Brad Ellis, born in 1960 or 1961,[1] is a 52 or 53-year-old American composer, musical director, orchestrator and jazz pianist. He is known for his role on Glee since 2009.
Personal Life
He was a "gleek" at Lexington High School in Massachusetts.[1] Ellis graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, but it took him fifteen years to get a degree.[2] He has a band, "Brad Ellis Little Big Band."[2] Ellis was elected the honor of "Person of the Year" by Donate Life Hollywood in 2011.[3]
Ellis is married to Eydie Alyson[4], and they have a comic cabaret show titled "Ellis and Alyson."[5]
Career
He's played with the legendary Dizzy Gillespie and worked with the off-Broadway satirical review "Forbidden Broadway," which included Glee guest stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.[6]
Ellis worked with Robert Ulrich before when he was casting a show that was all Elton John music that Shaun Cassidy was creating, so Ulrich thought of him for Glee.[6] He was a guest performer for the Harvard Pops Orchestra concert.[5]
Ellis has been profiled by CNN, NPR, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine and The Boston Globe.[5]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-present | Glee | Brad (the Piano Player) | 2009 - present (+80 episodes) |
| 2011 | Team Apparition | Organ Specialist | short |
| 2012 | Bunheads | Piano Player/Brad | 2012 - 2013 (7 episodes) |
Gallery
Videos
Glee Pianist Comes to Harvard
Brad Ellis performing at Glee Season 2 Premier at Glendale Galleria
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Picks and Pans Review: Hello, My Name Is ... Brad Ellis Glee's Dour Pianist
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brad Ellis: 'Glee's' Piano Man, Perfectly Happy With The Silent Treatment
- ↑ Piano Player on Glee Gives From his Heart for Donate Life
- ↑ Musical pair Brad Ellis and Eydie Alyson presents “Broadway Baby Boomers”
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 ‘Glee’ composer/arranger/music director BRAD ELLIS
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 'Glee' piano player happy as a 'sub-lebrity'