3 Things to Know About Herb Ellis in the Oscar Peterson Trio

Herb Ellis played guitar in the Oscar Peterson Trio alongside bassist Ray Brown. This formed the classic trio configuration that Norman Granz recorded for Verve.

The trio with Ellis, Peterson, and Brown is widely considered one of the finest jazz trios. Ellis’s guitar work provided essential harmonic and rhythmic support.

Ellis left the trio in 1958 and was replaced by Ed Thigpen on drums. His tenure helped define the group’s sound during a peak creative period.