Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ellis Hall Keeps Giving the World a Whole-Lotta ‘Chakalaka’ Music (EUR Exclusive!)

ellis hall and georgia music award
Georgia Music Award 2014

*For people who have been around recording artist Ellis Hall over the last three-plus decades have undoubtedly heard the former Boston resident gleefully holler…“chakalaka,” a clever word he’s credited with coining and using frequently.

“In Ellis language, it means joyous,” Hall told EURweb.com’s Lee Bailey during an interview recently at Hall’s Southern California home. “I’ve been using the word since 1979.”

According to Hall’s wife, several years ago New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, was in a TV commercial and used the word “chakalaka.”

“Anybody in Boston knows that word came from Ellis,” said Leighalla Jimenez-Hall with a laugh. “We had people calling us from Boston, jokingly telling us that we should sue Tom Brady for taking Ellis’ word.”

Yet, if “chakalaka” means “joyous,” then for the last 40-plus years, Hall has been giving the world massive doses of it through his funk, R&B and soul brand of music as a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, performer and recording artist.  He has also spread joyfulness with other artists when appearing with them on stage, or in the recording studio.

Over his “chakalaka” career, Hall has either performed or recorded with such artists as Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, George Benson, Natalie Cole, Pattie LaBelle, Toby Keith, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Womack, George Duke, Milt Jackson, Sheila E., Kenny G, Ray Charles, and more.  Like Wonder and Charles, Hall is blind, and like Wonder and the late Charles, his musical talents are off the charts, as he masterful plays keyboards, upright and electric bass, drums, guitar, and many more instruments.

Even though Hall is blind, don’t think blind jokes are off limits around him; it’s just the opposite.

“Stevie and I are very good friends,” said Hall.  “And when we get together as Tauruses, the blind jokes fly fast and furious, and we don’t tell you when to duck.  If you want to be politically correct, get out the way because it’s going down when Stevie and I get together.”

READ RELATED STORY: ELLIS HALL: BLIND MASTER MUSICIAN ‘LOVES FUNKING IT UP’ (EUR EXCLUSIVE)

ellis hall (keyboard)

Hall described Charles as more serious minded, but would laugh uncontrollably when he heard a good joke.  Hall said Charles really wanted the three to do something together.

“Papa Ray, as I called him, had the thought of him, Stevie and I doing performances together, but he was too sick at the time to pull it off,” recalled Hall.  “Stevie and I did get close when in 2001, at the Forum, Diane Schuur, Stevie and myself performed in front of about 15,000 people.  Stevie, with his crazy self, stopped the show and all three of us broke into three-part harmony of ‘Three Blind Mice.’  The audience lost its freaking mind. It was a blast.”

Born in Savannah, Georgia, but lived a short time in Claxton, Georgia, Hall, as a young child was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma, a condition doctors said would eventually leave him blind.  Hall’s family moved to Massachusetts, where young Hall attended Perkins School for the Blind.  Although faced with blindness, it didn’t deter the youngster from honing his singing abilities, and learning to play piano, upright bass, guitar and drums.

“I had my musical epiphany when I was 14, when I snuck into a club, and with my good eye, I saw the looks and faces of the band whipping the audience into shape,” said Hall.  “I didn’t look at the audience.  I just kept looking at the band until my eyes were watering.  It blew my mind.  That’s when a light went off in my head.”

Hall came home with a different mindset.  He became so serious about music that he practiced in the dark to become accustomed to playing instruments sight unseen in preparation for when he would go totally blind, which came at 18.

Hall soon began his professional career in music fronting his own band, or playing with other ensembles.  He ultimately became lead vocalist and keyboardist (1984 -1988) for the legendary funk/rock band, “Tower of Power.”

Hall’s huge break came when Ray Charles heard Hall performing at a popular music store in Los Angeles.  The two were introduced, which led Charles to call Hall the next day.

“Ellis, you got so much damn music in you, it’s scary, and why didn’t somebody tell me about you?  I’m going to have to kick some serious ass around here.  Who can I get hold of for not telling me about you?  I needed to know about you.  I’m going to sign you.  I got to get you out there…folks need to know about you.”

ellis hall (guitar)

In 2002, Charles signed Hall to Crossover Records, owned by Charles.  Charles died in 2004, just before Hall’s first record on the label was released.  Hall went on to establish a fabulous music career.

Hall has also enjoyed acting, and appeared in such movies as “Big Momma’s House,” “Catch Me If You Can,” and the soon-to-be-released “Revival.”  His original song, “From the Inside,” will be featured in the film “911,” due out early next year.  Hall’s original songs have also been featured in such animated films as “The Lion King 2,” “Chicken Run,” and more.

Indeed, music is what Hall does best.  He’s currently touring the United States and Canada with his two distinctly-titled shows for symphony orchestras:  Ellis Hall:  Ray, Motown and Beyond and Ellis Hall:  Soul Unlimited.

“Whether I’m on stage or in the studio, it’s an intense musical journey,” he said.  “I call myself a sound painter, and when I can make somebody feel as good as I do when I sing and play, it’s like the gates of heaven have opened up and I might as well walk through, and somebody else may want to walk through with me –‘chakalaka’…c’mon!”

Hall’s passion for music has also led him to share his powerful vocals over the years on a variety of other projects. He was a lead voice in the animated blues/soul band The California Raisins, and the whimsical Beetlejuice for a Universal Studios show.

A versatile talent, Hall is a star of numerous film soundtracks, including The Lion King 2, Chicken Run, Shrek 2, A Bug’s Life, Bruce Almighty, Beneath the Darkness, and Invincible. He has even had acting roles in the box office hits Big Momma’s House and Catch Me If You Can. He also served as advisor to Jamie Foxx on the set of the movie Ray.

Editor’s Note: Catch Ellis Hall performing on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31, 2016 with the Reading Symphony OrchestraThe Santander Performing Arts Center, 136 N. 6th Street, Reading, PA 19601 at 7:30 PM. This musical genius, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist will hit the stage with his presentation of “Ray Charles, Motown and Beyond.” For tickets and MORE info, go to https://www.readingsymphony.org.

 

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