Editor’s note: Milwaukee is mourning the death of jazz legend Manty Ellis. The Milwaukee Jazz Institute, where he served for years as a board member, stated on Facebook that he died Thursday, July 9 at the age of 93. NNS featured Ellis in a story in April 2025. We’re republishing it in his honor.
Manty Ellis is known as the godfather of Milwaukee jazz.
Ellis, 92, has been playing jazz music and has paved the way for others to play jazz since the 1960s…