Boring Stuff: Ellis Wright is a product of the Joliet school band system. He started on clarinet in 4th grade at Dirksen Elementary and continued through 8th playing Bb clarinet, bass clarinet, and saxophone. He attended Joliet West High School and continued on with the marching and symphonic bands, two of those years as a drum major. In the symphonic band he played baritone sax, bass and contrabass clarinet. After high school he join the military and served for six years in the Navy. He decided to have a career in the Navy despite being successful at saxophone and clarinet. After the Navy, Ellis attended Joliet Junior College and received his associate in arts there. During this time, he was under the tutelage of saxophonist Dr. Thomas Liley. Even though Dr. Liley was more of classical saxophone teacher, Ellis was influenced by Sonny Rollins and King Curtis. Eventually, Ellis Wright put school on hiatus and went back to work in order to pay bills and to buy a house with his now wife, Sara Wright. He also began to take on various freelance gigs. Ellis decided after working a day job for five years that he was going to finish his degree and become a full-time musician. He currently plays with New Orleans influenced powerhouse band the Big Lagniappe, rock singer-songwriter John Condron, and the energetic reggae/ska band the Selectones.