La Bert Ellis was born November 5, 1298. He played piano exclusively until he first heard the sound of the Hammond B3. He said that he spent about two weeks straight "wood shedding" until he was able to get the feel of the organ and produce his own special sound and technique.

I met Labert or "Bert" as he was called by those who worked with him, when he moved to Compton, CA in the mid-sixties. We became close friends and musical colleagues.

Bert was like a spider on the B3. He moved effortlessly over the entire keyboard and was one of the few jazz organists who actually played bass on the foot pedasl while backing his solos with outstanding chordal compositions with his left hand. Bert could read music very well and could translate any musical composition into a swinging, grooving, foot tapping excursion. He was able to improvise on any succession of chord changes in any key and at any tempo.

In 1971, I had the distinct and unmatchable pleasure to work with him in a trio situation. Drummer Eddie Cowan, LaBert, on the Hammond B3, and me on guitar. We played in a number of clubs for about a year and forme, it was the best therapy a recording session player could have. I wa able to explore the musical spectrum from A to Z and everything in between. Bert was a supreme accompanist, provind solid bass, chordal syncopation and melodic counterpoint to every note I played. I felt that he was backing me rather than me backing him when it came to show tunes, standards, popular "musician" type jazz tunes and everything from "bebop to ballad, swing to sweet, and blues to boogie", to borrow from the famous band leader Johnny Otis' opening form his radio shows during the sixties and early seventies.

This album was recorded in my home,"garage" studio in Compton, CA in 1969-72.

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