Donald Johnson Ellis 1934-1978, the man, his times and most importantly his music art explored in the feature length documentary film, Electric Heart. The story of the one of the most innovative composers, arrangers, writers and musicians of all time, Ellis was the first to create a fusion between Jazz-Rock & Classical music. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Minneapolis, the son of a minister and pianist mother. He became known with his odd metered arrangements during his college years at Boston University. Gunther Schuller introduced Ellis to Leonard Bernstein and a National Television audience viewed Ellis for the first time for the Young People's Concert in 1964. Although nominated several times the Grammy Award alluded him until 1972 when he won for Best Instrumental Arrangement for the Academy Award winning motion picture "The French Connection" that he scored. Ellis also composed the music for the sequel Film as well as seven other major films in his career. Mary McKitrick supplies the rich textured and dramatic Narration as Ellis realizes that life will be short since diagnosed with a faulty heart valve. Drug free his whole life Ellis looked for his high in the one of kind Music he created. He died of a heart attack in Los Angeles at the young age of 44 in 1978.