Elvin Jones

Elvin Jones

Jones in 1976
Background information
Birth name Elvin Ray Jones
Born (1927-09-09)September 9, 1927
Pontiac, Michigan, United States
Died May 18, 2004(2004-05-18) (aged 76)
Englewood, New Jersey, United States
Genres Modal jazz, avant-garde jazz, hard bop, mainstream jazz, post-bop
Occupation(s) Musician, bandleader
Instruments Drums, percussion
Years active 1948–2004
Associated acts John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thad Jones, Hank Jones

Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era.[1] He showed an 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.[1]

From 1960 to 1966 he was a member of the John Coltrane quartet (along with Jimmy Garrison on bass and McCoy Tyner on piano), a celebrated recording phase, appearing on such albums as A Love Supreme. Following his work with Coltrane, Jones led several small groups, some under the name The Elvin Jones Jazz Machine. His brothers Hank Jones and Thad Jones were also jazz musicians with whom he recorded.[1] He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1995.[2]

Biography

Early life

Elvin Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan to parents Henry and Olivia Jones, who had moved to Michigan from Vicksburg, Mississippi. His brothers, Hank Jones and Thad Jones, both became important jazz musicians. 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. 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.[3]

Jones 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 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 the classic John Coltrane Quartet, which also included bassist Jimmy Garrison and pianist McCoy Tyner. Jones and Coltrane often played extended duet passages. 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.

Elvin Jones at Keystone Korner, San Francisco, California. April 22, 1980.

Jones remained active after leaving the 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. Jones played on many significant albums of the modal jazz era, such as The Real McCoy with McCoy Tyner and saxophonist Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil. Other musicians of note who made significant contributions to Jones'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' sense of timing, polyrhythms, dynamics, timbre, and legato phrasing 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 drummers, including Christian Vander, Mitch Mitchell (whom Jimi Hendrix called "my Elvin Jones") and Ginger Baker.

He appeared as the villain Job Cain in the 1971 musical Western film Zachariah,[4] in which he performed a drum solo after winning a saloon gunfight.[4]

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", which was also featured on their 2009 compilation album The Very Best of Our Lady Peace.

Jones performed and recorded with his own group, the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, whose line up changed through the years. Sonny Fortune and Ravi Coltrane, John Coltrane's son, both played saxophone with the Jazz Machine in the early 1990s, appearing together with Jones on In Europe on Enja Records in 1991. 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.

Elvin Jones died of heart failure in Englewood, New Jersey on May 18, 2004. He was 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), in addition to his son Elvin Nathan Jones of California and daughter Rose-Marie Rosie Jones of Sweden.

Discography

As leader

Recorded Album Personnel Label
1961 Together! Philly Joe Jones, Blue Mitchell, Curtis Fuller, Hank Mobley, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers Atlantic
1961 Elvin! Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Art Davis, Hank Jones, Thad Jones Riverside
1963 Illumination! Jimmy Garrison, Prince Lasha, Sonny Simmons, Charles Davis, McCoy Tyner Impulse!
1965 Dear John C. Richard Davis, Hank Jones, Roland Hanna, Charlie Mariano Impulse!
1965 And Then Again J. J. Johnson, Frank Wess, Charles Davis, Don Friedman, Paul Chambers, Thad Jones, Hank Jones, Art Davis Atlantic
1966 Midnight Walk Thad Jones, Hank Mobley, Dollar Brand, Steve James, Don Moore Atlantic
1967 Heavy Sounds Richard Davis, Frank Foster, Billy Greene Impulse!
1968 Live at the Village Vanguard Wilbur Little, George Coleman, Marvin Peterson Enja
1968 Puttin' It Together Joe Farrell, Jimmy Garrison Blue Note
1968 The Ultimate Jimmy Garrison, Joe Farrell Blue Note
1969 Poly-Currents George Coleman, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, Wilbur Little, Candido Camero, Fred Tompkins Blue Note
1970 Coalition George Coleman, Frank Foster, Wilbur Little, Candido Camero, Blue Note
1971 Genesis Gene Perla, Frank Foster, Dave Liebman, Joe Farrell Blue Note
1971 Merry-Go-Round Dave Liebman, Steve Grossman, Joe Farrell, Chick Corea, Jan Hammer, Don Alias, Gene Perla Blue Note
1971 Elvin Jones Live: The Town Hall Gene Perla, Chick Corea, Joe Farrell, Frank Foster PM Records
1972 Mr. Jones Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, Dave Liebman, Jan Hammer, Gene Perla Blue Note
1972 Live at the Lighthouse Dave Liebman, Steve Grossman, Gene Perla Blue Note
1973 At This Point in Time Steve Grossman, Pepper Adams, Jan Hammer Blue Note
1973 The Prime Element George Coleman, Joe Farrell, Lee Morgan, Pepper Adams, Steve Grossman, Frank Foster Blue Note
1975 Mr. Thunder Steve Grossman, Roland Prince, Milton Suggs, Luis Agudo, Sjunne Ferger East West
1975 Elvin Jones is "On the Mountain" Jan Hammer, Gene Perla PM
1975 New Agenda Steve Grossman, Roland Prince, Dave Williams Vanguard
1976 The Main Force Ryo Kawasaki, Al Dailey, Dave Liebman Vanguard
1976 Summit Meeting James Moody, Clark Terry, Bunky Green, Roland Prince Vanguard
1977 Time Capsule Bunky Green, Kenny Barron, Angel Allende, Ryo Kawasaki, Frank Wess, Milt Hinton, Frank Foster, George Coleman, Junie Booth Vanguard
1978 Remembrance Pat LaBarbera, Michael Stuart, Roland Prince, Andy McCloud III MPS
1978 Elvin Jones Music Machine Frank Foster, Pat LaBarbera, Roland Prince, Andy McCloud III Mark Levison (Japan)
1978 Live in Japan 1978: Dear John C. Frank Foster, Pat LaBarbera, Roland Prince, Andy McCloud III Trio (Japan)
1978 Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Live in Japan Vol. 2 Frank Foster, Pat LaBarbera, Roland Prince, Andy McCloud III Trio (Japan)
1979 Very R.A.R.E. Art Pepper, Sir Roland Hanna, Richard Davis (bassist) Trio (Japan)
1980 Soul Train Andrew White, Richard "Ari" Brown, Marvin Horne, Andy McCloud III Denon
1980 Heart to Heart Tommy Flanagan, Richard Davis Denon
1982 Earth Jones Kenny Kirkland, Dave Liebman, Terumasa Hino, George Mraz Palo Alto
1982 Love & Peace McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Richard Davis Trio (Japan)
1982 Brother John Kenny Kirkland, Reggie Workman, Pat LaBarbera Palo Alto
1984 Live at the Village Vanguard Volume One Frank Foster, Pat LaBarbera, Fumio Karashima, Chip Jackson Landmark
1985 Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Live at Pit Inn Sonny Fortune, Pat LaBarbera, Fumio Karashima, Richard Davis Polydor (Japan)
1990 Power Trio John Hicks, Cecil McBee Novus
1990 When I Was at Aso-Mountain Sonny Fortune, Takehisa Tanaka, Cecil McBee Enja
1991 In Europe Sonny Fortune, Ravi Coltrane, Willie Pickens, Chip Jackson Enja
1992 Youngblood Joshua Redman, Javon Jackson, Nicholas Payton, George Mraz Enja
1992 Going Home Willie Pickens, Ravi Coltrane, Kent Jordan, Brad Jones, Nicholas Payton Enja
1992 Tribute to John Coltrane "A Love Supreme" Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Reginald Veal Columbia (Japan)
1993 It Don't Mean a Thing Nicholas Payton, Sonny Fortune, Delfeayo Marsalis, Willie Pickens, Cecil McBee, Kevin Mahogany Enja
1998 Momentum Space Cecil Taylor, Dewey Redman Verve
1999 The Truth: Heard Live at the Blue Note Darren Barrett, Robin Eubanks, Carlos McKinney, Michael Brecker Half Note

As sideman

Recorded Album Leader Label
1948 Swing...Not Spring! Billy Mitchell Savoy Records
1955 Blue Moods Miles Davis Prestige
1955 The Magnificent Thad Jones Thad Jones Blue Note
1956 Farmer's Market Art Farmer New Jazz
1956 J is for Jazz J. J. Johnson Columbia Records
1957 The Jones Boys Quincy Jones Everest Recordings
1957 After the Party's Over Aaron Bell RCA Victor
1957 Overseas Tommy Flanagan Prestige
1957 Paul Chambers Quintet Paul Chambers Blue Note
1957 The Cool Sound of Pepper Adams Pepper Adams Savoy Records
1957 Kenny Burrell Kenny Burrell Prestige
1957 Night at the Village Vanguard Sonny Rollins Blue Note
1957 Mad Thad Thad Jones Period
1957 Olio Thad Jones and the Prestige All Stars Prestige
1957 Roots Idrees Sulieman and the Prestige All Stars New Jazz
1958 Mal/3: Sounds Mal Waldron Prestige
1958 Reflections Steve Lacy New Jazz
1958 10 to 4 at the 5 Spot Pepper Adams Riverside
1958 Keepin' Up With The Joneses Thad Jones Metrojazz
1958 Soul Stirrin' Bennie Green Blue Note
1958 Pepper Knepper Quintet Pepper Adams Metrojazz
1958 Porgy and Bess Hank Jones Capitol
1959 All the Gin Is Gone Jimmy Forrest Delmark Records
1959 Destry Rides Again Randy Weston United Artists
1959 Sliding Easy Curtis Fuller United Artists
1959 Brass Shout Art Farmer United Artists
1959 Black Forrest Jimmy Forrest Delmark Records
1959 Great Jazz Standards Gil Evans World Pacific
1959 Sketches of Spain Miles Davis Columbia Records
1959 Motor City Scene Thad Jones United Artists
1960 Stringsville Harry Lookofsky Collectables
1960 Keep Swingin' Julian Priester Riverside Records
1960 Coltrane Plays the Blues John Coltrane Atlantic
1960 Coltrane's Sound John Coltrane Atlantic
1960 My Favorite Things John Coltrane Atlantic
1961 Preminado Barry Harris Riverside Records
1961 Coltrane Jazz (only on 1 track) John Coltrane Atlantic
1961 Africa/Brass John Coltrane Impulse!
1961 Live! at the Village Vanguard John Coltrane Impulse!
1961 A Story Tale Clifford Jordan and Sonny Red Jazzland
1961 Into Something Yusef Lateef New Jazz
1961 Motion Lee Konitz Verve
1962 Ready for Freddie Freddie Hubbard Blue Note
1962 Pony's Express Pony Poindexter Epic
1962 Duke Ellington & John Coltrane John Coltrane, Duke Ellington Impulse!
1962 Ballads John Coltrane Impulse!
1962 Coltrane John Coltrane Impulse!
1962 Inception McCoy Tyner Impulse!
1963 Today and Tomorrow McCoy Tyner Impulse!
1963 Conflict Jimmy Woods Contemporary
1963 Here's Love Hank Jones Argo
1963 Impressions John Coltrane Impulse!
1963 John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman John Coltrane Impulse!
1963 Live at Birdland John Coltrane Impulse!
1964 Crescent John Coltrane Impulse!
1964 A Love Supreme John Coltrane Impulse!
1964 Judgment! Andrew Hill Blue Note
1964 Stan Getz & Bill Evans Stan Getz, Bill Evans Verve
1964 Bob Brookmeyer and Friends Bob Brookmeyer Verve
1964 Night Dreamer Wayne Shorter Blue Note
1964 JuJu Wayne Shorter Blue Note
1964 Speak No Evil Wayne Shorter Blue Note
1964 McCoy Tyner Plays Ellington McCoy Tyner Impulse!
1964 Matador Grant Green Blue Note
1964 Street of Dreams Grant Green Blue Note
1964 Solid Grant Green Blue Note
1964 Talkin' About! Grant Green Blue Note
1964 In 'N Out Joe Henderson Blue Note
1964 Inner Urge Joe Henderson Blue Note
1964 Into Somethin' Larry Young Blue Note
1964 The Individualism of Gil Evans Gil Evans Verve
1965 Unity Larry Young Blue Note
1965 Rip, Rig and Panic Roland Kirk Limelight
1965 I Want to Hold Your Hand Grant Green Blue Note
1965 The John Coltrane Quartet Plays John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 Om John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 New Thing at Newport John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 Gleanings John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 Transition John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 First Meditations John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 Living Space John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 Sun Ship John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 Meditations John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 Kulu Sé Mama John Coltrane Impulse!
1965 Live at the Half Note: One Down, One Up John Coltrane Impulse!
1966 Live In Seattle John Coltrane Impulse!
1966 East Broadway Run Down Sonny Rollins Impulse!
1966 Blue Spirits Freddie Hubbard Blue Note
1967 The Lee Konitz Duets Lee Konitz Milestone
1967 The Real McCoy McCoy Tyner Blue Note
1967 Sunshine of My Soul Jaki Byard Prestige
1968 Lady Coryell Larry Coryell Vanguard Records
1968 New York Is Now! Ornette Coleman Blue Note
1968 Love Call Ornette Coleman Blue Note
1968 Encounter! Pepper Adams Prestige
1969 Feeling Free Barney Kessel Contemporary
1969 Please Send Me Someone to Love Phineas Newborn, Jr. Contemporary
1969 Harlem Blues Phineas Newborn, Jr. Contemporary
1969 Blues in Orbit Gil Evans Enja
1970 Extensions McCoy Tyner Blue Note
1971 Outback Joe Farrell CTI
1972 The Loud Minority Frank Foster Mainstream
1973 Capra Black Billy Harper Strata-East
1975 Trident McCoy Tyner Milestone
1976 Together Oregon Vanguard Records
1976 The Trip Art Pepper Contemporary
1976 Back Home Phineas Newborn, Jr. Contemporary
1977 Well Water Frank Foster Piadrum (released 2007)
1977 Beyond the Rain Chico Freeman Contemporary
1977 Something for Lester Ray Brown Contemporary
1977 Thursday Night at the Village Vanguard Art Pepper Contemporary
1977 Friday Night at the Village Vanguard Art Pepper Contemporary
1977 Saturday Night at the Village Vanguard Art Pepper Contemporary
1977 More for Les at the Village Vanguard Art Pepper Contemporary
1981 Rejoice Pharoah Sanders Theresa
1987 But Beautiful Lew Soloff King Records
1987 Magical Trio 1[5] James Williams Emarcy
1988 Meet the Magical Trio[6] James Williams Emarcy
1990 Special Quartet David Murray DIW/Columbia
1991 Ask the Ages Sonny Sharrock Axiom
1995 Into The Frying Pan Greg Packham Packed Records
1995 After the Rain John McLaughlin Verve
1995 The Main Ingredient Shirley Horn Verve
1998 Trio Fascination: Edition One Joe Lovano Blue Note
1999 Jones for Elvin - Volumes 1 and 2 Steve Griggs Hip City Music
1999 Time Is of the Essence Michael Brecker Verve
2000 Stefano di Battista Stefano di Battista Blue Note
2001 With Dave Holland and Elvin Jones Bill Frisell Nonesuch Records

Filmography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Yanow, Scott. "Elvin Jones". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  2. ↑ "Modern Drummer’s Readers Poll Archive, 1979–2014". Modern Drummer. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Gross, Terry. "Elvin Jones NPR interview". Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  4. 1 2 Greenspun, Roger (January 25, 1971). "Zachariah (1970) Screen: 'Zachariah,' an Odd Western". The New York Times.
  5. ↑ Allmusic Magical Trio 1 review
  6. ↑ Allmusic Meet the Magical Trio review
  7. ↑ Jones, Elvin. "VIEW DVD Listing". View.com. Retrieved 2011-10-19.

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