Ellis Larkins
Ellis Larkins (May 15, 1923 – September 29, 2002) was an American jazz pianist born in Baltimore, Maryland, known for his two recordings with Ella Fitzgerald: the albums Ella Sings Gershwin (1950) and Songs in a Mellow Mood (1954). He was also the pianist on the first solo sides by singer Chris Connor on her album Chris (1954). Larkins was the first African American to attend the Peabody Conservatory of Music, an institute in Baltimore. He began his professional playing career in New York City after moving there to attend the Juilliard School. While still at Juilliard, Larkins performed jazz piano with guitarist Billy Moore at Café Society Uptown and over the next ten years in his own groups, or in support of, clarinetist Edmond Hall and singers Helen Humes and Mildred Bailey. He recorded with Coleman Hawkins, and Dicky Wells in the 1940s. In the 1950s, he recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Ruby Braff, and Beverly Kenney. His 1960s work included recordings or performances with Eartha Kitt, Joe Williams, Georgia Gibbs and Harry Belafonte. Though he was best known as an accompanist, Larkins recorded several solo albums in the 1950s. In the 1970s, he performed regularly at several New York venues, including Gregory's, a small bar on the Upper East Side. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Baltimore (city in Maryland, United States), Died September 29, 2002 (Baltimore (city in Maryland, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1943 - 1959
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, celeste, leader
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 116 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decca | 76823 | 9/11/1950 | Looking for a boy | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 76824 | 9/11/1950 | My one and only love | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 76825 | 9/11/1950 | How long has this been going on? | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 76826 | 9/11/1950 | I've got a crush on you | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 76834 | 9/12/1950 | But not for me | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 76835 | 9/12/1950 | Soon | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 76836 | 9/12/1950 | Someone to watch over me | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 76837 | 9/12/1950 | Maybe | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 81109 | 6/1/1951 | Tonight you belong to me | Tamara Hayes | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 81110 | 6/1/1951 | These things I offer you | Tamara Hayes | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 81195 | 6/21/1951 | Between the devil and the deep blue sea | Ellis Larkins | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 81196 | 6/21/1951 | I gotta right to sing the blues | Ellis Larkins | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 81197 | 6/21/1951 | Blues in the night | Ellis Larkins | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 81198 | 6/21/1951 | One for my baby (and one more for the road) | Ellis Larkins | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 82089 | 1/9/1952 | Over the rainbow | Ellis Larkins | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 82090 | 1/9/1952 | Stormy weather | Ellis Larkins | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 82091 | 1/9/1952 | Come rain or come shine | Ellis Larkins | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 82092 | 1/9/1952 | Ill wind | Ellis Larkins | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 86087 | 3/29/1954 | I'm glad there is you | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 86088 | 3/29/1954 | (Baby) What else could I do? | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 86089 | 3/29/1954 | What is there to say | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 86090 | 3/29/1954 | Makin' whoopee | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 86091 | 3/29/1954 | Until the real thing comes along | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 86092 | 3/29/1954 | People will say we're in love | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | 86093 | 3/30/1954 | Please be kind | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Larkins, Ellis," accessed January 5, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106913.
Larkins, Ellis. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 5, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106913.
"Larkins, Ellis." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 5 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Ellis Larkins
Discogs: Ellis Larkins
Allmusic: Ellis Larkins
Grove: Ellis Larkins
IMDb: Ellis Larkins
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Larkins, Ellis - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n93068128
Wikidata: Ellis Larkins - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q488340
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/5120113
MusicBrainz: Ellis Larkins - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e45c753d-226c-4ed7-9eba-0dee4b96b12d
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1512796 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1512796
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