It seems there are often two sides that must be acknowledged when considering an idea, concept or object. It could be as simple as candy being both spicy and sweet or something philosophically deeper, like seeing a destructive fire allowing for renewal. Woodwind specialist and composer John Ellis lives a musical life frequently dealing in dualities. On his new recording, Fireball, Ellis presents a new collection of music with his beloved Double Wide band that inspires dancing as much as analysis.

Originally from North Carolina, Ellis has embraced a musical identity that walks a line between heady and visceral. This identity is informed in part by the influences of his southern upbringing and formative years in New Orleans along with his longtime investment in the jazz world of New York City.

Ellis’s Double Wide band was assembled to feature the astounding New Orleans sousaphonist Matt Perrine. Over nearly twenty years, the fluid membership of the ensemble has solidified to include trombonist Alan Ferber, keyboardist Gary Versace, and drummer Jason Marsalis. Double Wide remains an eclectic ensemble highlighting fantastic individual musicians of linguistic flexibility and expressive depth.

Double Wide did take the opportunity to spend extended time at Brooklyn Recording after a rare appearance at the Lake George Jazz Festival in 2019. Ellis used three days to allow the band to take their time and experiment in the studio, ironing out Ellis’s original material there. The music captured on Fireball focuses on the extraordinarily wide breadth of colors, textures, and moods that the members of Double Wide can provide.

The music Ellis conceived for Fireball is inspired by a composition fellowship he received in Santa Monica, California and his recent work for podcasts. These pieces are short, story-telling vehicles that are unique and concise miniatures, split evenly between being playful and contemplative.