Elvin Jones

Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones in 1976 Background information Birth name Elvin Ray Jones Born September 9, 1927(1927-09-09) Origin Pontiac, Michigan, United StatesDied May 18, 2004(aged 76) Genre(s)Modal jazz
Avant-garde jazz
Hard bop
Mainstream jazz
Progressive jazz
Post-bopOccupation(s) Drummer Instrument(s)DrumsAssociated acts John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thad Jones, Hank Jones

Elvin Ray Jones (9 September 1927–18 May 2004) was one of the most influential jazz drummers of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan. He served in the United States Army from 1946 to 1949 and subsequently played in a Detroit houseband led by Billy Mitchell. He moved to New York in 1955 and worked as a sideman for Charles Mingus-Teddy Charles, Bud Powell and Miles Davis.

From 1960 to 1966 he was a member of the John Coltrane quartet, perhaps his most celebrated recording phase, appearing on such albums as A Love Supreme. Following his work with John Coltrane, Jones led several small groups, some under the name The Elvin Jones Jazz Machine. He recorded with both of his brothers during his career, jazz musicians Hank Jones and Thad Jones. His later career saw him working with many of the younger jazz artists of today, including Bill Frisell.

1 Biography
2 Discography
- 2.1 As leader
- 2.2 As sideman
3 References
4 External links

Biography

Early life

Elvin Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan. By age two he said he knew he held a fascination for drums. He would watch the circus marching band parades go by his home as a boy, particularly fascinated by the drummers (sometimes wandering off for miles after the parade). Following his early passion, Elvin joined his high school's black marching band, where he developed his foundation in rudiments. Jones began service in the United States Army in 1946. He was discharged in 1949, and returned home penniless. Jones said he borrowed thirty-five dollars from his sister when he got back to buy his first drumset.[1]

1949-1960: Early career

Elvin began his professional career in 1949 with a short-lived gig in Detroit's Grand River Street club . Eventually he went on to play with artists such as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Wardell Gray. In 1955, after a failed audition for the Benny Goodman band, he found work in New York, joining Charles Mingus's band, and releasing a record called J is for Jazz.

1960-1966: John Coltrane and Beyond

In 1960, he joined with the classic John Coltrane Quartet, which also included bassist Jimmy Garrison and pianist McCoy Tyner. Jones and Coltrane often played extended duet passages, both giving and taking energy through their instruments. This band is widely considered to have redefined "swing" (the rhythmic feel of jazz) in much the same way that Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, and others did during earlier stages of jazz's development. He stayed with Coltrane until 1966. By that time, Jones was not entirely comfortable with Coltrane's new direction and his polyrhythmic style clashed with the "multidirectional" approach of the group's second drummer, Rashied Ali.

Jones remained highly active after leaving the John Coltrane group, and led several bands in the late sixties and seventies that are considered highly influential groups. Notable among them was a trio formed with saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Joe Farrell and (ex-Coltrane) bassist Jimmy Garrison, with whom he recorded the Blue Note album "Puttin' It Together." Jones recorded extensively for Blue Note under his own name in the late sixties and early seventies, with groups that featured prominent as well as up and coming greats. The two volume "Live At The Lighthouse" showcases a 21- and 26-year-old Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman, respectively. Other musicians of note who made significant contributions to Elvin's music during this period were baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, tenor saxophonists George Coleman and Frank Foster, trumpeter Lee Morgan, bassist Gene Perla, keyboardist Jan Hammer and Jazz - World Music group Oregon.

Late career

Elvin Jones's handprints in ceramic tile at Juan-les-Pins (1976)

Elvin Jones' sense of timing, polyrhythms, dynamics, timbre, and legato phrasing - as well as the sheer mass of sound he produced - brought the drumset to the foreground. Jones was touted by Life Magazine as "the world's greatest rhythmic drummer", and his free-flowing style was a major influence on many leading rock drummers, including Mitch Mitchell (whom Jimi Hendrix called "my Elvin Jones") and Ginger Baker. In 1999, Jones worked with Our Lady Peace on their album Happiness...Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch. He was featured playing drums on the song 'Stealing Babies.'

Educator

Jones, who taught regularly, often took part in clinics, played in schools, and gave free concerts in prisons. His lessons emphasized music history as well as drumming technique.

Death

Elvin Jones died of heart failure in Englewood, New Jersey on May 18, 2004. He is survived by his first wife Shirley and his second, albeit common-law, wife Keiko (Elvin married Keiko before divorcing Shirley, meaning that legally he and Keiko were not married). Elvin Jones is also survived by his son Elvin Nathan Jones of California and daughter Rose-Marie From of Sweden.

Elvin Jones in 1968, leading a jazz trio at a club in Chicago. Not pictured are Jimmy Garrison on bass and Joe Farrell on soprano saxophone.
Original photographs and story by Joey Harrison

Discography

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As leader

Year Album Co-leader Label 1961 Together! Philly Joe Jones1961 Elvin Jones & Company N/A 1961 Elvin! N/A 1963 Illumination Jimmy Garrison Impulse!1965 Dear John C. N/A Impulse!1967 Heavy Sounds Richard Davis Impulse!1968 Puttin' It Together N/A Blue Note Records1969 Polycurrents N/A Blue Note Records1970 Coalition N/A Blue Note Records1971 Genesis N/A Blue Note Records1972 Live At The Light House N/A Blue Note Records1973 At This Point In Time N/A Blue Note Records1975 Mr. Thunder N/A East West Records1982 Brother John N/A Quicksilver Records 2004 The Truth N/A Half Note

As sideman

Year Album Leader Label 1956 Farmer's Market Art FarmerNew Jazz 1957 Paul Chambers Quintet Paul ChambersBlue Note 1957 Live at the Village Vanguard Sonny RollinsBlue Note 1966 East Broadway Rundown Sonny Rollins Impulse! 1959 Sketches of Spain Miles DavisColumbia 1960 Coltrane Plays the Blues John ColtraneAtlantic 1960 Coltrane's SoundJohn Coltrane Atlantic 1960 My Favorite ThingsJohn Coltrane Atlantic 1961 Olé ColtraneJohn Coltrane Atlantic 1961 Africa/Brass John Coltrane Impulse!1961 Live at the Village Vanguard John Coltrane Impulse! 1962 Ballads John Coltrane Impulse! 1962 Coltrane John Coltrane Impulse! 1963 ImpressionsJohn Coltrane Impulse! 1963 John Coltrane and Johnny HartmanColtrane, Johnny HartmanImpulse! 1963 Live at Birdland John Coltrane Impulse! 1964 CrescentJohn Coltrane Impulse! 1964 A Love SupremeJohn Coltrane Impulse! 1965 The John Coltrane Quartet Plays John Coltrane Impulse! 1965 Transition John Coltrane Impulse! 1965 First Meditations John Coltrane Impulse! 1965 Sun Ship John Coltrane Impulse! 1966 Live In Seattle John Coltrane Impulse! 1965 Meditations John Coltrane Impulse! 1965 One Down, One Up: Live at the Half Note John Coltrane Impulse! 1961 Motion Lee KonitzVerve 1967 The Lee Konitz Duets Lee Konitz Milestone 1962 Inception McCoy TynerImpulse! 1963 Today and Tomorrow McCoy Tyner Impulse! 1964 Plays Duke Ellington McCoy Tyner Impulse! 1967 The Real McCoy McCoy Tyner Blue Note 1970 Extensions McCoy Tyner Blue Note 1975 Trident McCoy Tyner Milestone 1964 Judgment!Andrew HillBlue Note 1964 Stan Getz and Bill Evans Stan Getz, Bill EvansVerve 1964 Bob Brookmeyer and Friends Bob BrookmeyerVerve 1964 Night Dreamer Wayne ShorterBlue Note 1964 JuJuWayne Shorter Blue Note 1964 Speak No EvilWayne Shorter Blue Note 1962 Ready For Freddie Freddie HubbardBlue Note 1966 Blue Spirits Freddie Hubbard Blue Note 1964 Matador Grant GreenBlue Note 1964 Street of Dreams Grant Green Blue Note 1964 Solid Grant Green Blue Note 1964 "Talkin' About!" Grant Green Blue Note 1965 I Want to Hold Your Hand Grant Green Blue Note 1964 In 'N Out Joe HendersonBlue Note 1964 Inner Urge Joe Henderson Blue Note 1964 Into Somethin' Larry YoungBlue Note 1965 Unity Larry Young Blue Note 1961 Into Something Yusef LateefNew Jazz 1965 Rip, Rig and Panic Roland KirkLimelight 1976 Together Oregon Vanguard1987 But Beautiful Lew SoloffKing Records 1995 After the Rain John McLaughlinVerve 1999 Jones for Elvin - Volume 1 Steve Griggs Hip City Music 1999 Jones for Elvin - Volume 2 Steve Griggs Hip City Music 2001 Bill Frisell with Dave Holland & Elvin Jones Bill Frisell, Dave Holland Nonesuch