Don Elliott (1926-1984) was an American jazz musician born in Somerville, New Jersey. His album Calypso Jazz is considered by some jazz enthusiasts to be one of the definitive calypso jazz albums. Elliott recorded over 60 albums and 5,000 advertising jingles throughout his career. Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jazz is a musical art form that originated in New Orleans at around the start of the 20th century. ... Map of Somerville in Somerset County 9/11 Memorial and Court House, Somerville The Old Dutch Parsonage, home of Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh and John Frelinghuysen Somerville is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. ... Calypso jazz is a style of music and improvisation that combines elements of calypso music with elements of traditional jazz. ...

Known as the "Human Instrument", Don Elliott performed jazz as a vocal musician, vibraphonist, trombonist, trumpeter, flugelhornist and percussionist. He pioneered the art of multi-track recording, composed countless prize-winning advertising jingles, prepared music scores for motion pictures, and built a thriving production company. Elliott scored several Broadway productions, including James Thurber's "The Beast in Me" and "Thurber's Carnival". He also provided one of the voices for the novelty jazz duo the Nutty Squirrels. The Nutty Squirrels were a scat singing imitation of Alvin and the Chipmunks that had a Top 40 hit with the song Uh-Oh. The Squirrels actually preceded the Chipmunks on television in an animated cartoon, but with much less success. ...

Elliott lent his vocal talents to such motion picture soundtracks as; "The Getaway" w/ Steve McQueen, "Dollars" w/ Warren Beaty, "Hot Rocks" w/ Robert Redford and "The Happy Hooker" w/ Vanessa Redgrave.

Elliott owned and operated one of the very first multitrack recording studios in New York City and in Weston, CT where he died of cancer on July 5, 1984.

External links

• Links to mp3s of Elliott's Nutty Squirrels/Cannonball Adderley session and a slowed-down Elliott scat solo

• The Middle Horn Leader, Biography of Don Elliott