Don Ellis Big Band, Feriis Wheel

Don Ellis big band have an own way of its spoof and humor.
While Ellis's explorations with elements of form and content in jazz were undeniably innovative, his delivery of these innovations has caused many to dismiss him as pretentious or gimmicky. He used to explain to his audience how certain time signatures were divided, often with humorous twists , his sense of humor often caused critics to think he didn't take his own music "seriously".
However, evidence shows that Ellis was a serious and dedicated musician who not only had high performance standards, he also placed great importance on teaching music. He formed a youth band in Los Angeles, led by Glenn Ferris. Sidemen such as Stu Blumberg further credit Ellis for preparing them for the idiosyncrasies of unconventional music in film soundtracks. Tenor player Jim Snodgrass remarked, "I think in many ways Don was a teacher. One thing his music taught me was that I could play anything I absolutely had to."