Trombone
- Darrell Clayborn – Bass
- Jack Coan – Trumpet
- Jim Coile (credited as James Coile) – Saxophone, Woodwinds
- Dave Crigger – Drums
- Mike Englander – Drums
- Paula Hochhalter – Strings
- Alan Kaplan – Trombone
- Randy Kerber – Synthesizer, Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinet
- Sidney Muldrow – French Horn
- Ann Patterson – Saxophone, Woodwinds
- Gil Rathel – Trumpet
- Ruth Ritchie – Percussion
- Jimbo Ross – Strings
- Jim Self – Tuba
- Jim Snodgrass – Saxophone, Woodwinds
- Glenn Stuart – Trumpet
- Pam Tompkins – Strings
- Chino Valdes – Percussion
Notes
Ellis recorded Music from Other Galaxies and Planets (1977) after returning from a hiatus caused by a severe heart condition. With this new ensemble – appropriately named "Survival" – Ellis covers very little new musical territory on the release, which has become maligned by many Ellis fans. However, according to Hank Levy, the album is the result of hasty decisions made by Ellis's new label Atlantic Records.
Prior to its release, Atlantic had agreed to commit the funds necessary to send the Ellis Orchestra to the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival for a new live recording and an ensuing tour. In anticipation for the festival, Ellis began feverishly preparing and rehearsing new compositions that would ultimately appear on the live recording at Montreux. However, in the middle of Ellis's preparation, Atlantic demanded that Ellis record a version of the popular main theme to Star Wars by John Williams in order to capitalize on the commercial success of the film. Ellis complied and recorded an arrangement of the theme as a single, with "Princess Leia's Theme" on side B. Atlantic then expressed concern that the single could potentially receive significant radio airplay, and there would be no associated album to sell in order to capitalize on its popularity. Thus, prior to Montreux, Ellis was compelled to compose new selections – not duplicating any of those slated for the live recording at the festival.
Ellis completed the compositions and recording of the new album in a matter of days. In my assessment, the result, Music from Other Galaxies and Planets, was the most commercial and least inspired recording of Ellis’s career.
The live album from that festival, Live at Montreux (recorded 1977, released 1978), is a different and stronger record.
Sources for dates and awards on this page: Montreux Jazz Festival 2025 press kit: “Montreux on Screen: Don Ellis Orchestra (1977)”; Discogs release 1743644: Music from Other Galaxies and Planets, Atlantic SD 18227 (personnel).
Notes on this page are adapted from The Exotic Rhythms of Don Ellis: discography, pp. 200–201 (printed page numbers; the PDF opens at the page).